Upload files to web with FileChucker

FileChucker is a Perl script supported Ajax which cab be used to upload and manage files on the web site. It includes a real-time progress bar, a built-in password protection, E-mail notification about new uploads, automatically replacement of any “unfriendly” characters, a possibility to work over SSL, an adjustable max upload size.

The FileChucker can be easyly integrated with existing web application even it’s based on PHP. You can test it online, read documentation or download it. Enjoy.

Web, Perl and Ajax

Prototype
I don’t like JavaScript. I prefer server-side technologies because they give a confidence in the correct work on any client PC. You cannot have the same confidence with JavaScript functionality. It has dependences on browser type, set browser options and many others conditions on the client-side. Hovewer, web 2.0 brought the modern realisation of client technology based on JavaScript – Ajax. Using Ajax it’s possible to develop an user-friendly web interface which is a standart de-facto now. I also started to study and test Ajax. There are many Ajax frameworks for the good-known programming languages, including Perl. The main goal of PerlAjax (CGI::Ajax) is to provide an easy way to create Perl Ajax applications without JavaScript coding.

The big disadvantage (IMHO) of CGI::Ajax is an orientation to the pure CGI. But it’s difficult or probably impossible to use this module together with Perl web site development and delivery engines such Embperl or Mason. Hovewer, there are a bunch of JavaScript Ajax frameworks which can be integrated with them. One of those ones is a Prototype. Its development is driven heavily by the Ruby on Rails framework, but it can be used in any environment. Here is a control for Mason which uses Prototype. In case of Embperl it’s needed some JavaSCript coding to bring Ajax power in the web application. But it’s not so big.

FJAX: Ajax with Flash

Ajax is a standart de-facto for Web 2.0 applications. Using Ajax technology it’s possible to create a flexible and handy web-based user interface. But the computer world is not at a standstill. The new web technology is coming: FJAX. FJAX is a Flash-based implementation of Ajax:

Fjax uses the Flash Player to load a 1 pixel by 1 pixel transparent SWF to simply get XML from the server. Once it has the XML, it parses it into HTML and then lets JavaScript know it’s ready. JavaScript then gets the HTML from Flash and DHTMLs it into the web page รขโ‚ฌโ€ it uses JavaScript to write (X)HTML/CSS onto the page.

I also started to use Ajax. I didn’t develop something serious yet. But that’s down the road ๐Ÿ™‚

[via O’Reilly Radar]