This is an updated version of “CakePHP Livesearch” - published here in 2006. That version was designed for CakePHP 1.1, whilst this is a more polished and modern solution for CakePHP 1.2. The two tutorials are not compatible with each other due to changes in the framework. It is recommended that you stick with this one, and use CakepHP 1.2.

A while ago I wrote a tutorial covering how to get livesearch functionality working in CakePHP. A lot has happened since then - new versions of the framework have been issued, my knowledge of all things Cake, PHP & Ajax has deepened. Here’s hoping that my ability to communicate has, also.

There was a lot of positive feedback from the last tutorial which has spurred on a newer, revised tutorial. The contents of this post relate to Cake 1.2 (still in beta, but very usable). Whilst much of the steps are the same, there are a few subtle differences, and I have tried to clean things up a little better. So, without further ado…

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I recently took ownership of a shiny new Freecom 400GB USB drive, and with it a renewed understanding of how important data backups are. Automating the backup of files and settings in OS X is pretty easy - I went with iBackup (mainly as it was free) and have been pleasantly surprised at the backup flexibility it gives. MySQL — something I use pretty heavily — is not something it can do. Nor can many other backup tools.

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Overheard as I was walking down the road past a group of gas engineers working in a hole in the pavement:

Well it’s not this one that’s leaking…

Reassuring.

This is now an outdated tutorial. It has been replaced by a more polished version designed for CakePHP 1.2. Whilst the tutorial you’re looking at now still works in 1.1, you’d be best of upgrading to CakePHP 1.2. It’s much cooler.

Want to get a AJAX-ified live search working in CakePHP? So did I, but struggled to track down the relevant tutorials in English. There are two prominent tutorials out there; one by Marcus Jaschen, and another by Nio. Unless you’re well versed in German or Chinese (respectively) you might struggle to decipher these. I’ve adapted ideas seen in both tutorials and present one in plain (ish) English.

If you want to see what this looks like before getting started, try the demo.

Demo is offline at the moment, waiting to move it over to the new host, sorry!

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When I come to the end of my degree, in June, I shall most likely be pursuing a job. Hopefully I’ll have the luxury of choice so that I can do something that I want to do and with a company who I respect and admire the operation of.

Unfortunately, without getting to an interview, finding out what some job roles entail is becoming increasingly difficult. Some companies seem intent on shrouding their job descriptions in a haze of what can only be described as bullshit. Myself and Matt have been browsing various graduate employment directories to discover that a sizeable handful of companies don’t seem to grasp that their pitch is being directed at fresh graduates - we don’t understand what “supporting the successful operation of international business practices” means, nor do we care that every role you’re offering us has “manager” in the title - everyone knows a graduate is very very unlikely to be plunged into a managerial role, we simply don’t have the experience or knowledge.

I can’t get my head around why multi-nationals, who must be doing something right to reach such status, can’t sort out graduate recruitment techniques - how these companies are going to recruit the necessary individuals to keep their company running in several years is beyond me.

It would be nice if all companies could be honest and clear with their descriptions - we do them the service of concise and to the point CVs and applications; I do Software Engineering, not “A complex understanding of the precise involvements of multiple components and policies through their implementation and review into small-large scale computer system programs.”

If you’ve not yet heard of ReviewMe, then you soon will. It’s a new service which plans to pay bloggers to write reviews on products and services that advertisers submit.

The service is two pronged - it allows advertisers to submit a product or service to be reviewed, optionally specifying which theme of blog they want to review their product (tech, politics, health etc.). The review then percolates down through to all the targeted bloggers, some accepting to do the review, some not. Read the rest of this entry »

I spent the most recent weekend galavanting around our good country’s capital - London. Driving up on the Friday afternoon, and public-transporting around the centre, gave insight into a few failings of the transport system established in London.

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CakePHP is a PHP framework which is turning out to be most useful, and very flexible. I’ve embarked on a few little projects with it, and thought I would spread a little understanding with regards to the session component - as I struggled to find a concise set of examples to help me on my way.

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Part of my Software Engineering undergraduate degree involves an optional final year unit - Genetic Algorithms & Neural Networks. Needless to say, I volunteered myself for said option. My main drive for choosing this unit is that it’s some of the most unusual, yet cutting edge stuff you can realistically explore as a Software Engineer - the subject matter is quite “out there” but remains in the domain of practicality and usefulness. As much interest as I might have in say, quantum computing, I am unlikely to dedicate part of my education to it as, unless I want to go into computational research, it’s not terrifically useful. (A narrow mind, I know.)

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Myself and the University chaps were out for a few drinks tonight - fairly harmless stuff, having a few pints, enjoying a bit of light banter; nothing untoward. All of a sudden a woman approaches us with a plastic-coin-collection thing, you know - where you slot the money in the top. I’d seen her come into the bar and observed how out of place she looked - far too old to be in the heaving student bar as she stood rather uncomfortably in the corner without a drink. We were first on her collection round - presumably after she’d picked up enough courage. She had a moderately convincing lanyard-attached charity ID badge - unfortunately the logo on the ID didn’t look a thing like her chosen charity (we’d had a flyer through the door from Great Ormond Street Hospital only a few days before). She proceeded to recieve two prompt “No” responses from us (presumably to be three, had Ian not re-invented the Universe en-route to the bar) and continued on around the bar - I saw at least half a dozen people slot their pound coins into her cursed collection pot.

Taking advantage of a charity which supports children with lukeamia to get a few extra pounds is one of the most sickening things I’ve ever witnessed. Absolutely horrendous - I can’t even begin to imagine how these people being to think about sleeping at night. I don’t really want to swear on here, in case my Mum ever finds it - but if I were to swear, this is the post in which it would be. Sickening.