Blogging Roller

Dave Johnson on open web technologies, social software and software development


Unsightly Tomcat port number issue.

I've been trying to figure out why Mozblog will not work with Roller's Blogger API implementation. I haven't had much luck, but I have again come across an irritating little issue with the Servlet API request.getRequestURL() method. I'm calling on the blog support line for advice.

Tomcat/Servlet experts, what do you make of this comment from Roller's RollerContext.getContextUrl() method?

 // If you are running Roller behind a foreground server, 
 // then your Servlet engine may be operating on a different
 // port than your forground server. For example, I run Roller 
 // on a Tomcat background server that operates behind an 
 // Apache foreground server. My Apache server is on port 80, 
 // but my Tomcat server is on port 1003.
 //
 // If this is the case, then request.getRequestURL() may 
 // return a URL that is valid but that includes an unsightly
 // and unnecessary port number that you would rather not 
 // include in weblog permalink. In other cases (e.g. you are 
 // running a standalone Tomcat instance on port 8080) the port 
 // number is essential.
 //
 // To deal with this the Roller getContextUrl() method uses 
 // a configuration parameter to determine if it should include 
 // a port number. It calls request.getRequestURL(), parses apart 
 // the result, and builds a context URL suitable for use in a 
 // permalink with or without a port number.
Is that clear? Is there an easier way to deal with this issue?
Tags: Java

"blog entry" vs. "blog"

I've noticed that some bloggers refer to each blog entry as a blog. I think this is a UK thing (and therefore it is wrong ;-) but I'm not sure.

Tags: Blogging

Reading blogs in context.

Chris Winters: <a href= "http://www.cwinters.com/News/show/?news_id=764">Reading Blogs. "I like having context for blog entries: seeing the layout, surrounding entries, photos and so forth. I like knowing who is writing a particular blog, which is why I get ticked off when someone doesn't readily identify themselves on a blog."

I keep on going back and forth between reading blogs via an aggregator, via a bookmarked group of tabs, and via <a href= "http://www.javablogs.com">java.blogs. I keep on returning to the group of tabs approach because it is the best way to hit all of the blogs on my reading list and to read each in context.

I don't like the way that some blogs show you a permalinked blog entry by only showing you that one entry, alone on a page, and sometimes with comments. Blog entries do not always stand alone.
Tags: Blogging

Let's get physical.

Boy, Jeremy Zawodny sure is easy to irritate. I think the word physical refers to the physical layer of a network. If your database is remote, then a new database connection may require a new network connection. Don't forgo connection pooling just because you are using MySQL, you will still gain significant benefit from using a connection pool.

Tags: Java

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