Ext JS 3.2 beta released to the public

ExtJS 3.2 beta is out. In addition to over 180 bug fixes, this new release includes

1) Multi sorting and filtering on Data Stores

Multiple filtering has been possible for quite some time thanks to the GridFilter Plugin but multiple sorting is new. The demo shows the use of a Toolbar Droppable plugin too. Nice !

2) Animated DataView transitions

Think better looking product catalogs ;-)

3) Composite Fields

I've always wondered how to get the datefield and the timefield components in one line.

4) Slider and Slider Field

Multiple handles in one slide bar and the ability to use it as an alternative input field to say a numberfield.

5) Toolbar plugins

We saw the droppable toolbar plugin in the sorting demo. Seems you can reorder toolbar items now as well.

6) New Theme

A new theme has been created that makes your app compliant with the Section 508 of the Disabilities Act.

7) Unit Tests and lots of it.

Almost 300 test cases. Wow !

Grab the beta from Extjs.com

Google Chrome Update

Google must have mind readers in the Google Chrome Team because the latest update I got now supports Flash and Synchronization at least on my OpenSuse 11.1 desktop.

On top of that, my desktop seems to work much faster when using Chrome than with Firefox.

I'm very close to making Google Chrome my default web browser.

Google Chrome BETA for Linux is OUT .... Finally !!!

The first thing I did after installing it on my linux desktop was to uninstall Google Chrome in my Windows VM.

I'm not sure why it took so long but if my experience on occasionally using it inside a windows VM is any indication, it's worth the wait.

Coinciding with the release of the Linux and Mac versions of the browser is the opening of the extensions gallery (think Firefox Add-Ons).

 I'm still looking but I haven't found anything like Mozilla Weave or Opera Sync yet.

Here's coverage from some of my favorite sites around the web :

Inquirer.net
Slashdot
Lifehacker

Karmic Koala, an epic fail ?

This review from AnandTech is probably one of the few reviews I've read that, to put it mildly, isn't all praises for Ubuntu.

I have always thought that it was just me that maybe I was too much of a geek to like Ubuntu but when I installed it for family members and they kept clamoring for me to bring back windows, I knew there was something wrong with the hype.

Of Web Charts and Public DNS

Google Public DNS

I've been using OpenDNS for quite some time now on the recommendation of a friend when I was complaining about slow name resolution on my ISP. That was about a year or 2 ago. Today Google announces it's own free public DNS service. I'm wondering which is better of the two and I may give it a try over the holidays. If you're wondering what this new service means for OpenDNS, you can read up on OpenDNS' CEO's reaction in a blog post.

HighCharts

There's a new kid on the blog with regards to charting on the web. As per the Ajaxian, this new javascript library is called HighCharts. Unlike, OpenFlash Charts and YUI Charts, this library boasts of generating charts from pure Javascript, no flash ! Looking forward to giving this baby a go one of these days.

A Naked T61

My laptop refused to boot early this week. It beeped and printed "Fan Error" on screen. The laptop has been with me for almost two years and after seeing the error it occurred to me that I have never opened it, not even once, and now I have to.

One thing I love about Thinkpads is how well documented they are. I was immediately able to obtain the hardware service manual from Lenovo's website and got to work stripping the bezels, keyboard and palm rest to get to the dirty fan.

For the voyeuristic pleasure of my fellow geeks, I took some pics of my naked T61, after I cleaned it up, of course. Enjoy !!

ExtJS Tip : Dynamically change a button icon

This works for ExtJS 2 or higher. Oddly, there is no method in the button class that allows you to change the icon dynamically. This is useful if you want to reuse buttons in the toolbar for example.

I found an override from this forum post which worked for me after a few tweaks.

Ext.override(Ext.Button, {
setIcon: function(url){
if (this.rendered){
var btnEl = this.getEl().child(this.buttonSelector);
btnEl.setStyle('background-image', 'url(' +url+')');
}
}
})

An exercise in Metacognition ... computer for sale ads

A Facebook buddy posted this as his status ...

60K PHP for brand-new MB466,2.0 GHz, IntelCore2Duo,160GB DDR3 Memory, 160GB HD, NVIDIA GeForce 9400M graphics, stndrd kbrd, aluminum unibo

What went thru my mind during the first few seconds of reading ....

1. 60K PHP ? Kinda expensive for a PC
2. Is this a laptop or desktop ?
3. MB466 ? must be the model number of something.
4. 2.0 IntelCore2Duo ? really expensive PC, I could probably assemble an entry level Core i7 with 60K
   
5. 160GB DDR3 Memory ? WOW must be a server or workstation.
   
6. aluminum unibo ?! Great Scott ! It's a Mac !

What I learned about myself ....

1. I immediately knew it was an ad for a computer.
   
2. I focus too much on the price, so much so that it influences everything else about the ad, maybe that's why I don't have a Mac :-)
3. I don't know the specs for a Mac when I see one.