November 15, 2018 20seven 0

How to Generate a PDF with PISA in Django

So, you need to generate a PDF in Django with PISA? No problem! Here at 20 Seven, we have had to do it many times and we came up with a simple easy-to-use guide anyone can use! Are you ready? Let’s get started! What you need before you...

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How to Generate a PDF with PISA in Django

November 15, 2018June 8, 2019 20seven

So, you need to generate a PDF in Django with PISA? No problem! Here at 20 Seven, we have had to do it many times and we came up with a simple easy-to-use guide anyone can use! Are you ready?

Let’s get started!

What you need before you get cracking

A copy of PISA
A copy of Reportlab

Download the files and install both on your device. Done? Cool, now we can move on to the next steps.

The inner workings

Now that you have PISA and Reportlab installed, you need to create a standard HTML template for your view. Here is a handy sample:

<!DOCTYPE HTML PUBLIC “-//W3C//DTD HTML 4.01 Transitional//EN”
“http://www.w3.org/TR/html4/loose.dtd”>
<html>
<head>

</head>
<body>
<div>
<h2>{{ article.articletitle|upper }}</h2>
<div>{{ article.content }}</div>
</div>
<div id=”footerblock”>
{%block pager %}
<pdf:pagenumber>
{%endblock%}
</div>
</body>
</html>

Keep in mind that the pager block is going to paginate your pdf. Other users should use the instructions below (article functionality will grab the article from the database and send it to write_pdf in order to generate the pdf from the HTML created in the previous section).

import HTTP from Django
import get_template from django.template.loader
import Context from django.template
import ho.pisa as Pisa
import cStringIO as StringIO
import CGI

def write_pdf(template_src, context_dict):
template = get_template(template_src)
context = Context(context_dict)
html = template.render(context)
result = StringIO.StringIO()
pdf = pisa.pisaDocument(StringIO.StringIO(
html.encode(“UTF-8”)), result)
if not pdf.err:
return http.HttpResponse(result.getvalue(), \
mimetype=’application/pdf’)
return http.HttpResponse(‘Gremlin’s ate your pdf! %s’ % cgi.escape(html))

def article(request, id):
article = get_object_or_404(Article, pk=id)

return write_pdf(‘dtd/pdf/template.html’,{
‘pagesize’ : ‘A4’,
‘article’ : article})

We would suggest using UTF-8 as ISO-8859-1 may blow up on coding.

Note: Standard page size you will get when generating a pdf via PISA on Django is A4. If you want to change this, write_pdf can get a template that works with your specific context and encode it.

The Reportlab API will allow you to customize and prettify your pdf easily with awesome canvas capabilities.

And that’s a wrap! We hope you have found this guide very helpful. If you love coding and building and learning new stuff, check out this article. Have fun playing around!

Make Your Website Stand Out With These Simple Tweaks

February 2, 2018June 8, 2019 20seven

Last Updated: 08/06/2019

Not getting enough page views or visitors? Is your click-through rate abnormally high? You should probably start looking at ways to attract visitors and keep them engaged for longer, or get them to your site in the first place. Not to worry, we can help you with that.

Here, we take a look at 5 easy ways you will be able to make your website ‘pop’ and stand out from the crowd. Simply look at the factors we have listed below, see if you can try to tweak it a little bit, and Bob’s your uncle. You should be good to go.

SEO plugins

If you used a platform like WordPress, you should look into easy and simple ways to increase your SEO score to get better rankings on search engine results pages. Without implementing healthy SEO practices and strategies, you might as well throw in the towel now. Remember to include keywords and tags, meta descriptions and the like and you should be fine.

Content

Content is a pretty big deal, whether it is for SEO purposes or for keeping your page visitors engaged and coming back. Ensure you have an active news feed with loads of unique, helpful and informative content pieces that will keep your page visitors entertained, enlightened, and coming back for more.

Images

Having professional images, whether they are your own or whether you bought them from a site like Shutterstock, it doesn’t matter. Make sure your site has the professional look your company deserves. Have a clear-cut image that site visitors will identify with and identify straight away when they are on other platforms like Facebook.

