Dec 29, 2010

PHP:: Facebook getLoginUrl iframe next parameter redirect issue

DUE TO FREQUENT FACEBOOK API CHANGES THIS ARTICLE IS OUTDATED.

The php-sdk from Facebook has some bugs in it.

http://stackoverflow.com/questions/3380876/how-to-authorize-facebook-app-using-redirect-in-canvas http://forum.developers.facebook.net/viewtopic.php?id=70575

These solutions didn't work for me, so I had to change the function getLoginUrl in class Facebook

  public function getLoginUrl($params=array()) {
 $currentUrl = $this->getCurrentUrl();
 $args = array(
        'api_key'         => $this->getAppId(),
        'cancel_url'      => 'http://www.facebook.com/',
        'display'         => 'page',
        'fbconnect'       => 0,
        'next'            => $currentUrl,
        'return_session'  => 1,
        'session_version' => 3,
  'canvas'          => 1,
        'v'               => '1.0',
      );
 foreach($params as $key=>$val) {
  $args[$key] = $val;
 }
 return $this->getUrl(
  'www',
  'login.php',
  $args
 );
  }
Example:
if($me) {
 $logoutUrl = $facebook->getLogoutUrl();
} else {
 $loginUrl = $facebook->getLoginUrl(array('next'=>'http://apps.facebook.com/xxxxxxx/'));
 ?>
 <script type="text/javascript">
 top.location.href = '<?=$loginUrl?>';
 </script>
 <?php 
 exit;
}

Dec 6, 2010

PHP:: relative paths in include() or require()

While this might seem fairly obvious, I'd still like to point out that PHP's functions include(), include_once(), require() and require_once() have problems including files in different directories where paths of the filenames are relative. The absolute path of the included files is generated from the filename of the first included file, so any relative path in the second nested include will not have relative paths starting from it's directory, but the directory of the first file. To avoid confusion I find it's best to use absolute paths with the magic constant __FILE__, which is always the current script's filename.

Example:
require_once(dirname(__FILE__).'/../../include_all.php');

Nov 21, 2010

Flash wmode (transparent/opaque/window) z-index

In flash player 9 and below there was a problem with the object's z-index if the wmode was set to window.

When this option is set to transparent, it fixes the z-index issue, but messes up the keyboard layout and mouse wheel events in flash object. Flash player 10.1 fixes the keyboard layout issue.

Workaround
Setting wmode to opaque keeps the mouse wheel functionality and z-index of absolute elements on the page, but only if you set the background color for the element!

Having a transparent background (or setting the opacity attribute in CSS) (still) does not solve the issue.

Nov 13, 2010

flashlog.txt NS_ERROR_FAILURE

If flash player (debugger) locks the flashlog.txt file (can't be deleted or truncated), try deleting the mm.cfg file and restarting the browser and/or flash player. After that, try using a different plugin/software for reading flash traces.

Aug 22, 2010

Installing BackTrack Linux on a USB key with VMWare, the easy way

  1. Create a new virtual machine in VMWare. You do not need to add a hard disk. Just delete it, just in case. For the CD Rom add the iso image of BackTrack Linux.
  2. Start the virtual machine. You might need to edit boot in the BIOS, so press F2 to enter BIOS setup and set CD rom as the primary boot.
  3. Enable Removable Device in vmware so that it will show up as a USB disk on Backtrack
  4. When BackTrack loads open install.sh on the desktop.
  5. The installer should now automatically use your USB key as the primary disk for the install.
  6. Use default partitioning and install. Just Click OK.
  7. After a successfull installation, your USB key is ready to boot.
  8. Boot into Backtrack and login with root/toor - the default username and password