Solved: Images load up partially when served by Apache Web Server

This was a very strange issue which showed up at one of my client’s Web application. The application is hosted on a Apache Web server and serves JPEG images. These JPEG files reside on a different server and mounted via CIFS (loosely called Samba mount) on the Linux machine running the Web server.

Now the issue was, many JPEG images, especially the larger ones, loaded up only partially in a Web browser (both Internet Explorer and Firefox). What made them load fully was pressing CTRL+R or clicking on Refresh/Reload several times. Bandwidth wasn’t an issue here, since this problem occurred even when browsing the JPEGs from the local network. Read the rest of this entry »

MySQL GUI Tools (Query Browser, Administrator) for Fedora 13

In Fedora Linux, the mysql-gui-tools package provides the graphical (or GUI) clients to query and administer a MySQL database – useful alternatives to the command line client.

While I’m very comfortable with the mysql command line client, I do switch to the GUI query browser to add/edit stored procedures/functions.

“yum install mysql-gui-tools” was the simplest command to install the GUI tools for MySQL in Fedora Linux. But in Fedora 13, this results in “No package mysql-gui-tools available”.

So what happened here?

Read the rest of this entry »

Twitter Updates for 2010-04-06

• You aren't as easygoing as you appear today, but others won't … More for Leo http://twittascope.com/?sign=5 #
• Dropbox (online storage) for Android soon http://bit.ly/9Pp7gR Have been using Dropbox for more than a year on my Linux laptop. #
• test tweet from Mozilla Raindrop #
• #Test Mozilla Raindrop #
• #test #

Solved: Garbled text in Putty

Putty is a popular and free Linux terminal/shell client for Windows. It allows one to connect to a Linux server using SSH (Secure Shell) or Telnet. I have been using it for as long as I can recall. But this issue of garbled text in Putty is what I have been ignoring, until yesterday.

Yesterday, I had setup Paradox database using DOSEMU on Linux, for a client. On Putty, the Paradox interface showed garbled making it unusable for the client. My instant suspect was DOSEMU. A quick check revealed that it’s happening with other apps too - those with a ncurses or text based user interface. Read the rest of this entry »

Twitter Updates for 2010-03-16

• @mkathuria09 usual stuff – cold. Thanks in reply to mkathuria09 #
• A wave of confidence surges through you as the Moon enters you… More for Leo http://twittascope.com/twittascope/?sign=5 #
• Back to old days, today. Ran Paradox for DOS http://tinyurl.com/yh2s79b using Dosemu on CentOS Linux for a client with @kbharagava #
• @kbhargava Dosemu was ur suggestion & idea. I just enjoyed it in reply to kbhargava #
• RT: @androinica: Android Market now has 30,000 to 35,000 apps http://goo.gl/fb/kzFJ #android #
• @pankaj_shukla does ZumoDrive work on Linux? in reply to pankaj_shukla #

Twitter Updates for 2010-03-15

• Aircel Peek – a device to read "only E-mails" (not even phone calls) @ 3K & monthly charges of Rs. 300. Interesting but #fail #
• @vinodunny Does 'Fit to Drawing' in Visio 2010 work? http://twitter.com/shekharg/statuses/10229414228 in reply to vinodunny #
• @vinodunny r u using Visio 2010 Beta? in reply to vinodunny #
• @vinodunny Fit to Drawing is moving elements to the bottom of the Page but not resizing the page itself. Give a BG to the page & then see in reply to vinodunny #
• @vinodunny will try. Rt now in Linux. Will check. Even if doesnt work, won't make sound about it. After all it is named Beta & not Vista in reply to vinodunny #
• Slept at 4, wokeup at 6:30 by client call. Ever since tried to catch up with sleep. But clients who havnt called 4 weeks hav been calling #
• On the road now. A sleepy day ahead zzzz #
• RT @sharat_j Poor Bill Gates: Mexican Telecom Tycoon Grabs Richest Man Title http://short.to/1k71v #
• You often seem so capable that it can be hard to get help when… More for Leo http://twittascope.com/twittascope/?sign=5 #
• Ref http://short.to/1lz2i And my day ends with fever & bad throat ( #
• @fghomeopathy thanks in reply to fghomeopathy #
• @PrernaMalhotra thanks in reply to PrernaMalhotra #

