Category Archives: Guides

Tips, tricks, and guides around pitfalls of technology.

Disabling Breadcrumb NavXT’s REST API

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One of the new features in Breadcrumb NavXT 6.1.0 is the introduction of several REST API endpoints. These endpoints allow for the retrieval of Schema.org BreadcrumbList compliant JSON-LD formatted breadcrumb trails for posts, terms, and author archives. This quick guide presents an example of how to disable the Breadcrumb NavXT REST API.

Given that not all sites want or need REST API access to breadcrumb trails, Breadcrumb NavXT 6.1.0 also allows its REST API to be completely disabled. This is accomplished through setting the BCN_DISABLE_REST_API named constant.

The Code

define('BCN_DISABLE_REST_API', true);

Placing the above code into wp-config.php will disable the Breadcrumb NavXT REST API for that WordPress install. It is as simple as that.

-John Havlik

[end of transmission, stay tuned]

Changing the Home Breadcrumb Title

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Prior to Breadcrumb NavXT 4.3.0, there was an option for setting the Home and Mainsite breadcrumb titles. However, these were removed as their functionality was completely redundant—the same behavior could be achieved by modifying the Home and Mainsite breadcrumb templates, replacing %title% and %htitle% with the desired title.

This works fine for most use cases. However, it does not work with bcn_display_json_ld() (introduced in 5.7.0). Luckily, there is an even better way to define the titles for these breadcrumbs—using the bcn_breadcrumb_title filter.

The Code

add_filter('bcn_breadcrumb_title', 'my_breadcrumb_title_swapper', 3, 10);
function my_breadcrumb_title_swapper($title, $type, $id)
{
	if(in_array('home', $type))
	{
		$title = __('Home');
	}
	return $title;
}

To force the Home breadcrumb to use ‘Home’ as the title, just place this code into your site specific plugin and activate. Want to use something else as the title? Change ‘Home’ to whatever you wish to display for the home breadcrumb.

Consider the Following

  1. Combining this method of specifying the Home title with the method of replacing %title% and %htitle% with the desired title in the Home breadcrumb templates is not recommended—the Home breadcrumb templates will take precedence.
  2. This example may be extended to modify the title for the Mainsite breadcrumb. To do so, look for main-home in the $types array instead of  home.

-John Havlik

[end of transmission, stay tuned]

U2F and KDE/SDDM on Funtoo

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U2F keys, such as the yubico YubiKey are relatively easy and inexpensive way to add two factor authentication to one’s workstation. Adding U2F authentication to local accounts on a linux machine is quite easy. In Gentoo/Funtoo, the pam_u2f ebuild will provide everything you need to get started.

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A Charger Option for the Panasonic DMW-BLG-10PP Battery

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The DMW-BLG-10PP is a 1025mAh, 7.2V, lithium-ion battery that Panasonic uses in a few of their newer cameras (including the GX85). In the case of the GX85 kit, Panasonic opted to not include a battery charger. Instead, the battery is to be charged in the camera body through the micro-USB port. This is slightly annoying as the flap protecting the micro-USB port is not as easy to deal with as the battery hatch.

For those who want a standalone charger, Panasonic sells it as part of a battery and charger accessory kit. However, if you have a DE-A99(B) lying around (the charger from the GF5 and a few other older kits), it will work for charging the GX85’s DMW-BLG-10PP battery pack. The battery physically fits into the DE-A99B, and the electrical interface is the same (4 pins: -, D, T, +). Despite the capacity of the DMW-BLG-10PP being larger than what the charger was originally designed for (940mAh), the DE-A99B will still charge it.

-John Havlik

[end of transmission, stay tuned]

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Alcatel LINKZONE 4824 and Linux

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After almost 4 years of service, the time has come to replace my Netgear AirCard 340u. While it works great with my IdeaPad s405, it has problems with newer Intel systems (the AirCard falls into a cycle of infinite boot loops). Since I’m retiring the s405, it was time to find a new mobile data device. Unfortunately, the market for USB broadband modems has not advanced in the last 4 years (the AirCard 340u is still the most capable). So, I had to settle for a wireless hotspot.

The Alcatel LINKZONE 4824, at the time of writing this, is the latest wireless hotspot for T-Mobile USA. It supports 802.11b/g/n and emulates an Ethernet adapter over USB via RNDIS. On the data network side, it supports LET band 12 (T-Mobile USA’s 700MHz spectrum)—a significant advantage over the AirCard 340u in areas where band 12 has been deployed.

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