Topic: TP Docs Rebuild/Update

[Ken (OP)]

LOL! What I mean is start fresh and with a new look (if you have not started doing so already) for v1.1 and v1.0.

...and I think it should look more like whatever the current TP theme is...

We would need to give that some thought because the current docs site theme was built by Bloc so that it would display the docs more like an html page than like a forum. And that's what it actually is... a forum, with boards and topics and a few TP articles.

If we did change it, then we would have to accept that it would look like a forum instead of the current look and style, because this theme is a one of a kind.

[Skhilled]

It doesn't have to look like a forum. Remember, TP can create HTML pages and make a site NOT look like a forum. You can even remove or change the main menu so it matches the look of a doc site. Another idea is to go with different software specifically for such a thing but that would defeat the purpose of what TP can do. Using TP would show off what can be done with it.

I was thinking of maybe keeping the same format but changing the titlebg's using the Tinyportal's titlebg's/catbg's from the current theme. That would be pretty easy to do. And can change the formatting of the blocks, maybe.

EDIT: Remember the Docs site is a totally different site with its own logins...

[Skhilled]

What if we made a duplicate test site and played with that to see what we come up with?

Backup the Docs site and put it on one of our sites to play with. I have tons of room on my server if you don't have enough on yours. I'm currently using 1.6 GB of 15GB total space...with about 12 sites on it for about $10/month.

[Ken (OP)]

Going with a different software would be a major thing! We should stick with TP imo because that's what we are promoting.
Going with TP articles would work and that was my first thought as we started this, but the forum/boards/topics were already in place so that's how we went.

We might want think about using BBC articles though, that way copying 1.0 topics would work because of the BBC formatting already in use in them. Of course HTML would work and that's what I use most.

 

[Skhilled]

Works for me!

[Mick]

Going with a different software would be a major thing! We should stick with TP imo because that's what we are promoting.
Going with TP articles would work and that was my first thought as we started this, but the forum/boards/topics were already in place so that's how we went.

We might want think about using BBC articles though, that way copying 1.0 topics would work because of the BBC formatting already in use in them. Of course HTML would work and that's what I use most.

We discussed this a while back about using a different software, and Ken you know how I feel about that.  Like I said back then, we build a portal system for doing this kind of thing, and it would be a letdown to have to use something else just to display pages of information. If we can get it looking good in TP then it's a great advert for TP. IMO.

[Ken (OP)]

Going with a different software would be a major thing! We should stick with TP imo because that's what we are promoting.
Going with TP articles would work and that was my first thought as we started this, but the forum/boards/topics were already in place so that's how we went.

We might want think about using BBC articles though, that way copying 1.0 topics would work because of the BBC formatting already in use in them. Of course HTML would work and that's what I use most.

We discussed this a while back about using a different software, and Ken you know how I feel about that.  Like I said back then, we build a portal system for doing this kind of thing, and it would be a letdown to have to use something else just to display pages of information. If we can get it looking good in TP then it's a great advert for TP. IMO.

Oh, I agree with that Mick.
As we have all stated in one way or another... "We are promoting TinyPortal, so we should use TP to build this." Meaning using articles and blocks and menu's etc, instead of using outside programs to build our support site or the docs site.

Of late we've drifted a little in our euphoria over finally getting some stuff fixed/completed/changed, but now it's time to get back on track and start to do more fixing than changing/removing. 

[Skhilled]

The only thing would be the bug tracker...is that updated regularly?

[Ken (OP)]

The last 'official' update for Project Tools was, June 26, 2011.
There was an update of sorts in June, 2011, as seen HERE. It's really old and out of date and it's safe to say that it's going to stay that way.

I've given some thought to how a bug tracker could be made using some of the features in TP, but I don't see how that could be made to work as needed... same with SMF. There just is not a good alternative that I can see, so at this point we seem to be stuck with Project Tools.

[Skhilled]

Ken, remember our discussion on "How do I put a block in an article?"? To clarify, is that supposed to mean that you can put a block within an article? Because that is what it seems to imply but this does not seem to work for me on my test site. Just trying to figure out if my concept of this is wrong or it is just not working as it should.

[Ken (OP)]

Ken, remember our discussion on "How do I put a block in an article?"? To clarify, is that supposed to mean that you can put a block within an article? Because that is what it seems to imply but this does not seem to work for me on my test site. Just trying to figure out if my concept of this is wrong or it is just not working as it should.

