Now that your plugin has been approved for hosting in the WordPress Plugin Directory, you’ll need to learn a bit about how the Plugin Directory works. The Plugin Directory works with a certain structure of Subversion repository, and you will have to adhere to this structure to have your listing work correctly.

When your Subversion repository is setup for you, you’ll have three directories in it – trunk, tags and branches. These directories help separate the development of your plugin from your stable versions. Development of the very latest version is done in trunk. When that development is stable and ready for release, you copy the files into a subdirectory in tags. Files in tags should not be changed after they have been released to the public. branches can be used for the development of lesser versions than that of trunk. For example, you may be actively working on version 1.2 in trunk but you could have a subdirectory for the development of version 1.1 in branches (for fixing bugs or security issues).

To add information to your plugin listing, you must create a file called readme.txt in your repository. This file will contain information such as the name of the plugin, the description and anything else you see fit. The plugin directory will automatically create a zip for download of your plugin files. It will initially look in the trunk directory for these files, unless it is instructed to look in a specific tag in the readme.txt in trunk. If you’re following the above structure, you would have a readme.txt in the trunk and one in each of your tags subdirectory.

In the trunk version, you would have the Stable tag: set to the version of the current stable version in tags (those subdirectories should be named as the version) and the rest of the file would be ignored (so you can develop your plugin listing along side your plugin). The readme.txt in the referenced tags subdirectory would then be used for your plugin listing. The plugin files in this subdirectory would then be used for the zip available for download on your listing page.

You can see an example/explanation of the readme.txt file here. In our next article we’ll be covering how to check in (or commit) your plugin into the Subversion repository.

Looking at most of the WordPress-based blogs on the Internet, you’ll find that many of them have a Top Commentators list either in the sidebar or in the footer. This is meant to encourage readers to leave comments and also to give a little bit of “dofollow” link love back to the people who contribute to your blog.

While the Top Commentators list is certainly valuable, it does not account for all the other people who leave comments on the blog. Further still, it’s not immediately obvious how active a certain reader is when they leave a comment on a post without having to refer to the list in the sidebar or footer. The Featuring CountComments plugin addresses this.

With every comment left on your blog, you will not only the name and URL of the visitor, but also how many comments they have placed during the interval you define. The typical interval is monthly, but you can also set it to be completely cumulative if you prefer. This way, the first-time commenter can be easily differentiated from the commenting veteran.

In order for the comment count to be shown, however, the commenter must first be registered with your site. This can be a pro in that it encourages registration, but it can be a con in that it places an extra barrier to entry for new visitors.

For more information, checkout Featuring CountComments on WordPress.org.

Last week we asked have you attended a tweetup and 53% said no. I am sure that number will drop within a year or two as more and more people are on twitter. This weeks question is…

MySQL is a database management system which allows you to store and manage data. It is open-source and widely used. PHP and MySQL are commonly used together, and their popularly is largely tied to each other.

A database management system that supports the storing, organizing and retrieval of data. MySQL is based around the Structured Query Language (SQL), which allows for powerful querying of data stored with a database. MySQL is flexible, powerful and scalable, making it suitable for almost any use.

Databases are used on any site that stores information. For example, WordPress using a database (MySQL, to be exact) to store data such as posts, comments, users, etc. While databases are great for storing text-based data, you can’t store something like an image or file.

Basically, if you need to store data that you’ll need to query, and retrieve, using a database is a good idea. Over the next few articles, we’ll be discussing MySQL and the integration with PHP.

Most people think that they understand the value of networking, because they see networking events as an opportunity to solicit new clients, forge new business relationships, and to move their companies forward in some way. This is not necessarily the approach that you should be taking for one very important reason: people don’t want to get hit with a sales pitch when they arrive at a networking event; they want to network with like-minded individuals.

In this way, when you attend events like Ideas on Tap or Third Tuesdays, it is perhaps more important and ultimately more effective for you to approach the events with the intention of helping others first. At these kinds of networking events, you want to ensure that you remain as genuine and authentic as possible, connecting with the other attendees on a person-to-person basis, rather than simply seeing the other attendees as potential suppliers and customers.

They say that first relationships are remarkably important, because they can really color how these people will view you in the future. In this way, don’t approach them with a sales pitch, because they’ll think that you’re only looking out for yourself. That’s not the kind of relationship that they want to forge, because there isn’t as much in it for them either. Instead, working to build trust and see how you can help others.

By seeing how you can be the most helpful and useful to others, even if it doesn’t result in an immediate sale, you demonstrate your commitment to growing the business community as a whole. People will come to value what you bring to the table and this will ultimately work out in your favor in the long run. These associates will know who they can trust and who they can rely on.

Ideas on Tap is a light business networking event for hi-tech professionals in Vancouver plus Internet advertisers, social media marketers, bloggers, video game developers and other fans of the tech community.

This free event will feature a competition where 5 contestants deliver a 60 second pitch, idea, recruiting message, or elevator pitch from a milk crate. This could be talking about their company, a start-up idea, new technology, hiring, or raising capital.

The audience will vote for their 2 favourite pitches and prizes will be awarded.  In sticking with the theme of the venue, voting will be done by tapping beer glasses on tables or bars.

Brains, Business, and Beer

When is the event happening?
Thursday, June 11, 2008 5:30 PM - 8:30 PM

Where is it happening?
Commodore Ballroom - 868 Granville Street- Vancouver

Registration
To register for this event you need to register here.