iRev - Ajax - jQuery

[Thomas McGrath III]

I have just finished a marathon session integrating Ajax irev css html  
to build an image gallery with jQuery.

WOW... what a pain in the ass to grok...

And NO ONE should ever have to look at something like this again, let  
alone have to type it:
put "<a href=" & quote & "photos/test/"  & L & quote && " class=" &  
quote & "pirobox_gall" & quote & && " rel=" & quote & "lightbox" &  
quote & && " title=" & quote & L & quote & "><img src=" & quote &  
"photos/test/" & L & quote & " alt=" & quote & L & quote && tSizeSpec  
&  "/></a>" into tImg

I actually built around six versions of the image gallery and did not  
like any of them. The final one at 4:30 this AM is almost what I want.  
Anyway, a few things I am wishing for:

1. Never ever ever again to have to write & quote & again..........
2. Something to VISUALLY put all of those & T & qoute && "<" & quote &  
together to see the finished result in On-rev editor (quickly)
3. To have just one app (or 2) to work on all of this instead of 6  
(SIX) Rapid Weaver, Dream Weaver, On-rev, Text Wrangler, Dashcode and  
(Safari and Firefox. )
4. A revolution to CSS convertor (like Interface Builder for iphone  
SDK) cause things like Absolute/Fixed/Relative hurt my head after  
awhile. and things like 'hidden' that don't really hide things but  
'reformat' the layout  instead cause dizziness.

Work flow:
Find iRev script that does something completely different than what I  
need. But since there is no where big to search for these yet this  
will have to do. (send email question to use list)

Build theme in Rapid Weaver, load stacks or blocks and set up  
preferences. upload. (send email question to RW forum)

Switch to Dreamweaver and download (for later use). (browse forums for  
helpful tips or hints)

Set up iFrame for irev page. dynamic or fixed.

Load in safari, load in firefox (to hell with IE) and decide that none  
of it looks right. (search internet for all new solution, get stuck on  
youTube)

Find CSS load in pane in RW - upload check in Safari/Firefox. Almost  
like it....

open CSS in dashcode (easier to see) and make tweaks, save, upload in  
Dreamweaver. (it's now later)

Looks good. Now find java script library that does what I need (4  
hours later) Decide on one.

Load in JS pane in RW. Load browser - nothing works. (go back to  
youTube and look up "fat kid falls on bicycle" get lost for awhile)

Try five more slide show, light box, image gallery, jQuery, slimbox,  
pirobox, mootools etc. download install integrate into iRev integrate  
into RW download through Dreamweaver (for future use) - change page in  
RW back to stacks for this version since I need a button now. Simple  
iFrame only allows url.

decide to just add as much JS and CSS as possible to iRev script since  
it will be easier to upload one file from one place (instead of - open  
in one app-  save - open another app-  upload - open another to view -  
loop)

No easy way to save versions in on-rev editor. Add html to iRev page  
types. Add styles to top of iRev page, add JS next (mostly load  
libraries) - then build page elements with rev and html (and sometimes  
more JS)

OK now - I don't mind learning and I don't mind hacking my way  
through. But Damn it.... I have such a jheadache now. That whole &  
quote & thing and readability thing needs to be addressed real soon.  
Maybe Jerry's thingy can do it??? maybe it can have all of these  
really cool plugins for building unbuilding these mosnters.....

Had to just let it all out before the end of the year.....

Tom McGrath III
Lazy River Software
3mcgrath at comcast.net

iTunes Library Suite - libITS
Information and download can be found on this page:
http://www.lazyriversoftware.com/RevOne.html