Development: Website Updates - 01.29.2008
Since our return from NAMM, I have been working long hard hours on the website trying to increase our functionality and fix any bugs that our previous web developer may have left behind. I've been around this field for a long time and I'm confident I can whip this site back into shape.
Drum Stores
Here's some of the changes we're making for the Drum Stores
- Mapping Functionality: This section which now includes Mapping functionality. If you type in the address to the store correctly during submission, a MAP will be drawn out using the Google Maps API and it will automatically display the drum store
- Store Hours - We now have fields for Store Hours
- Store Slideshows - I've been working alot with the SlideShow flash application and now have it to where if you've uploaded images into your drum store profile, it will automatically draw a slideshow for that store with it's images attached to the profile.
User Profiles
User Profiles (Login then go to My Account on the left side of this site) are part of the core features on our site, so we're working on getting those straightened out. We have most of the input fields for the information we wish to collect. Here's some more functionality
- Dock Menu - This is back for now, until we find a better way to do it. The DOCK menu is that cool looking menu that you have with your Audio, Videos, Contact link right below your picture on your user profile.
- Slide Show - If you have pictures in your gallery, you will have a Slide Show automatically created for you. Tip: Create albums and organize your content. This way when you click on the Album icon of your slide show on your profile, you can select up to 9 albums to pick from and view.
- GMAP - We now have Google Maps on your profile which displays your approximate location using only the City, State and Zip Code you entered at sign-up. This map is configurable under "Privacy Options" when you go to Edit your Profile. You can hide the map from the public, or from other members. I intend on revamping this at a later date so that we can hide the map to everyone except your Buddies.
- Privacy - You may now hide your profile from the public, or hide the maps and slideshows from the public or from other users. This functionality is under development and I plan to have it fully implemented this week.
Forums
The forums are under careful consideration at this point. I'm not sure if I'm going to go with Simple Machines Forum and integrate it within this site, or keep the built in one. I'm not too fond of the Built in Forums as I feel that they lack serious functionality and they are just poorly formatted. I've installed some test software to find out if I want to go that route, but once again, using a third-party software requires heavy customization and that is very time consuming... More on this later..
General Bug Fixes
- Fixed bug #1 with the Video Players and Internet Explorer 7. It appears that the div id's were not unique and when placing more than one player on the page at a time, it confused Internet Explorer and caused "Out of Memory on Line 126" errors which were quite embarrasing. Fixed.
- Redirecting all site requests to drummerconnection.com instead of allowing drummerconnection.com without the 'www' in front of it. This prevents our cookies and sessions, as well as some JavaScript and Flash videos from bugging out on us. I think this is also part of the problem to the bugfix with IE 7 above.
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