The perception is incorrect. We need to reword the doc so that it indicates that you can cause a block to show along the side/top/bottom of an article in the same way that it would anywhere else you have a block set to show... as seen HERE.

Here are the panel settings to show a block(s) in(beside) an article, these settings are found in the lower part of the page when you are editing an article.
 [ Invalid Attachment ]

In order for it to work your block must be turned on, it must have the article selected in it's "Choose where the block should appear." options, the panel where it resides must be turned on and then the panel must be selected in the article.

Don't know why I've not picked up on that before, but I'm glad that you did. 

Ps: I've been copying over the docs from TP 1.0 to TP 1.1 and while some are updated and proof read, I think that we will need to go through them all again at some point.
But... my thinking is that we should get all of the copying over completed and then start with the complete top to bottom review of just the 1.1 docs. For now my only focus will be to get the 1.0's ported over to the 1.1's.

What are your thoughts?

[Skhilled]

I picked up on it because of an idea I had. I was thinking of redesigning the docs site. Looking at it, it appears that it is completely designed with TP blocks which is not true. Bloc used mootools (javascript) for the design of the blocks and another js script for the menus...I forget the name. But you can press F12 and select any section to see what I'm talking about.

Back to the redesign of the site... Since it looks like a collection of blocks it would be great if we can do that with TP...especially within an article! This is why I've been asking about this. It would be so much easier to design any site using any blocks that you can create with TP! It would also blow the competition out of the water!!! 

I'm sure illori is not up to the task but am wondering if Sayaka is... We just can't keep using these old scripts and themes when we know they will not be updated! We're just spinning our wheels in the mud and will be redoing the same work over and over when the time could be spend on other things like support. Right now there is not much support and this is the time when we should be looking at alternatives and getting things done while we can and are not busy with support like TP used to be.

Back to redesigning the Docs site... Since it would be easier to use HTML and/or PHP (HTML would be a lot easier), I was looking at HTML programs that allow you to immediately see how your design would look WHILE you are working on it. Most of those have an editor that you can drop n drag images, etc. making it very easy without a lot of coding knowledge. So far, I've narrowed it down to this...unless you guys know of something better and easier to use...

http://www.virtualmechanics.com/products/dwarf/

Also, the forum design is way too confusing and not user-friendly. We are all used to the way SMF was originally designed and can get things done much quicker that way. So, I was thinking maybe a hidden link to the forum or only if you are registered?

Does any of this make sense?

[Ken (OP)]

For the 'blocks in an article' part:
I don't know about the coding part, but we already do something a little like that with the menu function, so maybe it's not such a big leap to do what you're suggesting. If you look at the docs home page, all those blocks are actually just one big html block with lots of menu blocks inside... look here.

Downloaded the program, gonna give it a try.

As for the look/theme of the docs site... I'm close to thinking that you are right about dropping the current theme and using the same one as TP and letting it look like an SMF/TP forum. Not so sure on the letting them register though, but if we do that extra care must be taken so that they are not able to post/reply/comment.

We would need to run any changes by Mick of course.

[Ken (OP)]

BTW... I'm planing on writing an article/topic about menu's for the next "Feature of the Month" posting. 

[Skhilled]

For the 'blocks in an article' part:
I don't know about the coding part, but we already do something a little like that with the menu function, so maybe it's not such a big leap to do what you're suggesting. If you look at the docs home page, all those blocks are actually just one big html block with lots of menu blocks inside... look here.

If you look closer you'll see a lot of javasrcipt being used...press F12, mootools are being used for the blocks and another js script is used for the menus.

http://ajax.googleapis.com/ajax/libs/mootools/1.2.1/mootools-yui-compressed.js

http://www.tinyportal.net/docs/Themes/tp_docs_theme/js/MenuMatic_0.68.3.js

Those are links shown from Web developer addons for FF from the docs site...see the image below.

That the site was created years ago by Bloc and the .js tools are from back then. Does illori know how to fix anything that may be broken? If she leaves the team how would we fix it? Things on the site should be able to be fixed by anyone on the team...people on the team should have a good working knowledge of TP but necessarily have to know everything about it. But with this we are talking about outside of TP coding that may or may not be updated or can be easily fixed.