Generate PDF with pure PHP

FPDF is a very useful PHP class that allows you to to create PDF files from your web site. This means that your readers can download PDF files from your web pages. FPDF is freeware, there is no usage restriction, meaning that you may embed it freely in your application (commercial or not), with or without modification.
FPDF is friendly to use and set up. Follow its 7 detailed tutorials and you will become accustomed with its potentiality and start using it. You can also benefit of its scripts library that will give you some useful extensions (such as bookmarks, rotations, tables, barcodes...). An interesting forum will also provide you some hints, suggestions and ideas on how to improve its use.

FPDF allows you to monitor the entire PDF creation from logo to margins, layout, and printing. Moreover the original default template can be customised and changed in order to solve your problems and needs. The class can produce documents in many languages other than the Western European such as Central European, Cyrillic, Greek, Baltic, Chinese, Japanese, Korean and Thai, provided that you own TrueType or Type1 fonts with the desired character set.
FPDF requires no extensions (except zlib to activate compression) and works with PHP4 and PHP5: so the only must is a recent version of PHP on your web server.
The entire documentation for the software is rich and available on line, although it is advisable to read its FAQ before starting any use.

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How to choose the right colours for your Web pages

Tutorial

Guy Mc Paul - Daily Web Dose © 2006 - 2007 - http://dailywebdose/blogspot.com

CHOOSE THE RIGHT COLOURS FOR YOUR WEB PAGES WITH 2 FREE WEB TOOLS

One of the most important things in web design and graphics is building a web site/web blog pretty much readable and possibly by the widest public. Background and text colours play a pivotal role before you start choosing logos and animated gifs...

According to WCAG 1.0 Checkpoint 2.2 you must

ensure that foreground and background color combinations provide sufficient contrast when viewed by someone having color deficits or when viewed on a black and white screen.

Moreover according to W3C Techniques For Accessibility Evaluation And Repair Tools

Ideally, images and multimedia object should also be tested for color visibility but algorithms are beyond the scope of this specification.

Color visibility can be determined according to the following algorithm:

Two colors provide good color visibility if the brightness difference and the color difference between the two colors are greater than a set range.

Color brightness is determined by the following formula:

((Red value X 299) + (Green value X 587) + (Blue value X 114))/1000
Note: This algorithm is taken from a formula for converting RGB values to YIQ values. This brightness value gives a perceived brightness for a color.

Color difference is determined by the following formula:
(maximum (Red value 1, Red value 2) - minimum (Red value 1, Red value 2)) + (maximum (Green value 1, Green value 2) - minimum (Green value 1, Green value 2)) + (maximum (Blue value 1, Blue value 2) - minimum (Blue value 1, Blue value 2))

The range for color brightness difference is 125. The range for color difference is 500.

Finally according to WCAG 2.0 Guidelines 1.4.3

Text or diagrams, and their background, have a luminosity contrast ratio of at least 10:1.

Now following these guidelines seems very hard, but fortunately there are some tools that can be very handy when this problem must be solved. Follow these easy steps (click on images to enlarge).

1 - COLOUR CONTRAST

Colour Contrast Check is a very useful web based application that allows to specify a foreground and a background colour and determine if they provide enough of a contrast. First of all go to Colour Contrast Check web page.
You will have to choose Foreground colour by using either the HEX #code (if you are testing a colour you already chose) or simply using the combination of the three Red-Green-Blue indicators to reach the colour you wish to proof.
Now you will have to do the same to choose Background colour; again you can use either the HEX #code or simply play with the combination of the three Red-Green-Blue indicators.
While you set these two boxes the third box on the right will display automatically and in real time will indicate:

• YES! - If the colours you are choosing pass the test if both the colour difference and the brightness difference exceed their threshold.

• Sort of! - If only one of the two values exceed their threshold.

• NO! When both colours will fail to pass in case if neither value exceeds its threshold

2 - GREYSCALE CONTRAST

It is time now to check your contrast on a greyscale basis. Again a web tool will help you to visualise your web site in greyscale and verify its readability. Access to Greybit.com and simply write in the address bar your site's URL, press the "Make it Grey" button, wait a few seconds and you will be able to see your web page in black and white and envisage if any adjustment is required.


Naturally you should carry out these two tests especially in case you are planning some web site/blog building and/or renovation. Good luck!

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Recover deleted files with Restoration

Restoration is an easy free software that will help you to find and recover files you have accidentally deleted from your recycle bin as well as those you have deleted using the Shift and Delete key combination.

Restoration is a very tiny executable (163 Kb!) that you do not need to install; you can run it from your Hard drive, floppy or Pen Drive, if and when you need it. It works in Windows 95/98/Me/NT/2000/XP. When you run it you will see a list of deleted files, choose and select those you wish to recover and just wait for their restoration.
As you certainly know delete files usually stay on the hard drive until they are overwritten, therefore in order to enhance the probability of restoring files correctly you must have as much free space as possible on your hard disk - since this condition will reduce the chance of overwriting. Clearly the likelihood of success is higher when the restore process is closer to the moment of deletion.
If you wish to restore an entire folder, not always all files or folders will be perfectly retrieved, in this case you ought to try searching and restoring them one by one.
Restoration has also another interesting function that makes it almost impossible to restore all deleted files, which might be useful after deletion of confidential documents.

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