Category Archives: HTML & CSS

Automatically Generating an HTML5-style Cache Manifest from the Command Line

HTML5 introduces the ability to cache content client-side so that often-used resources can be used without re-downloading them. This also enables a site to be viewed from the client when no network connection is available (i.e., offline viewing of the site).

In order for this to work, there are a few things one must do:

  1. Create a plain text file listing all of the resources that should be cached by the user agent (e.g., a web browser)— the cache manifest.
  2. Refer to that file in the opening html tag of every page that will use cached resources.
  3. Configure the web server so that the file is sent to the user agent with a specific MIME type: text/cache-manifest
  4. Regenerate the cache manifest any time you change the files in your site.
Once everything is setup properly, you can visit the site using your favorite web browser. Then, to test whether the caching has worked, you can turn off the network connection to your web browser’s computer and try reloading the page.

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iPhone Web App Development

This 4-week workshop, hosted by CreativeTechs and O’Reilly Media is an excellent introduction to how to create website-based applications for use on the iPhone. Website-based apps don’t need to go through the notorious Apple review process for applications, since they are essentially web pages built using standard HTML, CSS, and JavaScript tools and are accessed using Mobile Safari. Once on your app page, users can choose to add the page to their iPhone apps list as an icon, which allows the page to appear without the browser’s chrome (the standard widgets that appear in a web browser: address bar, back/forward buttons, etc.).

Led by Elisabeth Robson, coauthor of Head First HTML with CSS & XHTML, these sessions have been wonderful and are well worth your time. Until 2010 February 5, the entire set of recorded sessions + sample book chapters + sample code can be purchased either from Creative Techs or O’Reilly for just 35$.

KUIT245: Web Development

Location: Kaplan University, Online
Terms: 3
Class size: ~ 20 students/term

Students in IT245 create websites using standards-compliant technologies: XHTML, CSS, and JavaScript. Students learn about site planning, page design, site development, and workflow control. They also implement basic forms processing using hosted forms solutions.

Reading Materials

  • Adobe Systems. (2009). Adobe Dreamweaver CS4: Classroom in a book. Berkeley, CA: Adobe Press.