User experience

Ensure that your site is accessible and that users can navigate it easily. Without superb user experience, you are going to have a hard time to have them coming back. If you have certain functionalities like e-commerce or a contact form, make sure users can find it and can complete the necessary details hassle-free. Making sure your website works perfectly on all devices is crucial. Jogo do Bicho’s website, Bicho 365, does this extremely well. Here’s the site’s desktop version:

And then for mobile devices, there are several interesting responsiveness elements worth pointing out:

Mobile Menu: Bicho365.com features a mobile menu, every item is collapsed inside a hamburger toggle.
Stacking: Bicho365.com adapts its divs as the screen gets smaller.
Hidden Elements: Tables are especially tricky to work with on mobile devices, Bicho365.com website changes the table display making it very easy for the user to capture all the important information above the fold.

Interactivity

Enable users to interact with you directly on your website. Whether it is by way of leaving a comment on a blog, or an app that allows them to chat with you immediately, this is key to nurturing healthy relationships with prospective clients. Another element that is gaining a lot of traction at the moment is the integration of special effects, graphics, and animations on landing pages and the like. Consider adding this to an added ‘wow’ factor.

Getting noticed and keeping site visitors engaged is an ongoing effort. Make sure you keep your blog updated on a regular basis, respond to their interactions in a timely manner, and include your social channels on your website to make it easier for users to connect with you on their preferred platform. There are tons of simple tricks and tweaks you can apply, and most of them do not take up too much time or effort from your side.

We hope that these tips have helped you and that you will be able to get more page views and see a decrease in click-through rate in the near future. If you would like to know more about web development and web design, be sure to get in contact with one of our specialists.

7 Main Advantages of Using a Page Builder to Make Your Website

January 20, 2018April 11, 2019 20seven

If you are considering hiring professional developers or an ad agency to build your business’ website, we would like you to pause right there. Think a moment of how costly it will be for you to have a third party come in and build a website for you. Even though it does hold its own list of advantages if you are in the position and have some time to build it yourself, why not do it?

In this post, we take a look at 7 of the main benefits of building your very own website with the help of an easy-to-use page builder. Let’s jump right in!

#1 No expertise in Coding needed

Page builders like Wix or Weebly or even most WordPress themes are so easy to use and intuitive that you won’t even have to think about getting a professional developer or programmer involved. You can even just drag and drop the elements just the way you like them, customise the colors, fonts, add your logo, you name it. These page builders already have the code they need encrypted so you are basically working from a user-friendly CMS which allows you to edit the site to your liking.

#2 Save some money

Outsourcing development and marketing is costly, no matter how you look at it. If you get the help of a professional web and ad agency in, you end up paying everyone’s salary. Even though they have the skills and expertise, you are still able to create your very own site in less time, with less effort, and way less money on your own.

#3 Access to specific features

If you use a page builder you are more than likely eligible to receive multiple images, fonts, you name it. You can customise your website exactly to your liking. In fact, the wand is completely in your hands, and the way you want it to look, is the end-product you will have, no questions asked.

#4 Very easy to use

Most of the page builders available on the market are designed and developed with the idea that it is designed for someone who does not understand tech and coding, so it is kept simple and intuitive for whoever is using it. In most cases, you will be able to use a drag and drop tool on a user-friendly interface and put your page layout together very easily and quickly.

#5 The pretty factor

You know what your brand’s image is, and you know how you want it to be portrayed on the World Wide Web. The controls are completely in your hands, and you won’t have to worry about it looking like a 3-year-old did it either. You have the option to choose from multiple existing themes and you can customise it, with a perfect finishing touch, of course.

#6 User-friendly designs

As page builder themes and sites have been developed and designed by professional designers and developers, they have done the legwork and know what users respond well to. They know the intricacies of user experience design and have incorporated it in the themes you are able to choose from. Users will, therefore, be able to navigate easily from one page to the next, without a hassle.

#7 Easy updates

If you are outsourcing, you are probably also going to have to be on the phone all the time to them to ask for changes or updates on your site (at a cost of course). If you decide to go via a page builder, you can just skip that whole nightmare and deal with it yourself. Keep your finger on the pulse of what is happening on your website without any headaches or heartaches, or pocket aches.

Did you find this post insightful? We hope you enjoyed it and that you will consider opting for using a page builder for building your own website. If you are interested in gaining some photo editing skills, check out this post. Happy building!

