Month: November 2012

Writing PHP Code to Standard

So with the release of AWS SDK Version 2, I’ve been inspired a little to write better PHP Code, at least in stuff I have on my GitHub. The new SDK is written to match the PHP Framework Interop Group PSR-0, PSR-1 and PSR-2, as well as Composer/Packagist Support.

I been working a on project to make starting a new project easier, (create a repo, setup the deployments, Apache VHost etc). Primarily working off of the ATech Media Suite of products.

Starting from a base of peterjaap’s Codebase PHP Wrapper, where I was just adding missing API endpoints to the class, at which point the new AWS SDK was released and inspiration of a sort struck.

I started a new project from scratch, to implement all the API’s that Atech runs, it’s very much in progress, I’ve currently got full support for DeployHQ and PointHQ end points, (as well as having gotten a few obvious missing end points added to the API).

I’m clunking my way thru the CodeBase API, it’s taking some time as its got a truck load more end points, that DeployHQ and PointHQ put together. It has Projects, which have repos, which have tickets, just to scratch the surface.

At the moment it’s largely functional, it’s just missing some extras, the Time Tracking, File Uploads, and so on.
It’s very much a learning experience in an attempt to follow the coding standards as well as laying the code out properly.

At the moment the CodeBase class itself is pretty large, and I’m pondering about splitting it out to sub classes. Classes to represent Projects and Repos and Tickets and so on, but its the first thing I’ve tried to build in such a way, so much consideration is needed, to hopefully get it right. I keep looking at other Project like the AWS SDK and GoCardless’ PHP Class.

The only thing thats really missing, is Unit Testing, which I still need to sit down and learn properly, but I’m still trying to find a suitable entry point to teach myself, and of late been expanding my knowledge using Code Academy, more on that in another post!

So thats a short update on PHP Development in general, you can checkout the ATech API Class so far on GitHub. Feedback always welcome!

(I’m trying to write more on my blog, as well as more PHP in general, hence a in progress post instead of a “It’s completely finished give it a whirl” post)

Kickstarter Projects

Since Kickstarter started, I’ve backed three projects. They are (in order of backing)

Of the three projects, all met their funding goals, and one of them is actually complete.

Oddly it is the project I backed Last!

Lunatik Taktik

Commence Unpacking, in 3,2,1….

With Taktik I went for the $250 band, so in black, the Anodised Aluminium case with the upgraded Gorilla Glass Lens, for the iPhone 4S (and the iPhone 5 case, so when I potentially upgrade I have a case ready for it!)

I received in the post last week, my brand spanking new Taktik iPhone case.

After a quick unpack, and taking it apart. (It has 6 screws and comes with the tool to do so).

Bolting it on to my phone. The First thing you notice is the increase in weight and bulk. Or as I put it

MAN SIZED

Me and my Taktik-ised iPhone

So far its proven quite rugged and effective. Tho its not had any major drops or falls (only a couple of minor ones and a 3 foot fall from my desk).

The general abilities of the case is that it increase the iPhone’s water probability, and keeps the dust out, as well as being more drop proof. All that without a drop in audio or signal quality. In somes cases it actually improves the audio quality, as the channels to the Mic and from the Speaker are more enclosed.

And quite handily has a decent access port/cover for the headphone socket, and for the charger (although it can be a bit fiddly, the depth is nearly as deep as the charging cables block is).

But I do love my new iPhone case, it’s rather beautiful! (And mine is serial 0957), and I don’t mind the additional bulk or weight, and don’t have any issues using the screen edges, even if the depth between the top of the case and the screen is enough to be a little fiddly to start with.

Overall

So overall all 10/10, I love my Taktik. And it should keep my iPhone 4S going and going and going.

Tho to be fair, my iPhone 3G was pretty rugged, and kept going and going, (tho by the time I upgraded, it had no power button, no volume controls and not very easy access to the Mute switch, then I dropped it one too many times and put a crack on the LCD, not the glass covering it). In the end it got smashed against a table in the pub a lot, so I would *have* to upgrade. (It proved to be us indestructible as my old Nokia 3310), and still boots up (tho you can’t see anything on the screen…)!

Le iPhone3g

Looking forward to getting my next Kickstarter reward!

You can follow @LunaTikLife on Twitter!