JavaScript To-Do List
My most recent project of the JavaScript curriculum at theOdinProject, was to create an app to manage a To-do list. This project required a lot building HTML elements through JavaScript, and it also showcased my ability to organize my code into different modules in separate files. Another new concept introduced in this project was saving data via localStorage.
May 24, 2021
JavaScript Tic-tac-toe
As my second project of the JavaScript curriculum at theOdinProject, I created a JavaScript Tic-tac-toe game. This project demonstrates using modules and factories to create objects.
Dec 16, 2020
JavaScript Library Records
I just completed my first assignment in the final chapter of my coding experience at theOdinProject, a simple JavaScript library record webpage. This project demonstrates taking advantage of client-side JavaScript to add, modify and delete web content on the browser.
Nov 06, 2020
Newsweek Clone and Bootstrap 4
My latest assignment was to create an approximate clone of the Newsweek homepage using the Bootstrap 4 framework. It was a great experience learning the Bootstrap grid system, which is based on CSS Flexbox. Bootstrap also has a lot of elements built in, such as specialized buttons, navigation bars and more. I can see how frameworks such as Bootstrap make building responsive websites faster, easier and more efficient. Its built in elements also make it easier to have a consistent look when desired.
Oct 26, 2020
TheNextWeb Clone Project and the Pitfalls of CSS Background Images
I recently completed a clone of TheNextWeb, a news site that targets the web development industry. This project tested my ability to use media queries and CSS Grid. Media queries are a key component of responsive web design, which is just a fancy term to describe websites that look good on all devices (phones, tablets and computers.) So, when you visit either the original website, or my clone of it, you’ll see that the layout of the website changes as you resize your browser window. On smaller screens, the website displays largely in a single column, but as the screen gets wider, content is shown in multiple columns.
Oct 04, 2020
Use Bluetooth to Transfer Files from Android to Ubuntu
Transferring files from Android to Ubuntu can be super easy, with no cables required, provided your computer is Bluetooth capable. Here’s a quick outline of the process. The thing to do is to pair your phone to your computer, which you may be able to skip if you have previously done it:
Sep 15, 2020
Cloning Facebook
A few weeks ago, I completed one of the major projects in the Rails portion of the curriculum at TheOdinPoject. This project creating a clone of the popular Facebook app. Creating a true clone of Facebook would be extremely time consuming, as there are so many facets to Facebook - Marketplace, Messenger, live video, etc. My clone, which I called Phacebook, captures some of the core elements of the original, such as secure login (made possible through Devise,) requesting/confirming friends, creating posts, including images in posts, as well as liking and commenting on posts.
Sep 15, 2020
Rails Helper form_with Not Working As Expected
I recently encountered a stumbling block when using
Jun 14, 2020
form_with in a Rails application I was building. No matter what I tried, the form did not work as I expected it to – on submitting the form, nothing would happen. The button appears to press successfully, the parameters get sent to the server, but the information displayed in the current view would not change.
Cloning a NY Times Article
I just completed one of the first projects in the HTML/CSS portion of the curriculum at TheOdinPoject. This project involved cloning a New York Times article. The primary skills involved here included using the Web Developer Tools, as well as using CSS positioning tools such as flex and grid.
Jun 06, 2020
How to Delete from a Join Table in Rails
While working on a project within theOdinProject’s curriculum, I found myself facing a challenge: How to create a link in my Rails app that would delete the record in the join table that establishes a relationship between two objects. In my specific project, “private-events,” I had several users, and several events, which were connected through a join table of invitations. My goal was to build a dynamic link to delete the record in the join table that connects the user with the event he was attending.
May 23, 2020
What I've learned about running Linux
Linux operating systems are an excellent choice for people in a variety of situations, and there are a number of options for how to run them. I gained some experience with this while starting out on TheOdinProject curriculum several months ago, and would like to share my own observations and recommendations about trying Linux and potentially installing one of its distributions as your primary OS.
Mar 29, 2020
Ruby, Jekyll, and Security+
It’s been too long since I last posted, but I wanted to update everyone on my progress. I have completed Web Development 101 at theOdinProject.org, and I’m 65% of the way through their Ruby course. At this point, I think The Odin Project is an excellent resource for people like me who are committed to learning to code.
Dec 07, 2019
Cop to Coder
Cop to coder. Not a conventional transition, but this transition is part of my long-term goal. My name is Jay Conner, and I have been a cop for over twenty years. There’s not much I haven’t seen or done in the law enforcement field, and I’m proud to continue serving with some of the most dedicated and professional members of my community. I am a long-term planner, and as I approach retirement from law enforcement I have decided to prepare myself for a second career in web development.
Oct 07, 2019