Another Tony job!

[Tony]

Out of interest what options did you fiddle with?

Just the ones in the ncl tag - style=compact maxdepth=2 headings=bullet headstart=2 showcats=1 showarts=1

There seems to be combinations of options that work and combinations that don't, which I don't quite understand.  Really not sure what "headstart" does but that came from an example on the extension's page.

[Julian]

Yes, I noticed that you'd tried some bits on Main page 2 after I posted.

Personally I don't think we need it to do anything too complicated.  I like the format you first put up, better with the underlined headings. It's clear and easily read.

Using the other parameters results in a sea of blue links in which the info gets lost.

I PMed Chug to have a look at this thread but so far no reply.

[Chug]

Chaps I'm either busy for days or sat around for days and you are really cooking on gas with this now and ifn I not here just do it anyway, you know me I'll soon let ya know if I don't like something!
been on the case ATM trying to sort my motor or another to fit in

[Julian]

Chug, the main reason for getting your opinion was that this layout will require recategorising all the pages completed so far.  If you don't approve it could mean a lot of work wasted.

[Chug]

I think http://www.biopowered.co.uk/wiki/Main_Page layout is pretty good, as good as you're gonna get with this wiki style pages, I'm sure most people will suss it out. The original CBT just had one menu down the L/H side with all basic methods first at the top then more advanced as you went down the navbar.

[Julian]

What we're proposing is at http://www.biopowered.co.uk/wiki/Main_page_2

I too think Tony's layout was good so I tried to replicate it, but it's compiled manually and already missing a few pages and name changes.  My quest was to automate it so we didn't have the hassle of maintenance.

Best efforts to date are top left under Biodiesel of the page above.  Tony has added an alternative version of the code below.

If we are all happy with the format next stage would be to decide the categories.  I think what Tony did was excellent, but reactive to the pages complied at that time. We to look at it proactively to lay down an overall category structure which will hopefully be as future proof as possible.

Any thoughts?

[Chug]

there seems to be the same headings repeated 3 times as you go down the page which version are we looking at top, middle, bottom?

I prefer this one http://www.biopowered.co.uk/wiki/Main_Page or same style as the bottom of
http://www.biopowered.co.uk/wiki/Main_page_2

[Julian]

Yes, there are several formats, we've been playing!

Top is an automated version of Tony's original using a new piece of code, but using first level headings as categories. (these can easily be changes to second level headings to match Tony's original)

Middle is the same code but with added parameters so the categories are generated automatically ... personally I think this version is confusing, links to the category pages are of no real interest to the user if every page is listed on the main page.

Bottom is Tony's original, untouched.


For me, I prefer the under scored categories, keeps everything in neat, nicely defined sections, but the main issue was automating it.

Now we pretty much have a consensus (heading styles aside) we need to decide the categories.

[Tony]

We could retain all existing categories as they stand, but add a second category listing to each page that is more specific EG

Dewatering
Titration
Demething
...

This would allow us to control the order these categories appear in on the listing page - personally, I think the process order should be maintained in the listing.

OR we do it proper tree style and have Dewatering, Titration etc as sub categories of Biodiesel and let the extension show the whole tree below Biodiesel.

Obviously the latter is most automated, but I think if we can't somehow force listing order to some extent then the former may be a better approach?

[Julian]

I really think multiple levels of categories causes confusion in what we're trying to achieve.  They still confuse me (OK, that's not a difficult thing to do), but I think newcomers will also find it confusing, we've already had comments to that effect.

I agree it's logical to have categories listed in process order but I feel we don't want too many categories.  If we stick to just a few, they can be arranged manually (added to later if we find a need) and be followed by the ncl code to list pages automatically.

I'd suggest the following for both veg and bio but more than happy to be flexible:



General info (including a page on getting started ... good if it can be forced to the top of the list somehow)

Theory and processes

Making or buying equipment

[Julian]

Bump.

Has this subject died a death?  It still seems a little unresolved.

[Tony]

I'm tempted to go ahead and see what we can do with it.  Not too hard to roll back if needed, and like you say, being able to have things auto-placed on the front page is a major asset.

[Julian]

I'm quite happy to do it, but much quicker if two people work on it.

It just really needs agreement on categories which will be as flexible and as future proof as possible.

[Chug]

I've been comparing and I think the underscored version looks best as you said Julian.

[Julian]

Really the look of the headings is a minor issue it's easy to change half a dozen headings between first and second level.  My preference is for underscored too, but won't fight to the death over it!

The main issue is what categories to use i.e. how to catalogue or index the pages.