I decided to extend Prototype Element’s properties so that it can become really easy to add resize handlers to a given element. The code is fully working, thoug some extra features still need some tweaking. you can have 1 to 8 handlers, a callback fired up upon the end of the resizing process, and a snap function [here i just copy/pasted scriptaculous code...].

what’s is still missing is:

• a better templating system for the handlers
• better handling for elements; you can resize a TD element, but the table remains somewhat corrupted [I know were to fix it, but i just have soo many things to do]
• complete the ‘mode’ selector, just like you jave in Osx, XP, Kde, you can choose wether resize the original element or a copy [or a wireframed div]

code is here, shall anyone like to jelp me finishing it, you’re welcome

Well, after all I think it’s really time to start writing some real stuff for my [our?!] visual IDE for webapps, so stay tuned and expect news in short time

Update: a really better method to’ resize element is by using jqueryui classes, so update tour bookmarks.

if yout blog really needs this kind of applet, well, it doesn’t really matters wether it is a 3d javascript object or a flash movie.

The only odd in the mentioned plugin is that you loose SEO opportunities, so, if you really, really, really, really want to try such thing, i’ve just come with a nearly fully functional  HTML only version of tht object. Just create your usual <ul><li> assign them the specific class (I’ll give you a hint… “tagcloud”) and call the proper constructor… on the mouseover all of youtr cloud will start to move around your layer.
There’s of course place to soo many customisazione, and the 3D functions that I’m using are still not perfect, so, if you come with a better version than mine, please let me know.

Update: after 6 onths from the original post, this is still the most visited btween all the other [5] post composing this blog. It makes me wonder if a javascript 3d library would be wellcome. something like a Prototype class or evena Jquery UI class… with a bit of tweaking and a little amount of css programming real fake 3d GUI elements could be created…

In the [real little] spare time I can give to this blog, I will try to create such library.


id | id_father | name | other datas
01 | 00 | root | ...
02 | 01 | sub node | ...


this kind of data structure is usually managed via recursion, and in web applications is useful to store site menu, product categories, file-system alike apps and so on.
The class i’m seeding here does all the dirty job giving you the possibility to

• use custom callback to modify the default behaviour [<ul><li> sequence]
• minimize/maximize function [for folder-like interfaces]
• navigation path serialization

those are the methods usually needed for day-to-day work with trees.
here you find all the code, but I’d like to poin out two things that [IMHO] really teach something to the average PHP programmer

• in the constructor 3 arrays are build as properties starting from the original array: arrayById, arrayByFather, arrayHasChild. I don’t know if it would be faster using array_find.. but once we’ve made the proper index association, ther’s no need for the original array to be parsed again.
• use of $$ for the callback function: not so many people knows this sintax, but it’s worth a try

the rest is really simple, and it’s well commented as well.

of course it fits perfectly with the standard output from dbmanager class presented here. Set up your table in an appropriate way, make your assocQuery call and use your tree in no time.