Cloud calling—also known as telephony—might just be the best phone system set-up for your business for a long list of reasons. It’s flexible, inexpensive, and it doesn’t require a lot of equipment or technical knowledge. But cloud calling isn’t a one-size-fits-all solution. Rather, it’s an option that can work well […]
Caching is a critical technique for optimizing application performance by temporarily storing frequently accessed data, allowing for faster retrieval during subsequent requests. Multi-layered caching involves using multiple levels of cache to store and retrieve data. Leveraging this hierarchical structure can significantly reduce latency and improve overall performance.
This article will explore the concept of multi-layered caching from both architectural and development perspectives, focusing on real-world applications like Instagram, and provide insights into designing and implementing an efficient multi-layered cache system.
When you create a Google Form, it is public by default meaning anyone who has the link to the form can submit a response. There forms, whether they are quizzes, polls or surveys, have no expiration date and they can collect unlimited number of responses until the form owner chooses to close it manually.
However, there are scenarios when setting limits on Google Forms can be beneficial. For instance:
Contests and Giveaways: Limit entries to a specific number, on a first-come, first-served basis, and close the form automatically.
Event Registrations: Set a closing date and automatically close registration forms after the event date.
Quizzes and Assignments: School teacher can add restrictions and keep the form open only during specific days and hours, mimicking in-class availability.
Limit Google Form Responses
Google Forms doesn’t natively support the ability to schedule forms or limit responses. However, you can easily incorporate this functionality into your forms with the help of Form Notifications add-on for Google Forms. The add-on is primarily designed to send form responses in an email message but it also includes features to schedule Google Forms and limit responses.
How to Set Limits in Google Forms
Install the Forms add-on, go to your Google Form and click the add-ons menu (it looks like a puzzle icon).
From the menu, choose Email Notifications > Open App > Options > Limit Google Form Responses and you’ll see the settings panel as shown above. This is where you can easily control when and how many people can submit your Google Form.
1. Close Form after a Certain Number of Responses
You can specify the maximum number of responses that your Google Form should accept. Once the form has received the specified number of responses, it will automatically close itself and no new responses will be accepted.
You can also specify a custom message that will be displayed when someone accesses your closed form.
2. Close Form after a Specific Date and Time
You can specify the exact date and time when your Google Form should be closed for new responses. The form will automatically close itself on the specified date and time and no new responses will be accepted.
You may also specify an open date and your closed Google Form will automatically open on the scheduled date. This can be useful for event registration forms where the registrations should be opened for public only on a specific date.
3. Open and Close Form on a Recurring Schedule
You can easily set up a recurring schedule and keep your Google Form open only on specific days and within specific hours. The above example shows the form being available only on weekdays between 11:00 AM and 3:45 PM.
The Form limiter is written in Google Apps Script. You can find the source code on Github should you wish to roll out own form limiter.
The form will close based on whichever condition is met first, either the response limit or the closing date.
All times mentioned are in the local timezone of the user’s browser who is setting up the form schedule and limits.
Due to Google add-ons’ technical constraints, the actual opening and closing times of the form may differ from your set times by about ±30 minutes.
If you would like to manually close your Google Form for new responses, open the Form, go to the Response tab and uncheck the Accepting Responses option. You can re-open the form anytime later by checking the Not Accepting Responses button.
Understanding the structures within a Relational Database Management System (RDBMS) is critical to optimizing performance and managing data effectively. Here's a breakdown of the concepts with examples.
RDBMS Structures
1. Partition
Partitioning in an RDBMS is a technique to divide a large database table into smaller, more manageable pieces, called partitions, without changing the application's SQL queries.
I am curious how other programmers that I have no interaction with in this subject , are using LLM AI tools in their daily programming workflow.
Although I use them I have an issue recommending them to others in my company because I believe you have to have a certain amount of experience to understand the B..S.. parts from the real useful ones. The coding hallucinations are starting to become so great that you can't tell if a library that the code uses doesn't exist (and never existed) because the usage and references are plausible. When you ask general programming questions you usually get answers that are common misconceptions and far from the truth. e.g. Some moments ago Gemini told me that when it replied that Memory tables are not faster than MyIssam or InnoDb it meant that most servers have less RAM than the table size !!! (maybe that was accurate 15 years ago ... but again ... not even then ... )
But... I realize that more and more ChatGPT and maybe even more Gemini , are part of my starting point when I search something related to programming.
Do you want to learn how to create custom meta boxes for your WordPress posts, pages, and custom post types?
