Chovy's Blog

The diagramming tool Dia is now available in a new version 0.95. This release focuses on stability and ease of use, featuring a few major new features along with a host of minor improvements and bugfixes that make it easier than ever to create structured diagrams, models and illustrations for documentation, articles, modeling, presentations and many other uses. The source code is available at the Dia web pages on http://www.gnome.org/projects/dia

Notable improvements in version 0.95 include:

• New “mainpoint” system allows lines to be added by dragging from anywhere on one object to anywhere on another, and to always point towards the middle of an object even when that object is moved
• Python plug-ins added to create DOT output, generate Python bindings by ‘self reflection’, and allow round-trip engineering plug-ins.
• The grid can now automatically change size depending on your zoom level.
• Text input now highlights the object that receives the input, and tabbing between text input areas on one or more objects is possible.
• Several security problems fixed in XFig import and Python plug-in.
• Many new shapes added, including automata, Gane & Sarson and AADL
• Several new UML objects added as well as some extensions to existing objects.
• Full screen mode.
• Improved SVG import
• Plug-in loading and unloading doesn’t require restart of Dia.
• Many i18n problems have been fixed, particularly in export filters.
• Many bugs have been fixed, too many to mention here.
• Command line usage has improved to allow the selecting of individual layers and specific output filters.
• Uses the new GTK+ File Dialog.
• Experimental libgnomeprint and Cairo plug-ins.

PHP = PHP: Hypertext Preprocessor

Interview Question:

If PHP could PHP a PHP page, how much PHP would a PHP page take to PHP a PHP page?

I’ve recently started coding with PHP5 after reading the excellent book PHP 5 Objects, Patterns, and Practice by Matt Zandstra. The book is excellent for someone new or intermediate to patterns and object oriented programming. The advantage here is that Matt uses real-world examples although simplified to demonstrate the point, and even includes a few UML diagrams to really drive it home.

I’m happy to have a lot of the brain work done for me in PHP5, although having been a Perl programmer for some years now, I think they both have their place.

My humble opinion is that php5 is much better for web-based apps, while Perl is excellent on the command-line.

Here’s the php article that got me started on this post.

On a side note, a really good book I’ve peeked at is Fast Track UML 2.0 by Kendall Scott.