Here is a list of some current and past projects. They range from the recent PHP web applications to SEO work (1st on Google) to web design, video editing, and more.
Database Design and Programming
Tracking Database
When: 2016 – Present
Contribution: Solo developer
Description: Have you ever reflected over the past year and wondered what you accomplished? Maybe you were trying to remember the last time you went to a movie with friends or your family. Without records, it’s hard to keep track of the events of life and it’s those events that make up life.
The Tracking Database is a custom database built using PHP, MySQL, Javascript, jQuery, Bootstrap, and other technologies and frameworks that help the user remember the important things in life; the good, the not so good, and the informational (neutral). It also helps track goals and opportunities, assists with reviews and more.
FD Forms
When: 2016 – Present
Contribution: Solo developer
Description: To track run reports for a local volunteer fire department, I am currently developing a custom database utilizing PHP, jQuery, Bootstrap, Javascript, and a MySQL database. This web application will provide the ability to analyze the available data for long term planning.
Autominder
When: 2011 – 2012
Contribution: Solo developer
Description: Autominder is a custom built web application created from the ground up (no frameworks such as jQuery or Bootstrap) using PHP, MySQL, and AJAX that is running on a local XAMPP server. This application tracks and monitors vehicle maintenance for a fleet of 5 vehicles and 4 trailers. It can handle many more than and is simple enough for home use. Here are some screen shots:
Autominder has the following functionality:
- Ability to monitor maintenance tasks on a mileage or date cycle
- Predictive mileage capability to identify tasks that are happening soon depending on the current useage
- Ability to omit tasks for certain vehicles
- When printed, the service ticket page prints extra fields for entering notes, mileage, date, etc
- To aid in multiple tasks performed at the same time, there is an arrow that, when clicked, enters the last mileage entered, saving keystrokes
- When entering maintenance tasks, mileage is required, resulting in a popup window when not filled out
- Total cost reporting is available, compete with a dynamically generated pie chart
Web Design
got Hemophilia?
When: 2015
Contribution: Web developer
Description: (http://gothemophilia.com) This simple, two page site was custom built from a marketing mockup showing the desktop version of the front page. It’s responsive and works well on a variety of devices. There is also a form to request a t-shirt.
As part of the sales funnel, sales reps would hand out t-shirt shaped cards to prospective patients with a code. Patients will visit the site, enter their information and code, and request a free t-shirt. It’s a great lead generation technique.
Python Programming
To expand my knowledge, I wanted to learn Python programming. To provide some practical experience, I used Python to automate several tasks:
OIG/GSA check
For many medical based companies, employees must be check every month against the Office of Inspector General (OIG) and the General Services Administration (GSA) lists to see if they are restricted from working in the medical field. To run either check, you need to visit the site, type in the employee’s name, and click the search button.
If the name is found, there will be an exception and further research is necessary. If there are no results, you move on to the next name, after printing the screen for documentation (save a tree, use a PDF). With a few names, this is a short process but it gets repetitive and tedious as the list of employees grows. Luckily, Python can help automate those tasks. Learn more automating the OIG/GSA checks using Python here.
Locked user accounts
Many systems have automated processes to handle user accounts, passwords, and access. When those systems don’t, you can still use Python to make things easier. You can setup a scheduled task and use Python to check a user database for linked accounts and if any are found, to email you the names. Learn more about using Python to check for locked out users here.
1st on Google
To gain more practical experience, I decided to work on getting to the top of Google for my name, Alan Reeves. After 4 weeks, this site was at #2, being behind only LinkedIn. There have been ups and downs and on 6/22/14, I reached #1. Being 1st on both search engines, Google and Bing, will deliver over 80% of the search volume in the United States.
Here is a link to all of the post that started it all: 1st on Google – My Journey. For more information about my journey to be 1st on Google, SEO, or anything else, please let me know.
Can You Etch It
Several years ago, I produced 36 videos for a weekly series where I laser engrave the strange, the unique, and the common items of our lives. You can find all the episodes on my YouTube channel, on my laser engraving website, or on Vimeo. Here is one of my favorites
For more information about the video series or laser engraving, please let me know.
CorelDraw Macro – Spirals
Most of my design work is done in CorelDraw X5. I have spent some time in other applications using VisualBasic so I wanted to try to incorporate that experience into automated image creation. This particular macro draws a square spiral according to the parameters coded into the macro. Here is an image of the result (the image to the right is the result of centering all the lines – an unexpected result):
If you want to make your own square spirals, here is the VisualBasic macro in a text file. To use it, just open your VisualBasic editor in CorelDraw, paste the text, and run the macro.