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This week I needed to make a form where the user needed to enter two dates in order to produce a report with the selected start and end dates. What were my options?

I considered writing my own php script where I would have separate pull-down boxes for the day, month and year to assure that there was no mistake as to the actual dates. That would take a little extra format massaging to create the date in MySQL format, so I looked for scripts that others had already written. Who wouldn’t?

Formatting dates can drive a person crazy. Does ‘06-08-2000′ mean June 8th or the 6th of August? Writing for the Web should be universal. The month-day format that we tend to use in the U.S. is confusing to everybody else who uses the day-month format, and vice-versa.

Writing by hand I like to use this format ‘12-Mar-2000′ so there is no ambiguity, but that format needs to be converted to ‘YYYY-MM-DD’ format when sending dates to MySQL.

So, what are my requirements for such a Date-Picker Script?

• easy, intuitive for the user
• easy for me with output in MySQL format (YYYY-MM-DD)
• unrestricted license would be nice

I tried a few different date picker scripts and decided upon SpiffyCalendar because it’s the most advanced, yet easily modified to suit my purposes. Also, there is an established support system via a Yahoo! user group. That’s really nice, and unexpected.

Here’s the scripts I tried and the pros and cons for each…most weren’t as user-friendly as SpiffyCalendar.

PHP Calendar

PROS
• I like the look of this calendar, but it’s difficult to determine how to modify the calendar other than for css of calendar appearance.
• Date output is already in MySQL format: YYYY-MM-DD

CONS
• Can’t select year from calendar unless you click back or forward to the actual month.
• Ugly and excessively long query strings in links.

DatePick

PROS
• I like the little calendar icon.

CONS
• Can’t select year from calendar unless you click back or forward to the actual month.
• Timestamp is included. Don’t need it.
• Relies on javascript and pop-up window to select date.
• Calendar doesn’t update well when moving from month to month. Part of the calendar doesn’t get loaded in so all days are not selectable. Have to manually widen window to see all days.
• Can’t select year directly, have to click through months to get to next year.
• No directions on how to modify output.

DateTimePick

PROS
• I like the little calendar icon.
• Can modify output via provided directions.

CONS
• Can’t select year from calendar unless you click back or forward to the actual month.
• Relies on javascript and pop-up window to select date.
• Calendar doesn’t update well when moving from month to month. Part of the calendar doesn’t get loaded in so all days are not selectable. Have to manually widen window to see all days.
• Can select year directly, but calendar doesn’t update well.

SpiffyCalendar

Sign up to the Yahoo! Group to download the script.

PROS
• Calendar pops into page, not a separate window.
• Can modify output via provided directions.
• Can get help at Yahoo! Groups.
• Unrestricted license.
• Can refresh page containing calendars as link is not modified after picking a date or two.
• Highlights holidays, although will have to remove Dec 1st developer’s birthday. (OK, modified holiday array in script on lines 86-87.)

CONS
• Format of date will have to be modified for MySQL. (OK, Added "cal1.dateFormat="yyyy-MM-dd"; after instantiation in header for calendar named ‘cal1′.)
• Relies on javascript.
• Had to modify the images folder location in the .js file to an absolute address, although things worked fine on my local server with a relative address.

I’m sure there are plenty of these date-picker scripts floating around the Web. Do you have a different one to share with us? Leave a comment!

Filed under: CSS, Software, mysql, php
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If you display tags or categories in a sidebar of your WordPress blog, you might like to take a look at the WP-Cumulus plugin. It gets 5 stars by all the reviewers so far and definitely hits the top on the cool factor.

WP-Cumulus displays your tags and/or categories but in a visually-striking way. A rotating cloud of words is presented instead of a plain old list.

Here’s an example of WP-Cumulus in action:

Move your cursor over the display and the rotation will change direction and speed. Click on a word once it has a box around it to get a listing of posts containing that tag or filed in that category. Pretty cool, eh?

The only caution here is that you must be running WP 2.3 or later. WP-Cumulus will not work with earlier versions.

Installation follows the typical plugin format. Simply download the plugin, unpack it, and FTP the plugin folder, called wp-cumulus, to your wp-content/plugins directory.

There are three ways to display your WP-Cumulus cloud:

• In a page or post like above, using the key [WP-CUMULUS]. Features can be modified under Settings/WP-Cumulus.
• In your theme anywhere that you insert <?php wp_cumulus_insert(); ?>, probably in a sidebar. Just make sure the sidebar is big enough to display the cloud nicely.
• As a widget, via ‘Design’->’Widgets’. Edit the widget to modify the size of the cloud and the colors used for the text and background.

Really nice, don’t you think?

Filed under: WordPress
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Aren’t you running the latest version of WordPress? Right now, the WP developers are working on version 2.7 and the latest available non-beta version is 2.6.3.

If you’re not running the latest version of WordPress, why not? There’s no reason not to - in my mind at least. You and your data will be safer when you run the most up-to-date version.

Actually, I did think of one exception and that would be if you use a must-have plugin that isn’t yet updated to run with the latest WordPress, you might want to wait it out for the updated plugin to arrive before updating to the latest WP. I wouldn’t wait too long because it is known that older versions of WP are targets for the dolts out there who are trying to separate you from your money and identity. Check the plugin’s FYI box for version compatibility.

Sometimes your installation of WP won’t be affected by the security or other issues solved in the next release and that depends on the features of WP that you rely upon. For instance, updating from 2.6.2 to 2.6.3 wasn’t necessary for my blogs because I wasn’t using the feature that had a security issue fixed. Not updating to 2.6.3 wasn’t a security risk, so I could put that off because I know another version is on its way shortly.

You can get all the info on the latest updates by scrolling down into your WP Dashboard and reading the WP news links.

Besides being assured that you have the latest and most secure version of WordPress, you’ll get all the tweaks for a smooth ride.

Updating to the next version of WP isn’t that bad. Once you run through it a couple of times updating your software is pretty darn easy.

Here’s the quick steps to a better WordPress experience:

• Backup your database. You probably should be doing this anyway, right? Did you know that a plugin will automate backing up your WP site? One click backup - how easy can you get?
• Backup your other pages, those not produced by WordPress, by FTPing a copy somewhere. You do have a place for extra storage, don’t you? If not, try Mozy Online Storage. They’ll give you a few free GB to store anything you like so you don’t glum up your local hard drive.
• Deactivate all plugins. With the latest versions of WP this is a one-click step.
• Verify that the first three steps were done successfully.
• Download the latest WordPress software and unpack the zip file.
• Delete the old WP pages, EXCEPT wp-config.php, the wp-content folder, the wp-images folder, your .htaccess and robot.txt files.
• Upload the new WP files. Check if there are plugins or themes that you might use with newer dates in the new wp-content folder. Upload any newer files.
• Run the upgrade program by visiting http://yourdomain.com/wp-admin/upgrade.php, and clicking on Upgrade.
• Sign-in to your WP Dashboard and verify the permalinks are set to your liking.
• Activate plugins, as needed.
• Feel satisfied that you’re now safely running the latest and greatest WordPress blogging software.

It’s not difficult to run these updates, and you should be backing up your great content anyway, right? To stay on top of the most recent changes in WP, check out the WP news items in your Dashboard.

Filed under: WordPress
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