That’s quite a few steps, especially if you have a new client for each job. Fortunately, Apache provides ready-to-go directory file listings. Anyone accessing a directory will be presented with a list of files, that they can download directly out of the browser. The major downside to the directory view is that it looks lame. There’s no branding, it’s alarmingly tech-y and seems barely professional.

Thankfully the ever helpful Jeff Starr of Perishable Press has a fantastic tutorial on how to customize the look of the listing. Basically, you create a header.html file with your styling and any header messages or images and a footer.html file with any messages or images below the directory listing.

The tutorial is very detailed and extremely helpful, but we did discover one area that might trip you up. This is what the directory listing looked like with our fancy styling and a nice basic sans-serif font:

Not ideal, as all of the data in the columns doesn’t quite line up with the different headers on the list. We were baffled by this until we realized that the spacing for the column headers and data was being determined by the number of spaces – which are only consistent in monospace fonts. Here is the same directory with a monospace font.

Give it a try, and see what kind of results you can get. Share any tips in the comments.

I believe that every January provides us with a good opportunity to look back at the previous year and reflect on the good and the not so good things that have happened in order to bring about positive change.  One of our goals for this year is to finish up all of the projects that have been lingering within the next month and a half.  We’re looking forward to clearing the decks and starting on some new creative challenges.

We’ve also decided to take off early every Friday to do something creatively inspiring in Los Angeles.  Our first adventure took us downtown to MOCA where we caught part of The Artist’s Museum exhibition:

The Artist’s Museum showcases works by 146 artists who have helped shape the artistic dialogue in Los Angeles since the founding of MOCA over 30 years ago… Representing the diversity and uniqueness of the Los Angeles community, the exhibition highlights important works from legendary L.A. artists who remain vital and influential alongside those emerging from renowned local art schools, visionary artists associated with various street cultures and subcultures, and crossover artists connected to performance, music, and film.

I was a big fan of this piece by Jennifer Steinkamp, who studied at Cal Arts and Art Center, and now teaches design and media arts at UCLA.  It was a lovely, organic computer animation projected in a small space tucked away in a back corner of the museum.  I could have watched it for hours.

It was a wonderful way to start seeking out “inspirational Los Angeles” by seeing work that LA artists have been making for several decades.  Well done, MOCA!