WordPress adds metadata to your content automatically, such as the publication date, categories, and tags. However, you may also want to add your own custom meta data.
In this article, we will show you how to easily add unique information to your content, by creating a custom meta data box in WordPress.
What is a Custom Meta Box in WordPress?
When you create posts and pages, or custom post types in WordPress, that content usually has its own metadata. This metadata is information related to the content like date and time, the author name, title, and more.
You can also add your own metadata using the default custom fields box.
The Custom Fields box is a good solution if you just want to add custom metadata to a few posts. However, if you plan to add lots of unique information to your content, then it makes sense to create a custom metadata box.
In fact, many of the popular WordPress plugins add custom meta boxes to the Edit screen for posts and pages. In the following image, you can see how easy it is to add SEO information to your post, using a custom meta box provided by AIOSEO.
With that being said, let’s see how you can easily add custom meta boxes in WordPress posts and post types.
How to Add Custom Meta Boxes in WordPress Posts and Post Types
The easiest way to add custom meta boxes to WordPress is by using Advanced Custom Fields. This plugin allows you to attach all kinds of extra information to your posts and pages, and then show that data to visitors using a shortcode.
The first thing you need to do is install and activate the Advanced Custom Fields plugin. For more details, see our step-by-step guide on how to install a WordPress plugin.
Create a Custom Meta Box
Upon activation, go to ACF » Field Groups and then click on the ‘Add New’ button.
Here, you can create the custom fields that will appear in the metadata box.
To start, you’ll need to type a title into the field that shows ‘Field Group Title’ by default. This will appear in the WordPress content editor, and it will be used as the title of your meta box.
With that being said, you should use something descriptive, especially if you manage a multi-author WordPress blog or share the dashboard with other people.
With that done, you’re ready to add the first field to your meta box.
Add Custom Fields to the Meta Box
To start, open the ‘Field Type’ dropdown and choose the type of field you want to add, such as Text, Date Picker, Checkbox, or any other field type.
After that, type in a label for the field.
Advanced Custom Fields will show this label before the field, so it will help users understand what information they need to enter.
Advanced Custom Fields will generate the ‘Field Name’ automatically, so you can leave this field empty.
With that done, you may want to type in a ‘Default Value.’ This will be added to the page, post, or custom post type automatically if the user doesn’t add their own information.
You may see more options depending on the kind of field you’re creating. For example, if you selected ‘Image’ from the ‘File Type’ dropdown, then you can choose the image format.
Most of these options are self-explanatory so you can follow the onscreen instructions to configure the custom field.
When you’re happy with how the field is set up, click on ‘Close Field’ to collapse the section.
You can now add more fields to the custom meta box by clicking on the ‘Add Field’ button.
Then, simply configure the field by following the exact same process described above.
Add a Custom Meta Box to the WordPress Content Editor
When you’re happy with how the custom meta box is set up, you’ll need to define where and when the meta box will appear.
Scroll to the ‘Settings’ section and then click on the ‘Location Rules’ tab.
Advanced Custom Fields can add the box to all kinds of content. For example, you can show the meta box on specific post types, categories, taxonomies, navigation menus, and more.
Simply use the dropdown menus to choose where the meta box will appear in your WordPress dashboard. For example, if you accept guest posts then you may want to add the box to all posts in the ‘Guest Posts’ category.
After that, click on the ‘Presentation’ tab.
Here, you can choose the meta box style, where it appears on your WordPress blog, and where the label and instructions will appear.
If you plan to add multiple boxes in the same location, then you can change the order they appear in by typing into the ‘Order No’ field.
If you’re unsure, then you can leave this field set to 0.
On this screen, you’ll also see a list of all the fields that WordPress usually shows on the post edit screen.
If you want to hide a field, then simply check its box. For example, if you’re using custom fields to create an author info box, then you may want to hide the default ‘Author’ field.
When you’re happy with the changes you’ve made, click on ‘Save Changes’ to make the field group live.
You’ve now successfully created a custom meta box for your WordPress post, page, or custom post type. Depending on your settings, you can now visit the post editor to see the custom meta box in action.
Displaying Your Custom Meta Box Data in WordPress Theme
You’ve now successfully added a custom meta box to the WordPress dashboard. Any information users type into the meta box will be stored in the WordPress database when they save or publish the post. However, this information won’t appear on your website by default.
With that in mind, let’s make sure the custom metadata appears in your WordPress theme, so visitors can see it.
