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Docker 101

I've been making progress learning Docker. On my local machine this was fairly easy to set up and test with a python flask web app as a hello world.

I then tried to repeat the process on a VM in Google Cloud Services – the one running this website! The install seemed fairly straightforward but I had to troubleshoot an error regarding specifying the correct linux version.
I documented this in a github repo and will link when I write everything up.
Eventually I got the install working and tried to pull my recently created docker image from my docker repo. Unfortunately I got an error stated 'no space left on device' error. I think the image was really big as I didn't build it with slimmed down packages.
Once this error is fixed I'll update and link to a working guide.

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Moving data around

I managed to get my temperature monitor back up and running. It seems to be more stable than a year ago.

As a reminder I'm POSTing data from a Arduno WiFi connected to my local network which is sent to my Apache web server.
I have a PHP script that processes the data and puts it into a mySQL db which is then polled when the relevant test area page is accessed.
The next task is to graph the data to observe trends. I currently only see the last entry and time stamp.
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Atom and Github

I challenged myself to try and post something on here before 2020 was over. This is not an exciting update but I finally got round to using Atom as an editor again. I was able to link to my GIthub account and update some repos as a test.

After a bad experience with Atom over two years ago I decided to try again as it's become much more popular of late.

After I rushed things and couldn't get it working I then used this excellent tutorial to get back on track – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6HsZMl-qV5k.

I will now try to use it as my main editor to get used to it for various projects.

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More post-by-email tests – Showing full posts roadblock

I’d been meaning to investigate a way of showing these posts (which are now successfully coming in via email updates), as full posts on this front page.

A pandemic gave me the perfect opportunity to pick up where I left off and try to fix the issue.
It looks like it’s not as simple as I thought – The default theme i’m using (twentyseventeen) asks you to pick either a static front page (which I had previously for contact details) or a ‘posts page’ where full posts are shown instead of excerpts.
This can be switched using the following menu –
Wordpress TwentySeventeen theme posting options.png
I’m sure there is a workaround and no doubt a bit of unpicking the code would give a decent solution but for now this will do.
I may use a ‘pinned’ post to outline what the site is about which my previous layout did in pretty simple terms.
Hopefully this will be the start of a bit more tinkering again now i’m house bound like the rest of country.
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This is a test

This is a test (for Helen)…

I wanted to prove I can post to the site via email. This test shows this feature working using the Postie Plugin. The next step is to test from multiple users and re-set gmail permissions after opening up due to debug with Postie.

I also need to test posting from emails which include images to check what kind of formatting is required.

This brief test is part of proving a system of updating the robotictelescope.org website in future, for multiple users.

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Post 3 – VM usage £££

This is what it looks like on my VM usage when I started editing my site and adding custom pages inside the Apache folder over a 30 minute period. Interesting ey?



This isn’t looking too good! What happens if i get pen tested??

That is all.

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Post 2 – Site setup

Background: I ran some virtual machines on cloud platforms in my last job for a few different projects. I decided hosting my own site seemed like a good idea as an area I could blog, sell myself and more importantly- test things out… Mostly simple webdev.

I used Azure, AWS and Google Cloud and the learning curve on Google was much, much lower as far as I was concerned so I stuck with it.

Step 1. I tried the process of building a LAMP stack with WordPress on the VM step by step but essentially I’m bad at following lots of instructions even though they are well documented.

Somehow I kept locking myself out of the required SQL database (or some similar other error). After a few attempts I accidentally came across a pre-configured WordPress VM which you can deploy in one click (pretty much).

It.was.easy. I used this excellent guide [link].

Step 2. This setup gets you up and running nice and quick. Simpletons like me can then use the GUI at http://example.com/wp-admin to make something fairly presentable in little time.

However; this is only a HTTP setup without SSL. For HTTPS I opted for Let’s Encrypt. I don’t have time for the ins and outs so I used this amazing guide [link].

And that’s about it… A blogable, presentable site in no time.

Lessons learned-

1. It seems hosting with Google may get expensive. I’m running a small VM and the site is not in constant use but I’ve had my first bill and it’s more than I was expecting. I’ll monitor this.

2. I made a tiny error that had me scratching my head for ages when setting up Let’s Encrypt. It’s very important to get the link to where the certificate is stored correct. I spelled my name wrong and Let’s Encrypt was trying to find a folder called DvidCopley.co.uk. that’s not how I spell David.

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Post 1 – Introduction

Welcome. I intend to keep note of things I’m working on here. Mostly things I try in my own time but sometimes spilling over into work related things.

Certain projects may appear (here). Which is my private Github. Not everything I’ve been up to is visible or indeed interesting. You have been warned.

My blog (here) has long been dormant and I can’t promise this site won’t go the same way but paying for a domain hopefully provides a bit of incentive this time round.