PDF Templates using TCPDF

I recently had to output a personalized copy of a document to a few hundreds of users. Unfortunately, TCPDF cannot open/read an existing PDF nor can it use a PDF as template.

Fortunately, I stumbled on FPDI which extends TCPDF with this feature. It's pretty easy to implement so I won't go into the details.

TCPDF – http://www.tcpdf.org

FPDI - http://www.setasign.de/products/pdf-php-solutions/fpdi/demos/tcpdf-demo/

Setting Up Your Secure Git Server Using Gitosis

This tutorial describes how to setup a git server if you have a similar setup like mine. I have a live server running linux and I use windows & linux for development. I'll keep it as brief as possible and let you figure out the rest. If a part isn't clear, just ask. Here is a brief overview of what we'll do.

1. Setup Gitosis on your linux server.
   
2. Setup a git client for your windows box
   
3. Clone Your Repository on your Windows Box
   
4. Commit, Push and Pull
   
5. Deploy Online
   

Setup Gitosis   

Tutorial for Setting Up Gitosis

http://scie.nti.st/2007/11/14/hosting-git-repositories-the-easy-and-secure-way

Setup Git on Windows

1. 
   
   Download and install Git from msysgit
   http://code.google.com/p/msysgit/
   
   Be sure to download the full version if you'll like to use the Git GUI eg. Git-1.7.0.2-preview20100309.exe
   
   
2. Startup Git Bash
   
3. 
   
   Run
   # ssh-keygen -t rsa
   Do not add a passphrase.
   
   
4. Upload your public key to your gitosis-admin
   

Clone Your Repository

Now that you have git installed, you will need to download your working copy of the project. Your working copy [WC] is what you will be working on so I suggest that you create it in a folder in your webroot. The following steps will help you achieve that.

 Using Git GUI

1. 
   
   Enter Source Location
   git@YOUR_SERVER:YOUR_PROJECT.git
   
   
2. 
   
   Target Directory
   C:/MY_PROJECT_DIR/
   
   Using Git Bash
   
   
3. # cd /install-dir
   
4. # git clone git@YOUR_SERVER:YOUR_PROJECT.git
   

Committing & Pushing Changes

Now that you have your working repository and you have made modifications to the project, its time to commit (update repository with changes) and push (upload to central repository).

Using Git GUI

1. Start Git GUI
   
2. Click Open Existing Repository and select your repository. Alternatively, you can select your repository from the list under Open Recent Repository. You can also create a Desktop shortcut to your repository from Git GUI. Once you have opened your repository, click on the Repository menu and click on Create Desktop Icon
   
3. Click on Rescan. This should show all the modified files in your repository.
   
4. Select all the files in the Unstaged Changes list and click on the Commit menu and then Stage to Commit.
   
5. Enter you Commit Message. For tips on how to write good commit messages goto http://www.spheredev.org/wiki/Git_for_the_lazy#Writing_good_commit_messages
   
6. Click on Sign Off
   
7. Click on Commit
   
8. Click
   on Push 
   

Deploying Online

1. Clone your application in your webserver root.
   
2. To update your online copy after making updating the central repository, just
   # git pull
   

Resources

http://progit.org/book

http://www.spheredev.org/wiki/Git_for_the_lazy

Installing FFMPEG the Easy Way on OpenSuSE 11.1

Installing ffmpeg was formerly a pain for me. Why? I downloaded all dependencies manually and there are a ton of them. I recently stumbled on a repository, Packman that has ffmpeg and its dependencies in stock. This made installation a pain-free experience.

Packman Repository also offers One-Click Install which is supported from OpenSuSE 10.3. As the name suggests, one-click [and a few accept or next buttons] and you are done.

One-Click Install

1. Enable all repositories currently in your YaST Software Repositories. This is important for YaST to automatically get all dependencies.
   
2. Goto Packman Repository
   
3. Search for ffmpeg
   
4. Click on One-click Install
   
5. Follow the Wizard and that's ALL
   

Repository Installation

1. Enable all repositories currently in your YaST Software Repositories. This is important for YaST to automatically get all dependencies.
   
2. Add Packman Repository to your Software Repositories. You can get a link to it from here http://en.opensuse.org/Additional_package_repositories
   
3. Goto Software Management
   
4. Search ffmpeg, and mark it for installation.
   
5. Click on finish and it would be install for you.
   

GoDaddy Wildcard SSL & Apache2 on SuSE 11.2

Basics

To setup Apache2 with an SSL certificate you'll need the following:

• A key – Require to generate a CSR
  
• Certificate Signing Request – Require by GoDaddy to generate a certificate
  
• Your Certificate
  
• GoDaddy's certificate bundle
  

 

To Generate a Triple-DES Encrypted Key Pair and a Certificate Signing Request (CSR)

In a command prompt, enter the following, pressing Enter after each line:

1. cd /usr/bin/ (/your path to openssl/)
   Enter a passphrase when prompted to. Be sure not to forget otherwise you'll have to start all over again.
   