You can do this using shortcode or by editing your WordPress theme files.
How to Display Custom Metadata using Shortcode
Adding a shortcode in WordPress is the easiest method, and allows you to control exactly where the information appears on your website. For example, if you’ve created a ‘Star Rating’ field, then you can show this information after the post title, inside the content, in the footer, or anywhere else simply by adding a shortcode.
However, you will need to add a shortcode to every page, post, or custom post type manually. This can take a lot of time and effort, especially if you have a lot of content.
To get a field’s shortcode, go to ACF » Field Groups. Then, hover over the field group that you want to display and click on the ‘Edit’ link when it appears.
You’ll now see all the fields that make up this group.
For each field you want to display, make a note of the value in the ‘Name’ field.
With that done, go to the page, post, or custom post type where you want to show the custom metadata.
You can now click on the ‘+’ icon and type in ‘Shortcode.’
When the right block appears, click to add it to your layout.
You can now add the following shortcode to the block, making sure to replace "article_byline" with the name of the field you want to show.
You can now repeat these steps to add multiple custom fields to the post.
When you’re happy with the changes you’ve made, either click on the ‘Publish’ or ‘Update’ button. Now, simply visit your WordPress website to see the custom metadata in action.
How to Display Custom Metadata by Editing Your WordPress Theme
If you want to show custom metadata in the same location on every page, post, or custom post type, then you can add code to your WordPress theme files.
This can save you time in the long-term, but it isn’t the most beginner-friendly method. You’ll also lose all the custom code the next time you update your WordPress theme, which is why we recommend creating a child theme. You can then add your custom code to the child.
You’ll need to edit the file where you want to show the custom metadata. This will vary depending on your theme, but you’ll usually need to edit your site’s single.php, content.php, or page.php file.
Once you have the right file, you’ll need to add the code inside the WordPress loop. To find this loop, simply search for code that looks something like this:
<?php while ( have_posts() ) : the_post(); ?>
You can then paste your code after this line and before the line that ends the loop:
<?php endwhile; // end of the loop. ?>
As an example, your custom field code should look something like this:
Notice how we wrapped the code in a h2 heading with a CSS class. This allows us to format and style the custom field later by adding custom CSS to our theme.
Automatic call distribution (ACD) is a technology used in call centers to distribute incoming calls evenly among customer service agents. ACD helps you make sure every calling customer is connected to an agent as quickly and efficiently as possible. ACD might sound like a great idea for every type of […]
In fintech application mobile apps or the web, deploying new features in areas like loan applications requires careful validation. Traditional testing with real user data, especially personally identifiable information (PII), presents significant challenges. Synthetic transactions offer a solution, enabling the thorough testing of new functionalities in a secure and controlled environment without compromising sensitive data.
By simulating realistic user interactions within the application, synthetic transactions enable developers and QA teams to identify potential issues in a controlled environment. Synthetic transactions help in ensuring that every aspect of a financial application functions correctly after any major updates or new features are rolled out. In this article, we delve into one of the approaches for using synthetic transactions.
Critical Infrastructure Protection is the need to safeguard a nation/region's important infrastructures, such as food, agriculture, or transportation. Critical infrastructures include transportation systems, power grids, and communication systems. Critical infrastructure protection is important to communities because any damage to these infrastructures is dangerous to global economies and the world.
A cyber or cybersecurity threat is a harmful act that seeks to steal data, damage data, or disrupt digital life. Cyber threat is also the possibility of a successful cyber attack that aims to gain prohibited access to damage, disrupt, or steal an information technology asset, computer network, intellectual property, or any other form of sensitive data. Critical infrastructure protection is important to communities because any damage to these infrastructures is dangerous to global economies and the world.
As Managed Service Providers (MSPs) continue to play a crucial role in managing IT services for businesses, understanding the landscape of cybersecurity threats becomes paramount. The year 2024 is no exception, with cybercriminals employing more sophisticated methods to breach defenses. This article delves into the top five common cybersecurity attacks that MSPs should be aware of in 2024, providing insights into prevention, mitigation, and the indispensable role of reliable backup solutions in ensuring data resilience.
Introduction to Cybersecurity for MSPs
In an era where digital threats are constantly evolving, MSPs must stay ahead of the curve to protect their clients effectively. The dynamic nature of cybersecurity demands continuous learning and adaptation to safeguard against new threats.
Labor shortages plague the tech industry. Software development companies feel the weight of these challenges more than most, and many are taking the wrong approach to fix them.
