Feedback on the index layout

[Lothar]

I find the index (using the default theme) to be fairly cluttered. As pun said over on .com, it's "busy and hurty to the eyes". I'd like it to be a bit cleaner. Here are some specifics:

- the list of moderators for each forum could be put off to the side (as it was in the previous version) or not included at all. Why does someone reading the index need to know that Foil is the E&C moderator? IMO all that we really need is the forum name and the description.

- the 3-pyro icon for forums with subforums seems excessively large to me. Why not just use the same 1-pyro icon? I don't see the value in using a more complex icon for a forum with subforums.

- Teamspeak and Feed icons: does anyone actually use a feed reader for the DBB? Is that icon necessary? Could we use an icon that's a few pixels shorter (maybe a rectangular icon) so that it doesn't stick up higher than the words?

- Links: can these be underlined? (In general, not just on the index page.) Otherwise it's hard to tell what I can click on and what I can't.

[Foil]

- the list of moderators for each forum could be put off to the side (as it was in the previous version) or not included at all. Why does someone reading the index need to know that Foil is the E&C moderator? IMO all that we really need is the forum name and the description.

Agreed. Moderator names are listed inside the forum, which is sufficient.

- the 3-pyro icon for forums with subforums seems excessively large to me. Why not just use the same 1-pyro icon? I don't see the value in using a more complex icon for a forum with subforums.

I think it's the over-complexity / busy-ness that makes it look so cluttered. Just use the same icon; the subforums are listed, anyway.

- Links: can these be underlined? (In general, not just on the index page.) Otherwise it's hard to tell what I can click on and what I can't.

This is probably the issue that's grabbed my attention most lately. Visited links are the same color as regular text (at least in the default theme), which makes them disappear in the text.

[Grendel]

x3.

Also a "Mark all posts read" under "View unread posts" would be nice. "View new posts" and "View active topics" are covered by "View unread ..", don't need them.

[KoolBear]

I find the index (using the default theme) to be fairly cluttered. As pun said over on .com, it's "busy and hurty to the eyes". I'd like it to be a bit cleaner. Here are some specifics:

heh ... no HEH

- the list of moderators for each forum could be put off to the side (as it was in the previous version) or not included at all. Why does someone reading the index need to know that Foil is the E&C moderator? IMO all that we really need is the forum name and the description.

Let's just remove them all together. On the top of each forum page the moderator is shown.

- the 3-pyro icon for forums with subforums seems excessively large to me. Why not just use the same 1-pyro icon? I don't see the value in using a more complex icon for a forum with subforums.

done

- Teamspeak and Feed icons: does anyone actually use a feed reader for the DBB? Is that icon necessary? Could we use an icon that's a few pixels shorter (maybe a rectangular icon) so that it doesn't stick up higher than the words?

I agree smaller and less noticeable is good, I think I'll see how they look under the forum image. BTW Lothar I am not a graphic artist, I have done the best I can. If you want different graphics supply them... if they look good we'll use them.

- Links: can these be underlined? (In general, not just on the index page.) Otherwise it's hard to tell what I can click on and what I can't.

No underlines but I did change the color.

[KoolBear]

x3.

Also a "Mark all posts read" under "View unread posts" would be nice. "View new posts" and "View active topics" are covered by "View unread ..", don't need them.

Why do I need to make it two lines instead of one line?Which theme?

Do we really need current time and last time you visited?

Change from...
It is currently Fri Feb 25, 2011 1:50 pm • Last visit was: Fri Feb 25, 2011 8:20 am
View unanswered posts • View unread posts • View new posts • View your posts • View active topics • Mark forums read


To just ...
View unanswered posts • View your posts • View unread posts • Mark forums read

[Foil]

- the 3-pyro icon for forums with subforums seems excessively large to me. Why not just use the same 1-pyro icon? I don't see the value in using a more complex icon for a forum with subforums.

done

I still see the no-new-posts triple-pyro icon in the default theme.

[KoolBear]

- the 3-pyro icon for forums with subforums seems excessively large to me. Why not just use the same 1-pyro icon? I don't see the value in using a more complex icon for a forum with subforums.

done

I still see the no-new-posts triple-pyro icon in the default theme.

