"To Do" List!
Forums:
There's a steady list of things that need doing to improve the site.
Some of the main ones are below, but please add any suggestions, whether it's to do with design, functionality or content!
- Site banner graphic
- Menus - simplification and use of secondary menus
- Routines list
- Chronology
- Videos
- Upload videos and link to "download videos" in each routine
- Recent comments block
- Review content from node 100 on to check for images expanding into the right hand column
- Correct dates of old posts copied from the PP.net forum (which dated back to 2007)
- Thumbnails for biographies and routine lists
- Archives - cataloguing and listing material
- Biographies and Histories
- Checking all tags are correct
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The to do list
Of course I maintain my ever expanding list of things to do, but I'd like to see this thread being used as a handy 'in tray' for things that members spot that need doing around the site. I do try to make any corrections but maybe it would help to have a central list of things needing doing!
The site's greatest asset is the members, so we need you to help us keep content correct and up to date, rectify errors and suggest improvements.
Video schedule
Sorry I've been a bit behind on the videos, but I'll get us up to the current spot in the 1977 reruns, and keep abreast of those, while going back to 1972 to finish Pan's People up to 1976.
Once PP are complete, then we can get on with the rest of Legs and Zoo.
I'm guessing that it'll be a
I'm guessing that it'll be a coffee break job to put up all of the Zoo routines.
They only really appeared sporadically, often several weeks of TOTP would pass without Zoo appearing, because of the increased use of videos of absentee music acts!
I think I'm correct in saying that Zoo didn't appear at all on TOTP for two months after December '82?
Justin
Sporadic appearances can be difficult to track
I think it all depends on how accurate the databases are. If the BBC database is accurate of when Zoo performed it is likely to be a quick job. But the BBC databases are often inaccurate and as people are less interested in them, there has been less work done on the records. So a great deal of cross checking of different sources will be needed to verify if they did or did not perform each week and which dancers were involved. Hopefully though all the tapes still exist so eventually the videos will surface if they are not already on youtube.
Panfan, it sounds like you have 2012 spoken for!
Hi Panfan,
That is quite a to do list. Are sure you want us to add to it at this stage?
This might be a good point to work out what is needed to achieve the list you already have. I know some are just a matter of plodding on, but others might be a question of finding the right help.
For instance you have mentioned your struggles with the "Recent Comments Block" for some time now. Maybe there are some 'php' experts out there that could solve the problem for you without too much trouble?
Also as you have seen with the success of the hairstyles sections when you ask for help there is normally somebody out there that rises to the challenge. It is in all our interest to help out where we can. The site develops faster and becomes more rewarding to visit. So I am sure if we can help that we will.
Simon.
2012 and beyond!
Some good points there Simon!
I'm happy for people to add to the list. It's good to know what needs doing, fixing, etc. Indeed there may well be things that haven't occurred to me that I should know need doing.
Some things like the bios, Gary's taking care of. Cornershop is helping catalogue the archives. The original idea with the archives was to have sections based on types of material and clickable thumbnails to "take you there", but with the ever increasing amounts of material, I wonder if that's an impossible task, unless we get to the stage when it dries up, and maybe it's best to let the search function do its job?
We try to ensure all main content has appropriate tags, to facilitate searching, so please do keep an eye out for anomalies. Especially in the early days, when we were still trying to get a system set up, titles and tags might not follow the pattern used now (eg videos).
I've got some telephone directory sized guidebooks to the forum software, so when I get a moment I'll see what I can do to sort out the Recent Comments fiasco. The current one is the default one, but there's a versatile module called Views which (theoretically!) enable you to create blocks and panels displaying content filtered by any criteria, allowing handy lists of "recent comments" today's content, all that sort of thing. But it's a little tricky to configure and I was having php memory issues. I'll see if I can sort it, otherwise I might have to get a web professional to help.
The content management system software is very versatile, but in its default version rather primitive, relying on independent developers to contribute modules to replicate even the most basic features on our old SMF forum, which still needs its database reloaded to. Thus we don't yet have proper author panes with post count and rank, staff titles etc. These will come - one day!!!
Thankfully, I've been lucky in getting lots of help - with thumbnails, routine lists, etc - all much appreciated. It just does take a little time to get it all uploaded. Provision of thumbnails is a great help - they are simple things, but incredibly time consuming to make, in terms of watching videos, selecting a good representative scene, capturing, cropping to correct dimensions. Then they all have to be uploaded here and each one manually added and linked to the video.