Twitter Updates for 2010-02-11

• Heroes Season 4 Episode 18 – Sylar & Peter team up. E-19 Samuel defeated by Peter, Sylar, Hiro & Noah!! Claire reveals her power to media #
• You may feel as if an opportunity for a friendship or romance … More for Leo http://twittascope.com/twittascope/?sign=5 #
• @pankaj_shukla One can use Web client on a supported phone for Google Buzz. Refer to http://tinyurl.com/y86hpbl (see supported phones) in reply to pankaj_shukla #
• Google Buzz in Gmail listed my blog and one of my client's website (maybe coz of using google webmaster tools) as sites to connect to. #
• Does this tweet buzz ? #test #
• Despite adding Twitter to Connected Sites, Google Buzz in Gmail is not showing my tweets #
• @RahulSah No in reply to RahulSah #
• @RahulSah ref http://tinyurl.com/yl6hq6c used Chrome on Linux and inbox didn't disappear, even for a second Which OS are you in? in reply to RahulSah #
• Why Google Maps maps.google.com does not have the Buzz layer ? #
• @RahulSah I don't think we are doing anything wrong while adding Twitter. Buggy Buzz #Google in reply to RahulSah #
• Unlike Tweets you can edit a Buzz and comments to it + #Google #
• @RahulSah soon our tweets about buggy buzz will be retweeted by the Vs in reply to RahulSah #
• This is http://tinyurl.com/ydbdlge interesting & scary. Both these sites r the only verified sites in my webmaster account #Google #Buzz #
• @RahulSah Vickeds in reply to RahulSah #
• RT @suhel Even if your Google Buzz & Twitter profiles are linked it takes between 2 min to 4 hours for the tweets to appear in Buzz. #
• @suhel 2 mins-4 hrs for the first time or for each tweet ?! in reply to suhel #
• Tweets started appearing on my Google Buzz http://tweetphoto.com/11047728 All dated 9:17pm. Still doesn't include my latest tweets #
• Another http://bit.ly/cIJNLG Buzz vs Twitter. Google Buzz does not have the 140 character limit! #
• Google Buzz RT @pankaj_shukla Just installed Google Maps 4.0 on my windows mobile and now i am able to Buzz on maps ! #

Web Scraping with Firefox and PHP, using XPath

Last year, I faced two projects which required automated Web scrapping – to aggregate content from web pages. I evaluated different methods for Web scraping with varied level of success. Thanks to the changing structure of Web pages, non well-formed pages and URL redirects.

Amongst using regular expressions and DOM (Document Object Model) parsing, I used XPath too. XPath works great for well-formed Web pages. Read the rest of this entry »

My list of must-have Android apps

Ever since I ordered and got my Android Dev Phone 1 (a.k.a. ADP1), I have been taking it through various updates. The phone shipped with Android version 1.0 and upgraded to version 1.6. After 1.6, I opted to go for ROMs from CynaogenMod.

Each time, I upgrade my phone, I wipe off its data. This is because I took the upgrades as an opportunity to wipe off applications which I install, but do not use or use occasionally. But, following is the list of Android applications which I crave to install after each wipe off. These applications are my must-haves on my Android phone. Read the rest of this entry »

Twitter Updates for 2010-01-06

• Nexus One allows engraving of custom message on the back #android #
• Declared: Nexus One runs #Android 2.1 #
• Nexus One has Facebook apps and widgets #android #
• Nexus One has 5 home screens / desktops – just like what you get with the @cyanogen ROM #android #
• Nexus One has a Weather Widget with a timeline slider to slide thru predictions #android #
• Nexus One has active/animated wallpaper #android #
• Nexus One event live video streaming http://www.ustream.tv/channel/google-android-press-gathering stopped. For me ? #
• Nexus One allows clubbing of photos by time & location #Android #
• Nexus One: Syncing of photos with Picasa Web #android #
• Nexus One THE GREATEST FEATURE: speech to text for everything. Speak and compose email!!!! #android #
• Nexus One includes Google Earth #android #
• Nexus One: Awaiting how easy it is to type in text in the absence of a hardware keyboard #android #
• @kkumarkg i'm on Linux without Realplayer in reply to kkumarkg #
• Nexus One: Officially launched at http://www.google.com/phone/ #Android #
• Nexus One phone @ $529 – unlocked without service agreement #android #
• "Sorry, Nexus One phone is not available in ur country" is what I see when I goto http://tinyurl.com/yklbf2k while browsing frm Delhi, India #
• Nexus One, my take: Biggest Pro: "speech to text" across apps (willing to change my accent) Biggest Con: No hardware keyboard #Android #
• BIG con of Nexus One: internet connection tethering is still future consideration #WTF Keep an eye on Cyanogen http://tinyurl.com/ydm5vae #
• Nexus One: Aaha, someone asked the question on missing hardware keyboard #android Whatever the answer is, its absent in Nexus One #
• @VineetBhatnagar yea http://bit.ly/7tJ7bj in reply to VineetBhatnagar #
• Sanjay Jah is late due to traffic for the Nexus One event – despite Google Maps with traffic layer and turn-by-turn navigation #
• @cyanogen yes pls. thanks. pls don't go the Nexus One way, not so soon, atleast. Don't be a Google in reply to cyanogen #
• Nexus One ordering tip RT: @cyanogen: Didn't realize that engraving takes extra time #
• @vinodunny oops. Keep ur hand on your heart and chant "CHACHU, AAL IZZ WELL" Its going to be ok by tomorrow. in reply to vinodunny #
• A stalemate is declared in a game of chess when neither side h… More for Leo http://twittascope.com/twittascope/?sign=5 #