[Warning: For those not of a technical bent, what follows will be as dull as the dullest, tepid dishwater you can imagine, so probably better to venture to something more interesting.]
Every so often, I'll decide to tinker with a bit of code to extend my knowledge and see if I can still knock up anything that'll work on ye olde Interwebby. Inevitably, this involves spending far more time setting up an environment than actually producing anything.
As I tend not to make notes (v. bad habit, I know) and then forget how it worked, I've resolved to write up little blog posts as an aide memoire for the next time. If they help someone else in the same predicament, marvellous. The steps below worked for me, but it's always a bit of a gamble that the process is actually what you're supposed to do.
So, after much time spent with Mr Google, a number of dead ends and some very useful posts, this is how I managed to get my setup (Mac OSX, Eclipse, DbEdit, SQLite) working. If you've spotted errors, or have any suggestions, please feel free to leave a comment.
Step One - Download JDBC Drivers
Firstly, you'll need to find and install a JDBC driver for SQLite. The one on the Zentus website did the trick:
Save the sqlitejdbc-v053.jar to a memorable directory, I created a jdbc drivers folder in the Eclipse application folder. Just remember where it's saved.
Step Two - Install JDBC Driver in DbEdit
Fire up Eclipse and open the DbEdit perspective using the menu:
Windows > Open Perspective > Other... > DbEdit
DbEdit provides the option to install new JDBC database drivers when you create a new database connection, which is step three:
Step Three - Install Create SQLite Java Database Driver
Step Four - Create Database Connection
This is where things got painful for me. The format for the JDBC Server was a right little sod. Thanks to the clues on this page, I finally figured it out.
Possible format for JDBC SQLite Server URL:
jdbc:sqlite://dirA/dirB/dbfile
jdbc:sqlite:/DRIVE:/dirA/dirB/dbfile
jdbc:sqlite:///COMPUTERNAME/shareA/dirB/dbfile
As an example, on the Mac that I'm using the format of the URL was:
jdbc:sqlite://Users/myuser/Sites/test/test.sqlite
which is the full path to the SQLite file. I haven't tested it, but on a Windows machine, it would most likely be:
jdbc:sqlite:/DRIVE:/dirA/dirB/dbfile
which in a real-world example, might look like this (N.B. I haven't tested this):
jdbc:sqlite:/C:/Documents and Settings/Sam/Sites/Test/test.db
I hope this is useful for anyone else who is sitting at their computer barely the resisting the temptation to throw it out the window.
If you're not familiar with the annual mass geekery that is South by South West Interactive or SXSWi to its friends, you may be more familiar its big brother, the huge music festival which takes over Austin, Texas. Think Glastonbury without the mud, much better accommodation and plentiful Tex-Mex and BBQ.
There's a growing British presence at the festival and the BBC now covers the music side of things in-depth on telly and radio. The digital side of things has been something of an pilgrimage for the Brits in the know, but the last couple of years have seen it go much more mainstream.
You could call it an underground festival-cum-conference, but with something like 10,000 delegates to the interactive conference alone, that's not really doing it justice. Each year, the organiser's of SXSWi invite panel submissions, which are then voted on by the public. It's one of the more democratic conference organisations, although there's still an advisory board and their in-house experts who have a big say in what happens.
This year, I've had a hand in putting forward three possible panels/sessions, and begging your indulgence, if you fancy adding your vote for any of the panels, it'd be much appreciated. You have to register, but it's dead simple.
Web 2.0 Too Much Or Not Enough?
Five years ago Tim O’Reilly coined Web 2.0. Unquestionable innovation and the dramatic changes in online behaviour, but what’s the economic truth? A damp squib with the same players dominating or are the true changes still to come? And Web 3.0? A meaningful iteration or academic navel gazing?
My Ten Biggest Blunders: Adventures in Business
Midnight RAM raids, bailiff stand-offs, disappearing developers, spreadsheet snafus and cleaning-lady server outages. All real-life horrors from web veteran, Sam Michel. Join him on this humorous journey on the road to catharsis. Feel his pain, learn from his mistakes and indulge in some entrepreneurial group therapy.
The Dark Side of Social Media
Despite the hype there are downsides to social media - virtual problems are invading our real lives, or is it vice versa? Identity theft, scurrilous accusations, scams, stalking and bullying. Social media where open debate prevails has a dark side. What can be done about it?