Certainly any offers of help are very welcome. This is a collective enterprise - a result of community effort. Wasn't it Henry Ford who said he'd rather have 1% of 100 people's efforts than 100% of his own? He also tried to get the best to help him and said that if he was the most knowledgable in his team, the team was in trouble!! He's dead right on both counts there, as this site would be nothing without the expert input from all you great people!
Videos always seem to be the main point of interest, so I'm trying to make haste there. Once the bulk of the work has been done, it'll bee easier to do the finishing touches, and contribute more. Sadly too many of my comments are quick one liners, but when the behind the scenes stuff eases up, it'll become easier.
But the number one way for every to help is just to keep on posting and making this an ever more active and enjoyable community!
The Chronology
If people can keep an eye on the Chronology (which is very skeletal at the moment) and note dates for inclusion under it, that would be wonderful.
It's intended to outline major events in the history of the troupes.
As far as more detailed diaries go, Cornershop is constructing a more in depth diary, including various appearances (opening stores, etc), for later inclusion.
Also, the dancers' biographies all have spaces for dates and details of first and last performances on TOTP, and each yearly performance list has tables for number if performances for each dancer etc. I try to remember to update them if I add to the routines, but any help with keeping an eye on and checking all these statistics would be wonderful!
hi panfan ,i shall be able to
hi panfan ,i shall be able to help out on zoos main performances ,when you start their databases ,even though i was never a big fan of zoo ,i did tape most of their performances on video when they were on totp during their short spell on the show ,so i can remember most of the routines they performed on the show
Help required
Thanks Jez, much appreciated!
I wonder if anyone uses or has access to a program that can handle vector graphics?
I just have Photoshop, and rendered the current site logo using that, but all I can produce is a rasterised graphic that has rather rough and unsightly pixelated edges.
I need to output the image as a vector image via a program like Adobe Illustrator (or is it In Design?) to get a smooth edged PNG file (as this handles transparency).
Also, anyone here know any PHP? There is a support forum for the site software, but it's geared towards developers with a knowledge exceeding mine and what might appear simple explanations to them go over my head.
Anyway, if so, I've some code snippets I'd like some feedback on regarding the gallery.
Help Required
I may be able to help you a bit with both of those things subject to how much time is needed to achieve what you want. message me and we'll take it from there...
Graphic help
That's great! I'll be in touch at some stage!
Shouldn't be a problem to
Shouldn't be a problem to help out - it's what I do all day / every day so on the face of it should only take me a few minutes to get you sorted or with regard to the PHP set you off looking in the right direction or provide clearer explanations :)
PHP question
Thanks, ll62.
I'll dig out the originals PSD file in due course. In fact, I think I might redo it, as the Ps aren't too well aligned. It was a quick mock up to have something in place for last April's relaunch, and I haven't revisited it since.
In the following, is "#" a dynamic variable, or is it supposed to be replaced by a specific URL? Either way, nothing prints when the code is put in the appropriate block:
<div class="footer-gallery-block">
<a href="#"><img width="44" height="41" title="" alt="" src="<?php print base_path(); ?>sites/all/themes/images/gal-th-1.jpg"></a>
</div>
In that code fragment # is
In that code fragment # is HTML - as used to move directly to a bookmark on a page. For example you might have a URL like http://www.panspeople.com/apage.html#here and then on the page somewhere halfway down you might have:
<a name="here"><h1>HERE</h1></a>
The URL would then take you directly to that heading. Since it's not in the PHP code (which is in the src= part) I doubt it is going to get replaced by anything unless there is some other code somewhere that mangles that page. Even if there is it seems unlikely this would be altered as usually people like to mark things which are going to be altered more clearly than that... For example if I'd written some code that required something to dynamically modify the page I'd probably use something like:
<div class="footer-gallery-block">
<!-- %MYTAG% --><img width="44" height="41" title="" alt="" src="<?php print base_path(); ?>sites/all/themes/images/gal-th-1.jpg"></a>
</div>
and then have the code search for <!-- %MYTAG% --> and replace it. This would then be clearer to anyone looking at the page.
As for the PSD - yes, just send along the highest quality version you have and I should be able to turn it around straight back to you with an improved transparent graphic. I'm not really sure you need vector graphics to achieve this but let's see what you've got when you send it.