17 Free WordPress Themes for Your Local Business

January 10, 2018April 5, 2019 20seven

If you are a business owner and you are not on the web yet, you seriously need to consider getting yourself on the map and reach your ideal prospective clientele, because this is where they are at.

In this post we take a very brief look at 17 of the very best free WordPress themes, that you will be able to do in-house, so you won’t have to pay a cent apart from hosting and time, yay! Let’s get started straight away, shall we?

1. Illdy

This theme from colorlib allows you to customise your site the way you want it. It is compatible with Yoast and other key WordPress plugins that will ensure your site will perform well. This theme is also fully responsive – that’s an A+ in our books.

2. Allegiant

Whether you are an agency or flying solo and need to put your profile online, this theme is definitely for you. Add plugins like sliders, Yoast SEO, contact forms and the like and you are on your merry way and have a beautiful website set up in no-time.

3. Affluent

Very similar look and feel of the Allegiant theme mentioned above, give your website a sleek and professional look with this awesome free WordPress theme. With features like woocommerce integration, you will have your online shop setup easy peasy.

4. Dazzling

This free WordPress theme is just what the name states – dazzling. With responsive design and retina display, there is nothing else that you need but many more features that you get, for free! Access to a featured slider and icons but to name a few. You’ll love it.

5. Sequential

Don’t let its toned down look and feel fool you at all. Sequential is a professional website perfect for corporate companies and offers fully responsive design, meaning your prospective clients will be able to visit your site from whichever device they use.

6. Ascent

Based on HTML5 and CSS3, Ascent will definitely promote your local business in the most professional way and you will be able to customise it easily, without hiring a developer. The theme is fully responsive and features multiple functionalities and extras that you will definitely find difficult to say no thank you to.

7. Goran

Customise your site’s colors, themes, fonts, headers, you name it. Goran is just perfect for any local business wanting to leave a memorable impression. It’s sleek and modern design will keep your site visitors engaged, and integration with multiple plugins will allow you to easily manage your site.

8. Edin

With features like a slider bar, sliders, parallax, multilingual support, and galleries, you will ‘wow’ site visitors as soon as they land on your homepage. All features are fully customisable to portray your local business brand in the most professional way. The theme is also fully responsive.

9. Customizr

This beautiful theme is fully customisable and offers super fast loading times – everything your site visitors will love. Add threaded comments for your blog or news section and you should be well on your way to creating the best online presence for your local business.

10. Customizable

This theme is exactly what its name says – fully customisable! You are able to customise your menus, headers, backgrounds, colors, fonts, you name it! The theme is based on Twitter Bootstrap framework which means you can use it for business and personal purposes. It is also fully responsive.

11. Ward

Ward is an HTML5 based theme that will definitely leave a lasting impression on site visitors. Its bold design is aimed to impress, and you are able to customise and incorporate your brand’s touch at your own discretion. Make your site your own with any type of content like video to engage site visitors.

12. One page

This single page WordPress theme might seem a bit simple, but less is more in some cases, right? Reach your ideal client in the most striking way with this WordPress theme that offers you full control, you are able to customise it to your liking and, as the most important feature to any website nowadays, it is fully responsive.

13. Bisnez Lite

Upload your own logo, use your brand’s color scheme, make Bisnez Lite your own. This site’s simplicity is its strong point. Add widgets and social streams with the peace of mind knowing that your site will be optimised for SEO and look and feel great, with fantastic user experience.

14. Hathor

Wow – what’s not to like about this WordPress theme? Its modern, sleek design will keep your page visitors engaged while they are using their tablet, smartphone or desktop. This theme is fully responsive and integrated with extra features such as SEO. It offers 2 header styles and 2 service block styles. Upload your own logo and make it your own.

15. Vantage

The flexibility of Vantage is what sets it apart from other free WordPress themes for local businesses. A drag and drop page builder makes it super easy and fast to get you started and on the web in no-time. You are able to customise the theme to such an extent that you can use your brand’s fonts, colors, logo and so on. The site is of course also fully responsive.

16. Klasik

Chic just got a new face – introducing the Klasic free WordPress theme, everybody! This theme offers SEO optimisation, is fully customisable, has multiple options for you to make it your own, is Multilingual ready and functions with HTML5 or CSS3. Another benefit of using klasik for your local business web presence? It is (drumroll) fully responsive.

