Foul 2 is the first major re-write of the original Foul library. I wanted to make the language more simple and less rote.

Some new features include inline HTML error reporting with the ability to style them via CSS, testing against numeric and string literals and the ability to create test groups.

Download Foul 2.0 here.

I realize there’s hundreds of ways to do this but I keep finding myself reusing this function in many programming projects when I need to peel apart some strings. So here it is ( and doubles as an excuse to update my neglected blog ).

function onion( $str, $l = '(', $r = ')' )
{
   $s = 0;
   $tally = -1;
   $found = array();
   
   for ($cnt = 0; $cnt < strlen($str); $cnt++)
   {
      if ( $str{$cnt} == $l && ($cnt == 0 || $str{$cnt-1} != '\\') ) 
         if ( $tally == -1 ) {$s = $cnt+1; $tally = 1;}
         else $tally++; 
      
      if ($tally != -1 && $str{$cnt} == $r && $str{$cnt-1} != '\\' ) $tally--;

      if ( $tally == 0 )
      {
         $found[] =  substr($str,$s,$cnt - $s);
         $tally = -1;
      }      
   }
   
   return $found;
}

/*
  This returns an array of the first level of strings found in side the $l
  and $r variables. 
*/

Its goal is to make HTML/XML authoring in a PHP Template environment as simple and painless as possible.

Required materials:

• Thumb Tacks
• Paperclips
• Nicely aged book you don’t mind destroying
• Black foamcore
• Craft Knife ( like X-act or something )
• Straight edge
• Gluestick
• Needlenose pliers

First find an old book that has some pictures or neat typography you don’t mind cutting up. It’s also a good idea to look it up on the internet first to make sure you’re not destroying the next Voynich Manuscript.

Get a straight edge and cut out the pages you want.

Next cut out the foam core with a craft knife to fit the pages. I left about 1/2in of space around the page and maybe 3/4in on the bottom.

Center the page and lightly mark the corners with a pencil. Use the glue stick on the back of the page around the edges and carefully lay it down on the foam core. ( Don’t use any kind of wet glue because it will absorb into the paper and make it look like a raisin. )

To create the holders take a paper clip and open it up by pulling out the middle loop and flattening it so it’s opposite the outer loop. Next take the pliers and about 1/2in from the end of the smaller loop bend the loop 90 degrees. Then about mid-way down from that make another 90 degree bend so it looks like paperclip the picture.

Now you’re pretty much done. All you need to do is find a good place to hang it and attach the paperclips to the wall with the thumbtacks. Then when you slid the picture in it hides the fact you’re a cheap-ass and used paperclips to hang pictures of a mutilated book.

I’ve been playing with some interesting Minecraft challenges and came up with this fun little diddy. No land anywhere. Once you die you respawn over the void and become stuck in an infinite loop of death. You have the absolute bare minimum. Yet you have just enough to create plenty. Every block placement must be planned. Every block preserved. And you’re racing against hunger.

Download 1.0 Here

Simply unzip into your Minecraft saves folder and start Minecraft.

Later I realized I actually had a need for a simple CMS that didn’t require a database, had a web editing interface and gave complete control over raw HTML/CSS/JS code. I plugged some holes in the original code and added some extra abilities to it.

I’m releasing it under the MIT license so people can do whatever with it.

I’ve also have had time to start working on some past projects that are laying around. One of my most recent projects is a php CMS that’s less than 4kB. It started out as just a silly self-satisfying POC but It turned out I actually had a need for it.

I also discovered an interesting paradigm in programming called HAXE. It’s a platform that lets you deploy apps to different platforms and easily trade data structures from one language to another. I have a project picked out that I’d like to try with Haxe and see how practical it really is.