I'm constantly looking for ways to make WordPress more palatable for the common user (see: non-developers). It may be simple in comparison to other content management systems, but it's still got some confusing artifacts. And, once you start adding robust plugins, things can get messy. Here are some … [Read more...] about Optimize the WordPress Admin for Users
Set Dynamic Custom Variable in Yoast’s Google Analytics for WordPress
Recently, I needed to dynamically set a Custom Variable in Google Analytics. This isn't hard if you're putting in the web tracking code by hand, but it can be a bit tough working with a plugin. Yoast's Google Analytics for WordPress plugin (which I highly recommend) can do this, although it's not … [Read more...] about Set Dynamic Custom Variable in Yoast’s Google Analytics for WordPress
Temporary Cache Assistance (Transients API): WordCamp Phoenix 2014
We’ll cover the basics of the Transients API, see basic examples, and then discuss common places where this method can be most helpful, like large, complex queries or pulling from an external API. We’ll also discuss how this type of caching is unique, when to use it, and how to scale it for big … [Read more...] about Temporary Cache Assistance (Transients API): WordCamp Phoenix 2014
WooCommerce Layered Navigation Widget for All Attributes
Update: At some point over the years, this code snippet stopped working as-is. Cheers to Nathan Howell for sending the necessary fix! I've updated the snippet below. WooCommerce comes with a Layered Navigation Widget that's pretty cool. If you're unfamiliar: Layered Navigation is a powerful widget … [Read more...] about WooCommerce Layered Navigation Widget for All Attributes
Don’t Add Anything to footer.php in WordPress
If you've ever had to add some JavaScript to your self-hosted WordPress site, but you don't really know the first thing about PHP code, this post is for you! Time and time again, I see the same bad advice for adding a snippet of JavaScript to your theme. Here's a real excerpt: To add the [script] … [Read more...] about Don’t Add Anything to footer.php in WordPress
Build and Outfit a Cheap, Minimalist Standing Desk for About $150
I'll beg your pardon for this post being generally off-topic, but my hope is that it will be helpful to those considering a standing desk while finding some options too expensive and others too complicated or unsuitable. Considerations I wanted a cheap standing desk solution that had plenty of room … [Read more...] about Build and Outfit a Cheap, Minimalist Standing Desk for About $150
Roll a New MAMP WordPress Install Quickly With This Shell Script
As I outlined in my previous post on my WordPress development process, I've become quite fond of staying in the command line when creating new WordPress installs in MAMP. I decided to combine the most common, repetitive steps of the process into one useful shell script that: Creates a new … [Read more...] about Roll a New MAMP WordPress Install Quickly With This Shell Script
Download All Attachments from Multiple Emails in Apple Mail
There's a great feature in Apple Mail I didn't realize was there until I needed it today. If you want to download the attachments from multiple emails, select the emails (using shift/control + click) and go to File > Save Attachments... Voilà! I was sent about 15 individual emails with photos in … [Read more...] about Download All Attachments from Multiple Emails in Apple Mail