Recruiting skilled developers has been IT leaders’ top challenge for two straight years, but focusing on new hires isn’t the solution. The developer labor market is highly competitive, and turnover is high. Consequently, it may be more helpful to focus on retaining current devs instead of finding people to replace them.
Estimating workloads is crucial in mastering software development. This can be achieved either as an ongoing development part of agile teams or in response to tenders as a cost estimate before migration, among other ways.
The team responsible for producing the estimate regularly encounters a considerable workload, which can lead to significant time consumption if the costing is not conducted using the correct methodology.
In the ever-evolving landscape of software development, the integration of Artificial Intelligence (AI) into DevOps practices emerges as a transformative strategy, promising to redefine the efficiency and effectiveness of development and operational tasks. This article explores the synergy between AI and DevOps, outlining its potential benefits, challenges, and practical applications through code examples. We aim to provide a comprehensive overview catering to professionals seeking to leverage AI to enhance their DevOps processes.
The Convergence of AI and DevOps
DevOps, a compound of development (Dev) and operations (Ops) emphasizes the continuous integration and delivery of software, fostering a culture of collaboration between developers and IT professionals. The incorporation of AI into DevOps, or AI-driven DevOps, introduces intelligent automation, predictive analytics, and enhanced decision-making into this collaborative framework, aiming to optimize workflow efficiency and reduce human error.
A Concise Guide To Mastering Data Preparation for Effective Dashboards
In the era of data-driven decision-making, Dashboards have become indispensable everyday tools for visualizing data insights and trends. However, the effectiveness of these dashboards is heavily dependent on the structure and the quality of the underlying data. This article dives into the critical processes of data cleaning, data blending, and data modeling and provides a roadmap for data preparation that powers insightful, actionable, and effective dashboards.
Foundation: The Three Pillars of Data Preparation
Before a dataset can be transformed into a compelling dashboard, it must undergo a meticulous data preparation process. This process ensures that data is accurate, consistent, and in a format that can be easily and effectively analyzed and consumed by the data visualization tools.
"Migrate" comes from the Latin "migratio," meaning to move from one place to another. In information technology, migration entails understanding new systems' benefits, identifying current system shortfalls, planning, and transferring selected applications. Not all IT assets must be moved; migration can mean moving a part of them. This article will delve into the details of transferring IT assets to public clouds like AWS, Azure, or GCP.
Many factors can influence the decision to switch to the cloud, such as expiring data center leases, the high costs of data center management, outdated hardware, software license renewals, geographical compliance needs, market growth, and the need to adjust resources to match demand quickly. Executive backing is crucial for a company to begin its cloud migration journey. This support is the cornerstone for any large-scale migration success. Leadership must unify their teams for the journey, as collaboration is essential. Attempts by isolated teams can lead to problems. Regular leadership meetings, whether weekly or bi-weekly, can overcome hurdles and keep the migration process on track.
Have you authorized an application to access Salesforce without giving your credentials to that application? Then, you must have used a Salesforce OAuth authorization flow. OAuth is a standard for authorization. Salesforce uses several OAuth flows, and all these flows have the following three steps in general.
The client app requests access to a protected resource in Salesforce
The Salesforce authorizing server, in response to the request, sends the access token back to the client app
The resource server (Salesforce) validates the access token and approves access to the protected resource
It is also important to understand the difference between authentication and authorization. Authentication is about verifying WHO you are, whereas authorization is about verifying WHAT you can do. A username and password are the most common type of authentication. Profiles or permission sets are associated with authorization.
In today's digital age, the proliferation of Deepfake technology and voice phishing (vishing) tactics presents a significant challenge to the authenticity and security of digital communications. Deepfakes manipulate audio and video to create convincing counterfeit content, while vishing exploits voice simulation to deceive individuals into revealing sensitive information. The need to accurately identify and mitigate these threats is paramount for protecting individuals and organizations from the potential consequences of misinformation, fraud, and identity theft.
Understanding Deepfakes and Vishing
Deepfakes are created using deep learning techniques, especially Generative Adversarial Networks (GANs), to generate or modify videos and audio recordings, making them appear real. This technology can swap faces, mimic voices, and alter expressions with high precision.
Copywriting can seem like a dark art. It’s not. There’s a few, simple tricks that ALWAYS produce results. Get more sales, leads, and traffic just by changing a few words. And these steps are simple enough for a complete beginner to use. Look, if you follow each step in this […]