BPWM Jan2012: WP Queries (Developer) & Restoring from a Backup (Beginner/Int)

Posted on February 2, 2012 by Kurt Eng

Session 1 for Developers:

WP_Query, pre_get_posts, and eliminating query_posts()

by Erick Hitter (@ethitter)

At the heart of WordPress is the WP_Query class, used to retrieve practically all content from the database and prepare it for display. In this presentation, I’ll discuss the myriad arguments available with WP_Query, the various properties and methods that are automatically populated, and the advanced queries made possible through filters within the class. I’ll also review the pre_get_posts action, detail how it can be used to modify standard WordPress queries and completely eliminate query_posts(), and explain why you’d want to do so in the first place.

Erick Hitter is a web developer with Providence-based Oomph, Inc.specializing in complex WordPress implementations for high-traffic sites, including several on the WordPress.com VIP platform. He is also responsible for the company’s BuddyPress projects. Erick has created a number of WordPress plugins available from the official repository, including the Simple Facebook Share Button and Tag Dropdown Widget, as well as the WordPress.com VIP External Permalinks plugin.

Slides

Session 2 for Beginners/Early Intermediates:

Restoring your WordPress site from a Backup

by Kurt Eng (@kurteng)

WordPress is one of the best CMS engines out there, but it is only as good as it works.  If a plugin, theme or update causes an error on your WordPress site, what do you do?  I’ll show you a couple of ways to save your site, and your content and how to restore it.

Kurt Eng is a scientist by day and a rabid gamer and cook by night.  Kurt has been very active in podcasting and video, publishing free content for others to learn. Kurt focuses on the beginners of WordPress and blogging, empowering them with the knowledge and enthusiasm to get started.  (http://kurteng.com)

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BWPM Nov 2011: WP, HTML5, and IE 9/10 & Caching, Scaling, and WP.com VIP

Posted on January 8, 2012 by Kurt Eng

#1. WordPress, HTML5 Adoption, and Internet Explorer 9 & 10

by Chris Bowen

No doubt you’ve been hearing quite a bit about HTML5.  There are many new features to help improve user experiences, but how do you use them today while still supporting the spectrum of browsers, old and new, in use today?  We’ll focus on practical strategies, libraries, polyfills, shims, etc. for WordPress designers and developers to adopt HTML5 today.  We’ll also take a look at how Internet Explorer supports HTML5 (and related standards) today in IE9 and next in IE10, folding that into our discussion of adopting HTML5 with WordPress.

Chris Bowen (http://blogs.msdn.com/cbowen) is a Principal Developer Evangelist with Microsoft, specializing in web development technologies and working with customers and companies in the northeastern US.  An architect and developer with over 18 years in the industry, he joined Microsoft after holding senior positions at companies such as Monster.com, VistaPrint, Staples, and IDX Systems.  He is coauthor of “Essential Windows Communication Foundation” and “Professional Visual Studio 2005 Team System” and holds an M.S. in Computer Science and a B.S. in Management Information Systems, both from Worcester Polytechnic Institute

#2. Caching, Scaling, and What I’ve Learned Programming for WordPress.com VIP

by Erick Hitter

WordPress provides two great caching frameworks in its transient and object caching APIs. Used internally and available to developers, object caching can introduce many performance enhancements simply by activating a plugin such as Batcache or W3 Total Cache. But what about adding extra caching in a custom theme? Or building upon existing internal caching? Working on high-traffic sites both on the WordPress.com VIP platform and not, I’ve encountered these needs and implemented caching in some tricky situations. In this talk, I’ll demonstrate some of the interesting solutions devised to meet our clients’ needs and address issues related to scaling WordPress-powered sites.

Erick Hitter is a web developer with Providence-based Oomph, Inc.specializing in complex WordPress implementations for high-traffic sites, including several on the WordPress.com VIP platform. He is also responsible for the company’s BuddyPress projects. Erick has created a number of WordPress plugins available from the official repository, including the Simple Facebook Share Button and Tag Dropdown Widget, as well as the WordPress.com VIP External Permalinks plugin.

Agena

  • 7-7:30pm – Networking
  • 7:30-7:40pm – Opening remarks, news/updates, etc.
  • 7:45-8:50pm – Sessions begin
  • 8:50-9pm – Wrap-up

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LiveWP Episode 7 (Informal Meetup)

Posted on December 22, 2011 by Kurt Eng

Registration here: http://livewp7.eventbrite.com

Welcome to the LiveWP.tv show!  For more information about the show, be sure to read up on it or visit LiveWP.tv for past episodes.  We will have some topics chosen and if you have questions, please feel free to bring them!

This month, we will be at Meadhall in Kendall Sq, Cambridge!  Check out their Yelp!

