I have been very busy the past few months due my recent relocation back to Florida and working in a very cool project.

Last weekend I just released a cool interactive tool for one of my clients. This tool would allow customers upload pictures of theirs on vehicle and visualize new rims on it. From there they can save and share on Facebook or Twitter, and click the "buy now" button to see more specific details about the wheel and finalize the checkout process.

This project took us 6 months from planning, project, hire the resources and put everything together. We used Adobe ColdFusion 8, Flash 10 and Microsoft SQL Server 2010. The Flash app "talks" to the database using ColdFusion components. The database driven application features the drop down box for the vehicle selection, then it applies a formula to only bring the rims that fits the selected vehicle year, make and model.

We are now planning the next version of the visualizer that will have many improvements but for sure will keep the CF/SQL Server as back end. Perhaps a Jquery version? :D

Take a look at the Rims Visualizer application. There are already many cool vehicles uploaded like this 2010 Chevy Camaro SS. Comments and feedback are very welcome.

The Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) is the main source of multilateral financing for economic, social, and institutional development in Latin America and the Caribbean. It provides loans, grants, guarantees, policy advice, and technical assistance to the public and private sectors of its borrowing member countries.

The IDB's Digital and Print Media Unit of the Information Management Division is currently seeking three consultants as Web Developers for the Internet team.

Responsibilities 1. Using ColdFusion, JavaScript, HTML, DHTML, XML, AJAX, and CSS to create rich user experiences.

2. Participating in all phases of Web applications development: analysis, design, implementation, testing, and maintenance.

3. Designing and creating databases for Web applications using MS SQL Server, implementing the data structure, views, triggers, and stored procedures required to support, at the database level, the underlying business logic.

4. Maintaining high coding standards and practices, and exercising quality control in all aspects of development.

5. Taking appropriate action to resolve Web site applications issues by communicating with peers and other project team members using a collaborative approach.

Requirements

Education: B.S. in Computer Science or similar background Experience: Two years' experience as a Web Developer Nationality: Citizen from member country

Web Development:

1. Proficient in ColdFusion, JavaScript, HTML, DHTML, XML, AJAX, and CSS. Knowledge of Flash a plus.

2. Solid knowledge of Web design and functionality, revision control, Web environments, and browser-specific issues.

3. Solid understanding of UI design.

4. Thorough knowledge of code documentation.

5. Knowledge of MS SQL Server as the main database tool, including Data Transformation Services (DTS), to be used in implementing download processes and population of database structures.

6. Experience with Java is a plus.

7. Superior attention to detail.

Language: Perfect command of English/Spanish or English/Portuguese or English/French.

Competencies

1. Ability to meet deadlines, handle multiple projects simultaneously, and manage one's own time and deliverables.

2. Strong teamwork and effective communication skills.

How to apply:

Email resume and cover letter to EXRINTERNET@iadb.org

There are two consultant positions available for Coldfusion developers at Inter-American Development Bank. Further info at: http://wwwt.iadb.org/idbdocs.cfm?docnum=2003515

Existem duas vagas de trabalho como desenvolvedor Coldfusion disponíveis no BID (Banco Interamericano de Desenvolvimento). Mais detalhes no link: http://wwwt.iadb.org/idbdocs.cfm?docnum=2003515

Last week I decided to offer free introductory website analysis for members at www.asmallworld.net
Of course I couldn't go deeper in each analysis but I could help them on basics for SEO, Metrics, Usability and Web Development. The most common mistakes I found were in the aspects:

• SEO. Missing opportunity to use page title to improve SE traffic. Some cases there was no title at all. Or the domain name was repeated in the title tag.
• SEO. If the title was so misused imagine meta keyword and descriptions.
• Site Metrics. Missing opportunity to collect data from users. Like not using advantage of Google Analytics to know better what customers are looking for when they reach theirs site and many other information like bounce rate, conversions, etc.

Today, I upgraded website www.wheelsnext.com to Adobe's ColdFusion 8. So far everything seems fine. I just did couple changes to the Java memory settings, had to set again the class path to couple cfx tags and everything else CF 8 migration wizard took care.

I hope with this upgrade to fix some Jrun error issues we had with CF7. And also feel the improvement in speed that the CF community have been telling around.