2. openssl genrsa -des3 -out <name of your certificate>.key 2048
   
3. openssl req -new -key <name of your certificate>.key -out <name of your certificate>.csr
   

Fill in the following

• Enter Country Name (2 letter code): NG
  
• State or Province Name: Lagos
  
• Organization Name: Organic Ltd.
  
• Common Name
  
• Email Address 
  

IMPORTANT

Do not enter a challenge password. Why? This would cause an error when you submit your CSR to GoDaddy.

Now that you have your key and CSR you can generate your SSL Certificate. Copy the contents of your CSR and follow the steps outlined here.

http://help.godaddy.com/article/562

Download your SSL Certificate for Apache and copy them to your server and follow the instructions here

http://help.godaddy.com/topic/742/article/5238
Download your SSL Certificate for Apache and copy them to your server and follow the instructions below:

To Install SSL and Intermediate Certificates

Copy your SSL certificate file and the certificate bundle file to your Apache server. You should already have a key file on the server from when you generated your certificate request. You should copy the files to their respective folders found in Apache's configuration folder /etc/apache2/

/etc/apache2/ssl.crt/

/etc/apache2/ssl.csr/

/etc/apache2/ssl.key/

Install Certificate From YaST

• Startup yast from the terminal. I recommend this because once you select the certificate key you'll have to enter the pass-phrase. If you use the GUI tool then it would freeze un
  
• Goto Network Services -> HTTP Server
  
• Create A new vHost for your domain and select the server key and certificate
  
• Edit configuration file and add the following below the SSLCertificateKeyFile
  

SSLCertificateChainFile /etc/apache2/ssl.crt/gd_bundle.crt

Restart Apache.

Install Certificate From Terminal

Modify you apache configuration host/vhost file. You'll need to tell apache where your certificate key is and your certificate

<VirtualHost *:443>

DocumentRoot /srv/www/htdocs/

ServerName example.com

ServerAdmin info@example.com

<Directory /srv/www/htdocs/>

AllowOverride All

Order allow,deny

Allow from all

</Directory>

<IfDefine SSL>

SSLCertificateFile /etc/apache2/ssl.crt/example.com.crt

SSLCertificateKeyFile /etc/apache2/ssl.key/ example.com.key

SSLCertificateChainFile /etc/apache2/ssl.crt/gd_bundle.crt

SSLEngine on

</IfDefine>

</VirtualHost>

By-pass pass-phrase dialog on Startup

After restarting apache, you'll notice a prompt for a your pass-phrase. If you used the GUI tool, the YaST process may freeze as a result.

1. Remove the encryption from the RSA private key (while keeping a backup copy of the original file):
   # cp server.key server.key.org
   # openssl rsa -in server.key.org -out server.key
   

   
    

2. Make sure the server.key file is only readable by root:
   # chmod 400 server.key
   

Save your configuration file and restart Apache.

Force SSL/https using .htaccess and mod_rewrite

In certain scenarios you may want to force a secure connection to your web server. You can achieve this easily and flexibly with .htaccess and mod_rewrite.

1. Make sure your Host's AllowOverride is set to All in your vhost configuration file.
   
2. Make sure mod_rewrite is enabled. You can do that using the following command
   

   # a2enmod rewrite
   

3. Create a .htaccess file in your web-root folder /srv/www/htdocs/ and add the following content
   

   RewriteEngine On
   RewriteCond %{SERVER_PORT} 80
   RewriteRule ^(.*)$ https://www.example.com/$1 [R,L]
   

Resources

http://help.godaddy.com/topic/746/article/5269

http://help.godaddy.com/article/562

http://www.besthostratings.com/articles/force-ssl-htaccess.html

 

http://httpd.apache.org/docs/2.0/ssl/ssl_faq.html

Get Productive With Frameworks!

A friend of mine was learning PHP and like for those of use who started when frameworks were still in the minds of their creators, it was a torturous experience. I don't miss those complex, mind blowing solutions to simple problems I created in those early days.

To spare my friend of the trouble, I recently introduced him to CakePHP, a PHP 4 & 5 compatible framework, and he was shocked at how much work CakePHP does for the developer.

Why use CakePHP or other Frameworks? To get productive! The bottom line for every developer is productivity. Frameworks spare developers from reinventing the wheel just to move a bunch of bricks a few miles. Developers can focus on the real work on developing applications.

While its inevitable to learn the basics of a particular programming language, I'll recommend any newbie developer to find a framework as soon as possible.

The trouble of learning a framework is well worth it.

Welcome to my blog

After suffering from two server crashes in a week, I found myself reinstalling everything afresh. Most annoying was that I had to re-learn some things like how to setup the GoDaddy's Wildcard SSL Certificate. So I decided to start a blog so I can share how to do those complicated computer stuffs with myself and others. I've already found it useful. Hope you do too!