Probably better to discuss this in private messages so we don't bore people on the forum.
Oh I should add I don't know
Oh I should add I don't know where you copied that code fragment from... if it's already from a dynamically generated page - it could be that the code generating it has failed to work properly in generating that link...
Good to see you are asking
Good to see you are asking for help Panfan. I was sure that there were people with the right expertise visiting the website that could help you out. No need to struggle on with things that are outside your experience when there is usually somebody about that knows how to fix it.
This time it was ll62 that deserves a big thank you from us all. But as you say in your comments above, if we band together as a community we can make this website really rock... that is even more than the excellent progress that you have made so far with the help of Gary and Cornershop and many others that you did a good job of listing in the New Year Roll of Honour (or some such title, my memory is not what it used to be).
Simon.
Ha! Reserve your thank you
Ha! Reserve your thank you for when I actually manage to fix something with panfan :) But we are now chatting via PM so should be able to make good progress. Web tech stuff is what I do so hopefully I can be useful even though I'm not familiar with this particular CMS. :)
Reducing stress is just as inportant as the final goal
Hi II62,
when you are trying to solve a problem with software it is always nice to have somebody with a bit more knowledge to help review the decisions you are making. It helps reduce the stress levels, particularly when others can see any lack of progress.
While a fix would be nice, I still do appreciate the help you are giving Panfan as this is bound to reduce the stress that these more difficult issues produce.
So thanks for your efforts and I hope you do find a way to fix things.
Simon.
Recent comments solution in sight?
The (not so) recent comments fiasco might be sorted before too long, thanks to help from ll62. I'm catching up with all my messages, but he might be able to sort out this issue for us finally!
Many thanks to ll62 for
Many thanks to ll62 for converting the site logo into a vector graphic, so it doesn't look "jaggy" (pixelated).
Working on 'recent' comments soon!
Just to let everyone know
Just to let everyone know that our knight on a white horse ll62 is currently looking into a viable solution to the (Not so) Recent Comments. He's trying to write a patch that will generate the correct output (involving conjoining returns from two separate databse tables). So fingers crossed there will be a solution in the near future...
Recents Comments nightmare ended?
I tried again a solution that didn't work last summer and crikey it looks like the Recent Comments block is working properly now!!
There are various ways of configuring it and data to add - by default it had title of recent comment and time. I added the thread ('node') title underneath to try to show what each comment relates to, but I'm not sure if this makes it unwieldy - what do you all think?
Recent Comments vs Recent Posts
Hi PanFan and well done on the Recent Comments which look much improved to me right now. I am having an issue with Recent Posts continuing off the edge of my page but is this my fault or is it because of work in progress perhaps? It'll be great when all this work is done (I'm sure you agree!)
Rusty
Recent content
A Work in Progress, Rusty!
I can't fit this in the sidebar in any useful form, so I've added it as a Quick Link. Read about it here.
Thanks
Oh I see now PanFan. It's duly bookmarked, thanks again
Rusty
Edit = Top of List again
I just corrected one of my spelling mistakes in a previous comment and it immediately went to the top of the New Comments list. Is this unavoidable as I felt a bit guilty about trumping some perfectly good newer posts?
Rusty
I think it is Rusty, but I
I think it is Rusty, but I wouldn't worry about it.
Identifying who is being responded to per post
Another thing that comes to mind, Panfan is, if there's a way for PP.com to have a facility that enables each responder to see who he or she is replying to.
Mostly, it's obvious in the reply, but sometimes it can be ambiguous as to who the replies are directed to.
Excellent work though in what you've achieved so far, though, Panfan. :)
Claire
Indicating responses
If you click the reply link under a post, then posts will be directly under that (or pre-existing reply) and indented. The trouble is that the indenting gets increasingly big, becoming unwieldy.
There is a "quote" module, that would replicate what was on the panspeople.net/forum but this isn't working for some reason. On the to do list!
Thanks Panfan :)
As always, thanks for your invaluable latest update.
I'll make a note of your info for future reference. :)
You're doing a superb job.
Thanks again.
Claire
It'd be better if in the
It'd be better if in the 'Recent comments' column, the post titles were a different colour from the thread titles printed below, it'd be easier to identify new comments at a glance!
Justin
Two minds think alike
Like the others, this is another excellent suggestion, Justin. :)
Claire