1. coComment JSONP

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    coComment is a new service like Commentosphere that helps you tracks your comments/conversations across the web. If you haven't heard of coComment yet check out Johan's article at Ecmanaut.

    One of the features missing from coComment has been JSON(P) feeds of data. They have a 'blog box' JavaScript include, but it is limitedly customisable. So, frustrated with the way it did work, but still wanting to display my coComment data in my sidebar like I have been doing with Commentosphere, I created a hack that generates JSONP feeds for coComment.

    Using the script is simple. You pass the URL to the JavaScript for a customised blog box on coComment to the script, along with optionally the name of a callback function (using '&callback'). You can tack on '&raw' to make it output raw JSON data. If no callback is specified and you do not specify raw data it will check to see if you have a coComment.callbacks objects with a comments function and call that. The URL is:
    http://comment.ning.com/cocomment/json.php?url=URLtoBLOGBOX

    If you want a sidebar element, or just some example JavaScript code to work with, here is what I use. Put this in your <head> section:

       <script type="text/javascript">
       //<![CDATA[
          var list_cocomment_limit = NUMBER OF CHARACTERS;
          var list_cocomment_id = "cocomment";
          var list_cocomment_url = "URL TO BLOG BOX";
          function list_cocomment_callback() {
             val = '';
             val += '<ul class="cocomment">';
             for(var i=0; i<coComment.comments.length; i++) {
                val += '   <li><a href="'+coComment.comments[i].articlelink+'">'+coComment.comments[i].body.substr(0,list_cocomment_limit)+'…</a></li>';
             }//end for
             val += '</ul>';
             val += '<a href="'+coComment.url+'">More</a> on <a href="http://www.cocomment.com/">coComment</a>';
             item = document.getElementById(list_cocomment_id);
             item.innerHTML = val;
          }//end function list_cocomment_callback
          coComment = {};
          coComment.callbacks = {};
          coComment.callbacks.comments = list_cocomment_callback;
          function list_cocomment() {
             coComment = {};
             coComment.callbacks = {};
             coComment.callbacks.comments = list_cocomment_callback;
             var thescript = document.createElement("script");
             thescript.type = "text/javascript";
             thescript.src = 'http://comment.ning.com/cocomment/json.php?url='+encodeURIComponent(list_cocomment_url);
             document.body.appendChild(thescript);
          }//end function list_cocomment
          function addLoadEvent(func) {
             var oldonload = window.onload;
             if (typeof window.onload != 'function') {
                window.onload = func;
             } else {
                window.onload = function() {
                   oldonload();
                   func();
                }
             }//end if
         }//end function addLoadEvent
         addLoadEvent(list_cocomment);
       //]]>
       </script>

    And in your sidebar put '<div id="cocomment"><i>Loading…</i></div>'.

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  2. Been Sick

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    Yes I've been a bit sick as of late — just haven't got around to posting about it ;) Parents think it may be malaria-related and have me on those drugs — whatever the case it seems to be getting better :) Not a lot else happening — school, chat, lounging around, the usual. Chels threw out her back awhile ago and that's been really bothering me… but she's recovering slowly :) How do some of you ppl post every day?? I can hardly think of anyting to write and it's been awhile… oh, I've finished up my EBC application, and their next meeting is on the 27th, so I should know if I'm in or not soon :) School seems to be going alright, and some of my marks are picking up a bit… not as good as I would have hoped, but I'll have to live with it :) Well I'm sure (as always) that there's more to say… but I can't think of a thing… so until next time and hope to see you online!
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    Creative Commons Licence © 2006-2008 Stephen Paul Weber. Some Rights Reserved.
Stephen Paul Weber