CakePHP: Adding default values to router during runtime - cakephp

I'm a little at loss with CakePHP(1.3) routes when it comes to default values and persistent parameters.
My current project reads the current language from the first parameter of the url (example.com/en/pagename/) and in case the language is not available, it tries to guess the language from session or cookies and if that fails, falls back to default configuration.
After this, all the urls generated with Router::url() should contain the language parameter(that is, the default language if not overridden in arguments). The problem is, I don't know a clean way to achieve this. Is there one or do I need to add my own hacks? What would be the best place to apply these hacks without affecting all other routes?
I could probably solve this particular problem with redirects that fill in missing parameters, but I'd like to learn more about routing in CakePHP and I feel that these default values could be useful in other applications too.

You can use 'persist' option when creating route:
http://api13.cakephp.org/class/router#method-Routerconnect

I solved the problem by making the language parameter optional and checking for it in appController's beforeRender(). If a language code was not present, the browser will be redirected to the current url with language code added.

Related

Hiding the word "joomla" from a script in contact form

Whenever i create a contact form in my Joomla! 3.3.6, some script appears in the the page's HTML code that contains many words Joomla in it. I'd like to change those Joomla words and replace them with another words (i.e. Foo) for some security issue. I'd like to know whether or not i'm able to do so and how.
That script is:
<script>(function(){var strings={"JLIB_FORM_FIELD_INVALID":"\u0641\u06cc\u0644\u062f \u0646\u0627\u0645\u0639\u062a\u0628\u0631:&#160"};if(typeof Joomla=='undefined'){Joomla={};Joomla.JText=strings;}
else{Joomla.JText.load(strings);}})();</script>
I have no idea whether a plugin or an extension creates it or not.
Thank you
Regards
This script seems to be translating some text required for the form to use in its javascript, eg validation messages. It does this using a javascript version of JText, which is part of core Joomla. There is some info on how that works here. Weirdly, there seems to be little information in the official Joomla documentation about it.
The main JText function it is calling appears here: media/system/js/core.js
I'm sure it would be possible to write a plug-in to remove this script before the page is rendered and then to translate any untranslated text with your own scripts. However, I'm not sure I see any security benefit in doing this so it seems a waste of time.
Ultimately, someone sniffing a site for what it is built in is far more likely to see if core files exist by going direct to places like media/system/js/core.js, rather than to scan the code for the word "Joomla" - which would trigger a lot of false-positives (any site which just mentions Joomla) and negatives (any page which doesn't have a form on it). It also does not reveal the version of Joomla, which is the info a hacker would more likely be after.
I think you have to search for the script (i.e via Notepad++) in the whole directory. It must be a plugin for the contact form that has some inline script in it.
also do you use any special third party plugin or so? that might be the source of it.
PS: also i had some similar experience, i don't know exactly how i got rid of those words, but like you, i wanted to do that to hide the fact that i'm using joomla for security.
Its actually Joomla who add this, from the file: Joomlainstall/libraries/joomla/document/html/renderer/head.php
And load it globaly from:
Joomlainstall/libraries/cms/html/formbehavior.php
The developer ad that code by using the function, JText, for an example:
JText::_( 'COM_CONTACT_EMAIL_FORM' )
In my case it was the plugin ContactUs Form who add the javascript. If JText is not used, it is not loaded. If I disabled the plugin, the javascript was then not loaded. If you have that plugin enabled, my be try an other contact form?
For security reson it is bad programming by the developer off Joomla, for sure.

Virtual Earth 6.3 set language

I am loading https://dev.virtualearth.net/mapcontrol/mapcontrol.ashx?v=6.3 but I'd like to change language dynamically like if I change website language I would change language also in route.Itinerary.Segments[i].Instruction stuff... is there a way?
Thanks everyone!
Cheers
Luigi
You have to use the mkt parameter of the URL to set the culture as documented here: http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/gg427600.aspx
Note that the v6.3 control is really old and the documentation for it was taken offline a while back (thus the reason for pointing to the v7 documentation above - works for the most part with v6.3). The v6.3 control supports a very small number of languages. You should be using the Bing Maps v7 control which supports a lot more languages and has a lot more features, along with having much better performance.
As for dynamically changing the culture, you can try reloading the map control with a different mkt value by adding a script reference to your page, however this will require you to reload your map as well. Alternatively you can reload the page and change the mkt parameter of the URL using server side code.

Should we create custom pages for all objects?

