Upgrading ExpressionEngine to 2.7.3

I just recently upgraded ExpressionEngine (EE) from version 2.5.5 to 2.7.3. It took multiple attempts to get it right. There were a string of PHP errors after upgrading, some due to an incompatible third party plugin. The major issues had to do with the newly reconstructed relationships. EE relationships changed with version 2.6, and the new format is incompatible with the old format. If you used relationships in your templates in the past (I did), your template code needs to be updated when you upgrade. Conveniently, the upgrade routine alters existing templates to use the new relationship format. Even so, I still had a number of PHP errors after upgrading.

Responsive HTML and CSS starter templates

I’ve updated my internal HTML and CSS templates to include a responsive grid and other enhancements.

What is this?
For many projects, I’ve used my own collection of HTML and CSS to give me a starting point and speed up project development. I’m more likely to use Bootstrap or Foundation now, but my own internal templates are still useful on occasion and give me a chance to experiment and refine my process. My earlier set of HTML did not use a responsive design, and was getting outdated. This provided an opportunity to experiment with responsive design techniques, and also examine other frameworks in depth.

Semester at Sea 50th anniversary project

Semester at Sea 50th anniversary website launches.

The Institute for Shipboard Education hired me to handle the front-end development and ExpressionEngine production of their new website celebrating the 50th anniversary of the Semester at Sea program. The website was conceptualized and designed by the team at the Institute for Shipboard Education.

Wilcox Design website relaunch

I just worked with Jean Wilcox of Wilcox Design to redesign the company’s website and update it with new portfolio pieces. We included some of the design elements from the earlier website design, and updated the site with a lighter background and improved menu system. We opted for a larger image format to showcase the firm’s excellent graphic design.

Number Formatter ExpressionEngine plugin

Earlier this week, I published a plugin for ExpressionEngine that sends a value through the PHP number_format() function, and returns a formatted number. I needed to format a number for a project I’m working on, and it seemed like a good opportunity to learn how to develop a plugin.