Appetizers (sponsored by us) will be available on a first come first serve basis and drinking is encouraged (but not sponsored by us).  If you would like to donate and help us out, please feel free to leave a donation via our “Help us out” ticket (donators will receive credits before and after this month’s episode).  Otherwise, entry is limited due to the venue.  

So come out, have a bite, a drink and enjoy our antics as we film our show!

**Disclaimer:  Please drink responsibly and please be over 21 :-) By attending, you agree to be filmed or to have your voice recorded**

LiveWP is a monthly Internet video podcast focused on WordPress (http://wordpress.org), the popular and free blogging and content management system. The show educates viewers about WordPress in an alternative fashion, using its unique features and relaxed, “off-the-cuff” style. LiveWP caters to both beginners, discussing vital and fundamental concepts of WordPress, as well as experts by touching on more complex topics and intricacies. LiveWP helps to evangelize the WordPress platform beyond our local presence and reach in Boston, Massachusetts

Each LiveWP episode is approximately 45 minutes long and includes a combination of the following features:

  • Latest news & developments in the WordPress community (new and upcoming WordPress releases, notable themes and/or plugins, WordPress services, etc.)
  • Answers to WordPress questions submitted by viewers via email, Twitter or LiveStream
  • Interviews with Boston WordPress Meetup’s upcoming speaker of the month to highlight their knowledge and expertise on the presentation subject matter
  • Various other creative segments to engage viewers:
  •  Hall of Fame, Hall of Shame: Viewers submit and vote on their favorite WordPress-powered sites, as well as WordPress sites they feel are in need of help. The best sites will be announced w/ shout-outs to the creators, while the worst sites will be analyzed w/ constructive criticism given to help improve.
  • o   WordPress Updates: New themes, plugins, widgets and patches that hit WordPress on a weekly basis.  Some of the top updates will be covered so viewers can try them out themselves.
  • o   Randomness:  This is a live show… anything can happen at anytime!

The show stars the co-hosts of the Boston WordPress Meetup:

  • ·      James Coletti: Having used WordPress since version 1.5, 10+ years of PHP & MySQL web application development experience, and a passion for entrepreneurship and innovation, James brings a special blend of technological and business application expertise to the WordPress community. (http://jamescoletti.com)
  • ·      Kurt Eng: Having used WordPress just after James, version 1.6, Kurt has been very active in podcasting and video, publishing free content for others to learn. Kurt focuses on the beginners of WordPress and blogging, empowering them with the knowledge and enthusiasm to get started.  (http://kurteng.com)

The Boston WordPress Meetup was founded in 2008. With over 850 members and sponsorship from the Microsoft New England Research & Development Center (NERD), HostGator and Modal Machine, the group meets once per month featuring presentations and invaluable networking opportunities. Learn more about the monthly Meetup group at http://bostonwp.org.

 

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BWPM Oct 2011: Ten Must-Do steps in converting to WordPress

Posted on November 16, 2011 by Kurt Eng

Presented by Alan Bergstein

(An update of his session presented at WordCamp Boston 2011):

http://2011.boston.wordcamp.org/2011/07/08/…

It happens all the time. You’ve got a site that was brilliant four years ago, and the site developer has retired to a beachfront Internet cafe in the Cayman Islands, and you forgot or just never really knew how to use Dreamweaver. So how do you take that dusty old site and do more than just port it over to a WP platform. Give it new life with the fresh look, content updates and flexibility of a scalable platform that you can enjoy for years to come. This presentation, among other things, will look at:

  1. Why WordPress is a great choice for a comprehensive website platform;
  2. Reviewing your current assets (content, images, graphics, downloads, code);
  3. Prioritizing what you need to move, what can get archived, what may stay in place;
  4. SEO considerations: Assessing your current links, comments and Google ranking;
  5. Back-end versus Front-end considerations;
  6. Annotating change – keeping good notes – of every step;
  7. BACKUP BACKUP BACKUP BACKUP BACKUP and did I say, BACKUP;
  8. Timeline and cost considerations;
  9. What’s easy; What’s moderately difficult; What’s going to give you heartburn.
  10. Number Ten is perhaps the most important of the Must-Dos. But I’ll save that for those of you who attend this session.

Alan Bergstein has been involved with countless website development and migration efforts, most recently doing so as a consultant to Internet publishers and marketers large and small. And prior to that as a senior media executive with more than 25 years of successful experience and significant accomplishments at several of the publishing industry’s foremost companies, including IDG, CMP, Crain Communications and Reed Elsevier/Cahners. More about Alan…

Help the Boston WordPress Meetup by donating today! Support us and help us supply pizza to the group!

Donate Now

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Protected: BostonWP Beginner’s Workshop July 2011

Posted on July 28, 2011 by Kurt Eng

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