amcgregor

Lessons Learned from #python

Over the years myself and others have attempted to utilize the #python support channel on irc.freenode.net when solving problems. For the most part the time spent explaining the problem, the rationale behind the design, uncovering the exact question to ask to get the desired (helpful) response, and personality conflicts have resulted in more frustration than problems solved. So I’m writing up this lessons file in an effort to not repeat the past mistakes in supporting my own users.

What it really comes down to, other than wasted development hours, is not having to explain to your boss that your team should rewrite 30% of your project because some random git in a chat room said you were Doing it Wrong™.

Alternate Support Channel

In an effort to produce a place where individuals can ask questions without fear of being directly or indirectly called an idiot, I’ve opened #python-friendly, the friendly place to discuss Python, ask questions, and get helpful answers. #pyt

omz

# File Transfer for Pythonista
# ============================
# This script allows you to transfer Python files from
# and to Pythonista via local Wifi.
# It starts a basic HTTP server that you can access
# as a web page from your browser.
# When you upload a file that already exists, it is
# renamed automatically.
# From Pythonista's settings, you can add this script
# to the actions menu of the editor for quick access.

kates

ag "sometext" --nogroup | awk '{print substr($1,1,index($1,":")-1);}' | xargs -I {} sed -i .bak -e 's/sometext/anothertext/g' {}

killercup

/*
 * I add this to html files generated with pandoc.
 */

html {
  font-size: 100%;
  overflow-y: scroll;
  -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%;
  -ms-text-size-adjust: 100%;
}

dashed

/*! normalize.css v2.1.3 | MIT License | git.io/normalize */

/* ==========================================================================
   HTML5 display definitions
   ========================================================================== */

/**
 * Correct `block` display not defined in IE 8/9.
 */

danfinlay

How to download streaming video

Streaming just means a download that they don't want you to keep. But Chrome's developer tools make it easy to access what's really going on under the hood.

Open Developer Tools

From the page where you want to download some things, go into your chrome menu to open the developer tools. You can either:

1.  (On a mac): Command-option-J
2. (On a PC): Control-alt-J

porjo

Convert sequence of JPEG images to MP4 video

Simple glob:

ffmpeg -r 24 -i '*.JPG' -s hd1080 -vcodec libx264 timelapse.mp4

Start from DSC_0079.JPG

ffmpeg -r 24 -f image2 -start_number 79 -i DSC_%04d.JPG -s hd1080 -vcodec libx264 timelapse2.mp4

katemonkeys

Top Six Things You Need To Know About The Withings API*

*where “you” is probably a developer, or at least a strange user

I should preface this by saying that I got a Withings Smart Body Analyzer for Christmas last year and I’ve been generally happy with it. It purports to be able to take my heart rate through my bare feet and that seems not to work for my physiology, but overall I’m a fan. If if their Wikipedia page is to be believed they are having a pretty rad impact on making the Quantified Self movement more for normal people and they only have 20 full time employees. Also they try hard to use SI units, which I can get behind. Anyway, on to the rant.

I originally called this post “Everything wrong with the Withings API” and I meant it. For every useful field I can extract from their “award winning” app, I have spent an hour screaming at the inconsistencies in their implementation or inexplicable holes in their data

samhocevar

#!/bin/sh
#
#  msys2-sshd-setup.sh — configure sshd on MSYS2 and run it as a Windows service
#
#  Please report issues and/or improvements to Sam Hocevar <sam@hocevar.net>
#
#  Prerequisites:
#    — MSYS2 itself: http://sourceforge.net/projects/msys2/
#    — admin tools: pacman -S openssh cygrunsrv mingw-w64-x86_64-editrights
#

reggi

Glob Up and Running

To test a glob pattern go over to globtester and play around with creating your own file structure online, it's super easy to get started that way.

If you want to test out a glob pattern in the terminal use echo followed by the pattern, for instance.

echo **/*.js