Hoje, eu fiz o upgrade do site www.wheelsnext.com para o ColdFusion 8 da Adobe. Até agora tudo parece bem. Só tive que fazer algumas mudanças nas configurações JVM, tive que setar novamente o class path de duas CFX tags usadas e tudo mais o assistente de migração dele resolveu.

Espero que com esse upgrade os problemas com erros de Jrun sejam resolvidos para esse site. E tambem experimentar a melhora em performance que a comunidade CF tem falado tanto.

I am using jquery's thickbox 3.1 for an image gallery. My problem started because the previous developer made the site using iframes. I strong recommend you not using iframes or frames, and there are many reasons for you to not using them.

Of course this is a hack, and the best scenario you shouldn't use frames and then do the coding in "perfect" manner.

In order to make the thickbox work inside an iframe you must do the following:

1 - Add jquery and thickbox files to both main and iframe pages. This is required so the previous and next link works on the inline popup (thickbox).

2 - Make the following changes to the thickbox.js file

2.1. - Replace the code inside the function tb_init(domChunk) tb_show(t,a,g); to self.parent.tb_show(t,a,g,window);

2.2. - Replace function TB_show(caption, url, imageGroup) to function TB_show(caption, url, imageGroup, refWindow)

2.3. - Replace TB_TempArray = $("a[@rel="+imageGroup+"]").get(); to TB_TempArray = refWindow.$("a[@rel="+imageGroup+"]").get();

2.4. - Replace tb_show(TB_PrevCaption, TB_PrevURL, imageGroup); to tb_show(TB_PrevCaption, TB_PrevURL, imageGroup, refWindow);

2.5. - Replace tb_show(TB_NextCaption, TB_NextURL, imageGroup); to tb_show(TB_NextCaption, TB_NextURL, imageGroup, refWindow);

3 - Now the code for your links must be something like this:

That's all you need. It took me while to figure this out. On the internet I found some information but it was confusing so I decided to compile everything in one post. I hope this helps anyone looking to do the same.

I am a big Google fan. I love the way they make simple things so effective. Google Maps is one of the most amazing web applications that I use on a daily basis. Google docs and Gmail are also amazing.

Today, my friend Fabio from CFGIGOLO posted about them now been able to route the Brazilian streets. Not only big cities but small ones like where I came from. That's amazing since the streets and the traffic in my country it is not so organized as in the USA and Europe. Thumbs up for Google again! ;)

p.s.1: After playing a little with Google maps in Brazil. I can just say that there's a lot to improve. At least on my city, Fortaleza - Brazil. The traffic information is totally wrong.

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I am addicted to IT books. If this blog helped you somehow and you want to contribute please visit my amazon wish list

• T-SQL (SQL Server 2000)
  
  1. To become a guru: All from Ken Henderson
  2. For begginers in T-SQL: SQL Server 2000 Programming by Example - Rojas
• PHP
  1. PHP and MySQL Web Development - Luke Welling and Laura Thomson
• ColdFusion
  1. All from Ben Forta
• Javascript
  1. Javascript bible (gold edition)
• CSS
  1. All from Eric Meyer
• MySQL
  1. Quick Guide MySQL Crash Course - Ben Forta
  2. For critical web systems: High Performance MySQL - Jeremy D. Zawodny and Derek J. Balling
• Web server performance and optimization
  1. Performance by Design: Computer Capacity Planning By Example

Eu sou viciado em livros especialmente de Tecnologia da Informação. Se esse blog lhe ajudou de alguma forma e vc quer retribuir por gentileza visite minha lista na amazon.com

Segue uma lista de livros que recomendo para todos os desenvolvedores web que trabalham fazendo sites dinâmicos. 

• T-SQL (SQL Server 2000)
  
  1. Para se tornar um guru: Todos do Ken Henderson
  2. Para iniciantes em T-SQL: SQL Server 2000 Programming by Example - Rojas
• PHP
  1. PHP and MySQL Web Development - Luke Welling and Laura Thomson
• ColdFusion
  1. Todos do Ben Forta
• Javascript
  1. Javascript bible
• CSS
  1. Todos do Eric Meyer
• MySQL
  1. Guia Rápido: MySQL Crash Course - Ben Forta
  2. Para sistemas criticos: High Performance MySQL - Jeremy D. Zawodny e Derek J. Balling
• Web server performance and optimization
  1. Performance by Design: Computer Capacity Planning By Example