class DB{

// database connection variables
private $db_user = 'USERNAME';
private $db_pass = 'PASSWORD';
private $db_host = 'localhost';

// PDO class var
private $DBH;
// PDO Statement class var
public $STH;

	// The singleton instance
	private static $DB_Instance;

	// Initiate connection to DB
	private function __construct(){

		try {
			// DB Connection
			$this->DBH = new PDO('mysql:host='.$this->db_host, $this->db_user, $this->db_pass);
			//$this->DBH->setAttribute (PDO::ATTR_ERRMODE, PDO::ERRMODE_EXCEPTION);

		} catch(PDOException $e) {
			// DB connection error message
			trigger_error("Could not connect to database: ". $e->getMessage(), E_USER_ERROR);
		}

	}
	public function __desctruct(){
		$this->DBH = null;
	}

	// Start singleton DB instance
	public static function open(){

        if (!self::$DB_Instance){
            self::$DB_Instance = new DB();
        }

        return self::$DB_Instance;
    }

	/* Prepare query SQL statement
	@param mixed $sql
	@return bool
	*/
	public function q($sql){

		if( !($this->STH = $this->DBH->prepare($sql)) ){

			$this->error($this->STH->errorCode(), $this->STH->errorInfo());

		} else {

			return true;	

		}

	}

	/* Bind variables with type
	@param string $bind
	@param mixed $var
	@param string $type
	@param int $len
	@return bool
	*/
	public function bind($bind, $var, $type, $len = null){

		switch ($type)
		{
			case 'STR':
					return $this->STH->bindParam($bind, $var, PDO::PARAM_STR, $len);
				break;

			case 'INT':
					return $this->STH->bindParam($bind, $var, PDO::PARAM_INT, $len);
				break;

			case 'LOB':
					return $this->STH->bindParam($bind, $var, PDO::PARAM_LOB);
				break;
		}

	}

	/* Execute the SQL statement
	@return bool
	*/
	public function run(){

		if(!$this->STH->execute()){
			$this->error($this->STH->errorCode(), $this->STH->errorInfo());
		} else {
			return true;
		}

	}

	/* Email error
	@param array $error
	*/
	private function error($errorCode, $errorInfo){

		$mssg .= 'Code: '.$errorCode."\n\r";
		$mssg .= $errorInfo[0].': '.$errorInfo[1]."\n\r";
		$mssg .= $errorInfo[2]."\n\r";

		mail("youremail@domain.com", "MySQL Error", "$mssg");

	}

} // END class DB

// EXAMPLE USAGE
/*
$DB = DB::open();

// Simple Query
$sql = "SELECT col1, col2 FROM table";
$DB->q($sql);
//$DB->bind(':var', $var, 'STR');
$DB->run();

while($row = $DB->STH->fetch()){

	echo $row['COL1'].' '.$row['COL2'].'';

}
*/

This is just a simple connection. I’m sure it can be improved. If you have any flavor you want to add, comment and I will consider your addition.

This site is based on WordPress and features some nice jQuery effects. View http://www.datachambers.com

Walkerfirst.com is going up with a new look. They have introduced an online ordering system for telecom equipment. They are also now offering virtual warehousing for equipment and serial number tracking.

Elle Wedding Gowns is a site going up soon for people that want to buy or sell used wedding gowns. It will feature a shopping cart with order tracking and a messaging system for those selling their gowns. A consignment option will be available too.

Last but not least is the new Data Chambers site. Work is just beginning and will feature a totally refreshed design based on the ever so popular WordPress engine.

Step 1 – Use about any image

You can use any image for this tutorial. I’ve found that darker images work a little better since the frost look is already a lighter effect. This is the image I’m going to use.

Step 2 – Duplicate the layer

Once you have your image open in Photoshop, duplicate the layer. You can do this easily by clicking and dragging the background layer to the ‘create new layer’ icon at the bottom of the layer palette.

Step 3 – Set guides and copy section

Now we are going to use guides to set an area we want to apply the frost effect to. If you do not have rulers enabled, please do so in the menu by going to ‘View’ -> and check ‘Rulers’. You should now see rulers around your image. With your mouse click in the top ruler area ad drag drop into the image. It will bring a guide down where you can place it into the image. Place two guides on the image about 2-3 inches apart. Mine looks like this:

Step 4 – Selections

Now , using the guides, we are going to select a piece of the image where we want to start the effect. Grab the rectangle marquee tool in the tools palette. Make sure you are on the new layer you just created. Select the area inside the guides. If you have snaping turned on Photoshop will help snap your selection to the guides. To enable snapping in the menu go to ‘View’ -> and click ‘Snap’. With the rectangle marquee tool start from one of the corners and drag it to the opposite diagonal corner to select the entire area inside the guides. When you are done, release the mouse and press Command C (Mac) or Control C (Windows) and copy the selection. Now create a new layer in the layers palette and press Command V (Mac) or Control V (Windows) to paste the selection on the new layer. You probably won’t see anything happen, but you will see your new selection on the new layer just like the below image.

Step 5 – The frost begins

Click on the ‘create new layer’ icon in the layers palette. Now, as we did in the last step with the rectangle marquee selection tool, select the area inside the guides. Next, select the paint bucket tool, change the foreground color to white (#FFFFFF) and click inside the selected area to fill it with white. Press Command D (Mac) or Control D (Windows) to get rid of the marquee. Your image should now look like this:

Step 6 – Apply the frosting

Click on the layer title ‘Layer 1′ in the layers palette. In the menu go to Filter -> Blur -> Gaussian Blur. Set the radius to 4 and click OK as noted in the example below.

Now click on ‘Layer 2′ in the layers palette. In the adjustments area of the layer palette, set the opacity to 40% like below.

Step 7 – Bring the noise

Now with ‘Layer 2′ still selected in the layers palette, in the menu, go to ‘Filter’ -> ‘Noise’ and choose ‘Add Noise’. Set the amount to 10 and click OK. This will polish off the frost look.

Final Result

That’s it. I know there are other ways to accomplish this, but this is very easy for beginners. You can use adjustment layers and masks, but I tried not to include too much in this simple tutorial. You can download the PSD file here

Things

First up is Things form Cultured Code. They recently relased 1.0RC2 and are planning  on releasing the final version at Macworld ’09. Things is a task management app based on cocoa with a slick and very intuitive interface. You can organize tasks by projects, areas, teammates as well as put tasks into a today and someday queue. Things will cost $49.95 USD and there is also a Things iPhone version available now for $9.99 USD.

Fontcase

The next app I’m excited about is Fontcase from Bohemian Coding. Fontcase is a new font management app for Leopard. I personally think it’s designed better than Suitcase Fusion and FontExplorer X. It has a unique way of viewing and organizing fonts. You can find a good review of Fontcase over at the The Danimal. No word yet on a price for Fontcase. It is currently in public beta and you can download Fontcase from http://www.bohemiancoding.com/download/fontcase.zip.

EventBox

Last but not least is EventBox developed by The Cosmic Machine. This is an all-in-one social networking application allows you to post updates to Twitter, Facebook, Flickr and share links to Reddit and in the future Digg.com. EventBox makes it easier to post to multiple social networks and for some, such as Flickr and Facebook, you can view images too. EventBox is currently $15 USD until they release a final version, then it will cost $20 USD.

That’s all I have. Please download and try these great apps. They’ve helped me to be better organized.