Refresh please.

[Foil]

Still there, KB.

[Edit: N/M, gone now. Thank you!!! ]

[KoolBear]

you caught me in an update

I removed the line
"Current Time" and "Last time you visited" line.

[CDN_Merlin]

When i click on "view unread threads" it brings me to anotehr page. Would it be possible to have "mark all forums read" on that page so i don't have to go back to the original page to mark them all read?

[Grendel]

Also a "Mark all posts read" under "View unread posts" would be nice.

Why do I need to make it two lines instead of one line?Which theme?

Default. W/ "Under" I mean the sceen you get after clicking "View unread posts" -- load dbb, go to "View unread..", pick one that you're interested in, enter, read, go back. Rinse repeat. In the end the ones you skip are still marked "unread", so I wan't to mark them read. Would be nice if that could be done while in the "View unread posts" list.

[KoolBear]

Grendel and Merlin you are both talking about the same page correct? I've never used any of those links

I will if it will work. But let me do that when I can focus a little more.

[Foil]

Looking much cleaner, thank you KB!

[KoolBear]

When i click on "view unread threads" it brings me to anotehr page. Would it be possible to have "mark all forums read" on that page so i don't have to go back to the original page to mark them all read?

Also a "Mark all posts read" under "View unread posts" would be nice.

Why do I need to make it two lines instead of one line?Which theme?

Default. W/ "Under" I mean the srceen you get after clicking "View unread posts" -- load dbb, go to "View unread..", pick one that you're interested in, enter, read, go back. Rinse repeat. In the end the ones you skip are still marked "unread", so I wan't to mark them read. Would be nice if that could be done while in the "View unread posts" list.

Gentlemen, please see if I understood your wants and desires. I do aim to please it's just that I am a really bad aim

[Grendel]

Yep, that's it Thanks !

[KoolBear]

Should I kill the bullet in front of it?

[Grendel]

Sure.

Also, you left in the "View unread posts", could we change that to the "View new posts" ? The latter will keep the list as is, the "unread" thing will remove the posts as soon you read them (makes going back for a last second change a pain.)

Edit: Heh, the "Mark forums read" w/ the bullet does just get you back to the index page ?!

[KoolBear]

Sure.

Also, you left in the "View unread posts", could we change that to the "View new posts" ? The latter will keep the list as is, the "unread" thing will remove the posts as soon you read them (makes going back for a last second change a pain.)

I will swap them out

Edit: Heh, the "Mark forums read" w/ the bullet does just get you back to the index page ?!

umm, same code but maybe that routine doesn't work in that page, i think that url gets assembled in the fourms.php file. maybe it I can find that subroutine copy and paste it into the search.php ... let me look on this tonight, please remind me soo many thing in the works.

EDIT:

I copied this subroutine from the fourmdisplay.php into the search.php file

Code: Select all

// @start KoolBear to build the url in the search results page.
	// Handle marking posts
	if ($mark_read == 'forums' || $mark_read == 'all')
	{
		$redirect = build_url(array('mark', 'hash'));
		$token = request_var('hash', '');
		if (check_link_hash($token, 'global'))
		{
			if ($mark_read == 'all')
			{
				markread('all');
				$message = sprintf($user->lang['RETURN_INDEX'], '<a href="' . $redirect . '">', '</a>');
			}
			else
			{
				// Add 0 to forums array to mark global announcements correctly
				$forum_ids[] = 0;
				markread('topics', $forum_ids);
				$message = sprintf($user->lang['RETURN_FORUM'], '<a href="' . $redirect . '">', '</a>');
			}
			meta_refresh(3, $redirect);
			trigger_error($user->lang['FORUMS_MARKED'] . '<br /><br />' . $message);
		}
		else
		{
			$message = sprintf($user->lang['RETURN_PAGE'], '<a href="' . $redirect . '">', '</a>');
			meta_refresh(3, $redirect);
			trigger_error($message);
		}

	}
// @end KoolBear to build the url in the search results page.