17. Asteria Lite

Choose your favorite from 3-page templates and start from there. Asteria Lite is a very popular choice for business owners starting out their own websites. It is translation ready, fully responsive, fully customisable, a maintenance mode feature, and more than 600 Google fonts to pick and choose from.

We hope you can find a favorite from this list of the best free WordPress themes for local business for your own local business! If you like reading about everything web and development related, be sure to check out this article. We wish you all the best in building your brand new local business website.
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The 7 Best Adobe Photoshop Lightroom Cheat Sheets of 2018

November 22, 2017June 8, 2019 20seven

Are you a noob and find yourself looking for tool shortcuts the whole time? Isn’t it frustrating not just knowing everything – and doing the job takes double the time it would. Luckily the web is flooded with all types of resources where noobs and experts alike can find little tips and tricks and even cheat sheets on how to master software in seconds.

The software is updated frequently, and keeping up-to-date with all the latest developments can become frustrating when you need to focus on getting work done. That is why we have done the legwork for you, we’ve scoured the web and found some of the very best resources of tips and how-to’s, and a whole lot of cheat sheets.

In this post we list 7 of the very best cheat sheet resources for Adobe Photoshop Lightroom, just to make your life a little easier. These cheat sheets have been compiled by expert Adobe Photoshop Lightroom specialists and, wait for it, we even feature one cheat sheet compiled by Adobe.

Let’s get started and you well on your way to mastering Adobe Photoshop Lightroom.

Cheatography

If you need some help with anything code or design, this is a great resource. Cheatography has loads of cheat sheets available to download. Here, we’ve found two separate sheets for Adobe Photoshop and Lightroom that focuses on the tricky shortcuts that will make the difference when you are busy editing an epic photo for an awesome website.

Adobe

Yes, Adobe loves sharing hints and tips to its loyal customers and clients. We’ve found an awesome easy to use, downloadable cheat sheet that will definitely help you with your editing and design skills in Adobe Photoshop Lightroom in no-time.

SLR Lounge

This website is an amazing resource for anything Adobe Photoshop related questions you might have. Some neat tips and tricks with awesome tutorials, this is any photo editors heaven. Here we have found unique Adobe cheat sheets that will guide you whether you are on an iOS device or using Microsoft. Very handy!

First Site Guide

Even though it is an Adobe Photoshop cheat sheet only, this resource is super handy and easy to understand, anyone can use it! Whether you are only starting out in Photoshop, or have been using it for years, you’ll definitely learn a thing or two when using this helpful cheat sheet. The sheet is organized for quick reference, so you will be able to find whatever you need in a hurry.

Dummies

Are you a complete newbie and need someone to take your hand and guide you all the way? This resource is definitely one for you! Even though it is not illustrated, the cheats are explained in easy-to-follow instructions, your 3-year-old would be able to become a Photoshop pro!

Lifehacker

For a complete Adobe cheat guide, this is the best resource out there, we bet! As a designer, you are probably using a wide range of Adobe products including Illustrator, InDesign, and so on. On these cheat sheets that they sourced from setupablogtoday.com you will find cheats and shortcodes for almost all Adobe’s software products, for Mac and Microsoft.

envatotuts+

This resource focuses on educating photographers, photo editors and designers and so on. This may not be a cheat sheet per se, but what a guide! Here you will learn 10 quick and easy tips and tricks that you simply cannot live without in your day-to-day using Adobe Photoshop Lightroom.

We hope that you have found these resources very helpful or at least interesting. Perhaps you will be able to use them for other things in and around your office.

If you enjoy reading and learning, our blog is updated regularly with top-notch content including how-to’s to make your life a little bit easier. We love hearing from our readers and would like to encourage you to inquire about contributing if you would like to add some more knowledge to our blog. You are also more than welcome to get in touch with one of our team members if you would like to discuss any web development or design query that you may have – our lines are always open!

Enjoy testing out your new skills on Adobe Photoshop Lightroom!

How to Generate a PDF with...

Make Your Website Stand Out With...

7 Main Advantages of Using a...

17 Free WordPress Themes for Your...