I noticed that salesforce doesn't allow to override control function for all objects.
Say if you want to do something whenever objects get saved there is no way to attach the action
unless you create a custom page and include either standard controller or extension. Or if you want
to add the same meta-tag on all pages I run into this limitation. Is there better way to do this?
Generally - no. Roughly speaking if Salesforce doesn't allow you to do something it usually means there's pretty good hint you're doing in it wrong. I realize it sounds like I'm a fanboy but in reality - can you expand your question with concrete example why would you want to do something like that? For example governor limits are evil, annoying etc. - but they force you to write effective code that doesn't strain the database too much.
if you want to do something whenever objects get saved
That's what triggers are for. Ask yourself a question if the "action" you need to make should happen only from web UI or also when performed from API (mass data load, a smartphone application etc).
if you want to add the same meta-tag on all pages
You could maybe pull off similar result by adding a component to the sidebar. It won't cover all cases (like accessing Reports/Dashboards) but it's hard to say more without knowing what you're really after. Then again - custom VF page overrides won't help you when it comes to Reports either.
I wanted to add this as a comment, but was unable to.
Anyways, For the example that you mentioned in the comment, You can add that jQuery plugin in the Home page side bar component and activate the plugin only on those custom objects where you wnat to run this plugin. You might already know that we can deduce which object a record belongs to by looking at the 1st 3 letter of the record Id, using this logic, check if the record belongs to the custom object you want your plugin to act on and run the plugin.
But As eyescream has pointed out adding script in side bar has its own limitations: you cannot use the global variables , side bar components are not loaded on the reports and dashboard tabs etc.
-ಸಮಿರ್

Apache hashbang url problems

I set up an older Rails 2 project on a brand new Apache#Debian#squeeze. The project itself could be a single pager, using links to scroll page up and down. My links look like that:
http://mydomain.com/en/#home
These links do fine as long as JavaScript intercepts the click event and simply scrolls to the intended section. In case the user leaves the single page and opens one where these links (still the same) cannot be followed via JavaScript, I only receive an:
Forbidden
You don't have permission to access /en/ on this server.
If I change the link to:
http://mydomain.com/en#home
everything works fine and as expected. But I do not want to change my link structure. It already worked well at an older Debian5 box.
I expect that to be an Apache2 configuration issue, but do not find anything useful in the net.
Looking forward to any kind of enlightenment.
Thx
Felix
I don't know how or where you are working with javascript related to this problem, but let me tell you this.
Everything after the hashtag # is never passed to the server. Its HTTP standardization, it is just not passed to the server.
It is only intended to navigate to anchor within the webpage, and today used for a lot of new techniques including, but not limited to, xss scripting, javascript hooks, etc
It is possible that links are prohibited to load with an onclick event and some javascript does something instead, but it is not possible that you end up on this page http://mydomain.com/en/#home if http://mydomain.com/en/ does not work.
However to solve your problem you probably have to adjust your your apache rewriting rule (or enable mod_rewrite at all?) to also capture links with trailing slashes.
The link http://mydomain.com/en/ http://mydomain.com/en is something different and could serve a completely different page.
I would strongly recommend not to get a mess here and do a strict permanent redirect from one to the other. Which you choose for primary usage is up to you.
I prefer a trailing slash and can also supply arguments for that, but they can be invalidated easily and replaced by some to suggest the opposite. You should find plenty on discussion on that if you search for trailing slash here.
To solve your problem please try to find the according RewriteRule, copy it and add it one more time with a trailing slash. See whether it works and make a redirect to the url without trailign slash.
You may also edit your answer and post your server config to get help with that.

Whats a good way to protect a link database from automatic scrapers?

I have a large link database, that I would want to protect against others who would want to copy them. Is there anything I can do other than force people to enter a CAPTCHA before each link?
you can output the links using ROT13, and then use javascript to put them back to normal.
this way, the scrapers must support javascript in order to steal your links, which should cut down on the number of eligible scrapers
bonus points: replace ROT13 with something harder, and obfuscate your 'decode' javascript.
The javascript suggestion could work, but you would render your page inaccessible to those using assistive technologies like screen readers as well as anyone without javascript.
Another possible option would be to generate a cryptographic nonce. This technique is currently used to protect against CSRF attacks, but could also be used to ensure that the scraper would have to request a page from your site before accessing a link. This approach may not be appropriate if you support hotlinking, but if you just want to make sure that someone went to your site first, it could work.
Another somewhat ghetto option would be use referrers. These can be easily faked, but it might prevent some of the dumber scrapers. This also requires that you know where your users came from before they hit your site.
Can you let us know if you are hotlinking or if the user comes to your site before going to the protected link? We might be able to provide better advice that way.

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