I then added this to teh varibles

Code: Select all

	// define some vars for urls
// @start KoolBear to build the url in the search results page.
		'U_MARK_FORUMS'		=> ($user->data['is_registered'] || $config['load_anon_lastread']) ? append_sid("{$phpbb_root_path}viewforum.$phpEx", 'hash=' . generate_link_hash('global') . '&f=' . $root_data['forum_id'] . '&mark=forums') : '',
// @end KoolBear to build the url in the search results page.

Where else might I need to do something?

[CDN_Merlin]

If I'm in the view unread posts" page it doesn't have "marks forum read" anywhere. I'm using the Orbital theme.

[Foil]

I believe KB is working in the default theme and will update the other themes after.

[KoolBear]

If I'm in the view unread posts" page it doesn't have "marks forum read" anywhere. I'm using the Orbital theme.

I'll need to look into this one this weekend.

[Grendel]

Much better, thanks again. Altho the "Mark forum read" on the "View new posts" page still resolves to "http://www.descentbb.net/". Maybe because the page it's a thread list vs. a forum list ? Is there a "Mark all threads read" function somewhere ?

[KoolBear]

Much better, thanks again. Altho the "Mark forum read" on the "View new posts" page still resolves to "http://www.descentbb.net/". Maybe because the page it's a thread list vs. a forum list ? Is there a "Mark all threads read" function somewhere ?

So it "mark forum read" only works on the front page or Forum List page?

I wonder if I could "include" forumslist.php in the search.php and view_topics.php

[Grendel]

So it "mark forum read" only works on the front page or Forum List page?

Seems like it, don't know for sure tho.

[Krom]

When I go to set up the index layout in stylish (a plugin for my browser that lets me do this stuff client side), I really trim it up:
http://krom.sploitz.com/DBB/DBB_cleaned.png

I managed to squeeze the entire index into one page @ 1280x960 without scrolling.

[KoolBear]

lol Krom, I have agreed with most of the ideas and suggestions you have presented but my friend that's not cleaning it up. That's ripping it apart. We can and should trim down some of the descriptions they only need a short description.

Maybe we should create theme that is streamlined for those that want it but ... shoot create it and we'll post it, or if it can wait till you guys say the current theme is acceptable then I will have time. These are really easy template changes if you have the time,

OTOH, I still think the view topic page is wrong in the classic theme if anything it's that page that is hurty to the eyes

[Krom]

Hehe, don't worry KB, that is just how it displays to me personally. I already know what all that says (I've been reading it for 12 years) so I just carve it all out. I do the same thing to the index of .com too: http://krom.sploitz.com/DBB/dotcom_cleaned.png

I did all that without modifying anything on the actual page, it will only display that way in my browser because of a plugin and some css wizardry I use.

[KoolBear]

You know this is a real easy addition to make IF I were a programmer, I could set a variable and IF you have it selected I turn just don't display it, sad thing is I have no idea what I am talking about ;P

[Krom]

If someone wants it, I can share the code with them. It needs a plugin in firefox, but should also be possible in chrome with some tweaking.

[KoolBear]

I mean it could be pretty easy to add an option. In the user contol panel. Select yes or no to display forum descriptions based on selection there sour bf an if statement in the template file. Not to difficult maybe its time for this 50 yr old to take a programming class

[KoolBear]

I found a nice java script that could be installed here that would allow users to drag and drop the forum listings to suit their preference I think that would be a nice feature.

If I recall the java script stores the forum layout in a cookie.....

[Aus-RED-5]

Ohhh, that sounds interesting!

[MD-2389]

...seriously? No offense Mike, but PLEASE don't go hog wild with the damn board mods. The board already has enough features as it is. Remember, the more of this ★■◆● you add, the less stable the board becomes. All it takes is one or two badly written mods to break the entire board, and then you get to play "ok, which line of code conflicted with what?". Just stick to K.I.S.S.

[Foil]

I agree.

Part of the charm this place has always had is its simplicity. Features don't make a board; the people do.

You guys have done an incredible job making the place functional and smooth again. Take a break and just enjoy; we don't need bells and whistles.

[KoolBear]

I haven't added anything yet. ALL work has been on themes

I would like to add something to the domain though and maybe you can help me with that, drop me a PM if you might be interested