There's also a much longer listing of all the panels from British digital companies that I wrote up on my official work blog at Chinwag, including a few choice cuts that piqued my sleepy interest as I was trolling through the list of 1,300 in the early hours of the morning!
Despite early reservations and lots of general waffle, Twitter does turn up some gems. From wry comments on the US political collection to tip-offs about the latest Banksy sightings.
The latest batch hot off the street come from New Orleans taken by jonnodotcom. Compare the pic on the left I snapped at Holland Park roundabout in West London, compared to his latest offerings from the Big Easy.
Just me or does the tragedy that happened there make those images that much more poignant. My favourite is "No Loitering", what's yours?
| www.flickr.com |
I've noticed that since the introduction of a second DVR (why don't TiVo come back to the UK, sniff) into our household, the amount of TV advertising that I'm exposed to has dropped significantly. Fast forward button, you are my friend, I thank you.
However, when I do watch live TV, the adverts now drive me up the bleedin' wall. Many are terrible, but there some works of marketing art. So, why the annoyance? The VOLUME. They're so loud and apparently getting louder. Although regulatory body, Advertising Standards Authority have limits which they sometimes impose on how loud the ads can be, I find myself reaching for the volume control every ad break.
I hear from a well-informed source that the TV companies are asking for shows to be made quieter, so that the adverts still SHOUT at you during the break. And it's not just me and my delicate lug holes that don't like it.
One word: shhh.
If I wanted to buy everything from people that shout at me, I'd shop exclusively from Evening Standard vendors.
[Pic: courtesy of hebedesign]
As I was writing the post about phrases from baseball becoming a part of everyday office jargon, a Sunday evening TV stalwart flashed back into memory. The master of corporate gibberish was Gus Hedges from Channel 4's Drop the Dead Donkey. Played to perfection by Robert Duncan who gave life to Andy Hamilton and Guy Jenkin's poke at 80s yuppie corporate flannel.
Sadly the copyright void that is YouTube doesn't have any clips of Gus, so you'll have to make do with the written form. Spot any favourites?
Just so you know, I'll be stir-frying some ideas round my think-wok first thing Monday morning. Enjoy...
Thanks to Hazey, Shaolin_Monkey and h2g2 for the quotes. If anyone's got more, do let me know and I'll add them or leave a comment below. Thanks.
After a hefty amount of procrastination this Sunday, who knew washing up could be such an engaging pastime, I got down to some heavy-duty email inbox clearance. To while away the hours and stem the rising panic of hundreds of unanswered emails, I delved into the calming, erudite and other- worldliness that is BBC Radio 4's, From Our Own Correspondent podcast.
Alongside the whimsical insights into the lives of others around the world, was a piece by Kevin Connolly about baseball. Now, I'm a cricket fan with a proud record of attending all the Twenty20 Cup Finals. OK, maybe a fair-weather fan, so shoot me, it helps me relax, as does the day-long refreshment that such events require. And I like baseball, too, despite only having managed one match so far.
However, the prospect of a rather special second match looms. After the excitement of the Digital Mission to NYC that Chinwag is running in mid-September, a trip is lined up to take in the penultimate Yankee game at Yankee stadium. Looking forward to it? You betcha.
So, baseball. A bit like rounders? A gauche version of cricket?
Well, yes, perhaps, but did you realise how much baseball has affected the day-to-day business jargon? As Kevin points out in the podcast, check out how the workplace lexicon owes more than a passing debt to the diamond:
Who knew? And there's probably more besides. Consider the comparison with cricket. There's certainly been times when a "sticky wicket" has made life difficult, and I often claim to be "stumped" and sadly, being "bowled over" is an all-too-rare event, unless I'm really getting carried away.
The big daddy boss of the workplace phrase, often motivational, never intentional, is Gus Hedges from Drop the Dead Donkey. Sadly, Mr Google wasn't much help in finding a comprehensive list of his (well, the writer's) mastery. If I get a chance I'll try and compile a list, those that remember the show will know what I mean.
Update: I got slightly obsessed and dug up as many posts as I could. For your delectation, I present the corporate stylings of Gus Hedges. Let me know if you spot any more or leave a comment below.
[Pics: courtesy of wallyg and jeffreyputnam]