Other Link Plugin - Feed back wanted

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yazheirx
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Other Link Plugin - Feed back wanted

Post by yazheirx »

I have created what I think is a very easy to use plugin to create a group sorted list of urls. The plugin is called Other Links. I under stand that there is already a Link List plugin, however, I found it difficult to use as I had to install two plugins and then find the configuration in a place other than "Configure Plugins". The Other Links plugin is a single sidebar plugin.

If the Link List plugin fills everyones needs I will focus my attention in a more needed direction. Please make your opinion know with the poll above.

I have three items I would like to add to my Other Links plugin.
  • Alphabetical sorting of groups and entries. (If anyone shows any interest in this I will add it at once)
  • Remove the need to save twice to get the new entry options to (dis)appear
  • Title text (Text that appears as a small popup when you float over a link)
Any comments or questions are welcome. Please post them here on the s9y forum on at Ludicrou Intellect
Justin G. Cramer

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mgroeninger
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Post by mgroeninger »

I haven't/won't have a chance to look at your code for a week or two,
so I don't know what features you are aiming for...
(So I won't vote yet)

I would like you to look at Omid Mottaghi's plugin since it sound very similar to yours:
Original post: http://www.s9y.org/forums/viewtopic.php ... c&start=15

Source: http://oxygenws.com/s9y/links/

It is a _great_ lightweight sidebar plugin and uses xml to store links..

I have been trying to get a version of his reconciled with the event linklist in CVS, but have some serious time problems (as I'm sure everyone has noticed by now :D )

0.8 allows plugins to be dependent and automatically install both (no second plugin install), and the current version I have written (when it works) allows the event plugin to be turned on and off...

If you would like to work on the joint version, I would appreciate the help greatly and could send you code.
n2ition
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Post by n2ition »

I dont have a problem with the existing linklist plugin...and didn't mind having to install two plugins to get it to work but I do like a few of the features that you have available. The easy category setup (group) is very nice. And I like having the ability to turn the new page option on and off. I'm not crazy about the size of the Group font but I may be able to figure out how to resize it to work in my template. As I posted in the thread I started on linklist I would really like a toggle switch for categories.

As far as the 3 items you are wanting to add...I would REALLY like them. Especially the title text & sorting option.

Just my 2 cents.

Thanks for asking.
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oxygenws
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Post by oxygenws »

look at the link list in the left in my blog -> http://oxygenws.com/blog/
it is frontend of next version of "mgroeninger" plugin :)
wait for it.

@mgroeninger: can you upload a beta version these days? (i know what is your opinion)

regards
My Blog, powered by s9y is http://oxygenws.com/blog/
mgroeninger
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Post by mgroeninger »

I have a beta version sitting on my server at http://www.theledge.net/uploads/serendi ... iew.tar.gz.

Before anyone downloads it they should know:
I will not be able to support/change/fix/improve/troubleshoot anything until the end of next week.

(that is the main reason I have been hesitant to post a link or add it to CVS)

All you should have to do is extract the contents into the plugins folder, making sure all the files are replaced, and install the sidebar plugin.

Things to know:

1) This version does not use the Event_wrapper sidebar. You install the linklist sidebar plugin and it installs the event plugin automatically. I recommend uninstalling Event_wrapper before you install.

2) SPARTACUS might give you troubles, if you are using it, since it will download the old version of the event plugin to install. This will not work (the plugins talk with xml data now, not through the output method event_wrapper uses). You may just be able to replace the event_linklist.php file but I haven't tested it.

3) There have been some reports that SQLlite doesn't handle the database queries well. I have no way to troubleshoot this... If someone wants to figure this out I would appreciate it. Otherwise, I might be able to look at it in late May.

4) This file includes a event plugin called linklistpage. This is a very rudimentary attempt at creating a static page list of links, including descriptions. I can't guarantee this will work at all... And I'm pretty sure it is ugly.


n2ition, I did change the title so that it outputs as a normal title, rather then the way it was. You may want to update your files.

Sorry about this folks, my timing is just poor... I've been putting this off too long hoping I could work on it some more... But I don't have the time, and as long as I keep hold of it no-one else has the opportunity to contribute...

As I said above, my time should free up in two weeks or so (at least until the baby comes.. 64 days, yay!!!)
n2ition
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Post by n2ition »

Thanks Matt for letting me know about the change. I've updated my site and am VERY happy with your plugin. I still have the static page that I had initially and since I don't do PHP I'll have to wait 'til you GENIUS types get it sorted out to use the one that comes with the plugin.

BTW, I tried to post a comment on your site for your April 3 post but it appears posting has been disabled. I just wanted to say it was a very sweet post. Congrats on the impending bundle of JOY...life is going to be SO GOOD. :)
The good news is the bad news is wrong! Random Kindness Project
yazheirx
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Post by yazheirx »

So many things to look at. I have been very busy for the past week. I appreciate all of the feed back and will look at all of the alternative plugins this week.
Justin G. Cramer

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mmayberry
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Post by mmayberry »

mgroeninger wrote:I have a beta version sitting on my server at http://www.theledge.net/uploads/serendi ... iew.tar.gz.
I liked the original linklist plugin, but I absolutely love this one. Its simplicity and flexibility make it an excellent solution to a common need.

I have 2 questions:
1. How do I place text next to the top folder? (see image below)
2. Is it stackable? If not, is it acceptable to create a 2nd copy of the plugin?

Image

Thanks again to the authors!
mgroeninger
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Post by mgroeninger »

Ok, I'm back!

mmayberry, you can download a new version of the plugin at the same place:
http://www.theledge.net/uploads/serendi ... iew.tar.gz

It is now stackable, and it has a setting called "Top Level Text" which will put text next to the folder...

Ok, I know some folks have downloaded it... hit me with any complaints/comments/suggestions you have.

If I don't hear much of anything I will update CVS in a week or so...
I will probably not update CVS with the pagelist plugin until I have some more time to think about it...
But any suggestions for either plugin are welcome!
mmayberry
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Post by mmayberry »

mgroeninger wrote:It is now stackable, and it has a setting called "Top Level Text" which will put text next to the folder...
The top level text looks good, thanks. I noticed that I was able to bold the top level text by wrapping it in <b> and </b> tags on the config page. I don't know if that behavior is intended or not, but I thought that I'd pass it along. By the way, I did play with dtree.css a little and was able to bold all of the text, but instead of adding a new class for the top level text, I took a shortcut. I will go back and do it the right way if you'd like.

Stackable gave me some unexpected results, however. I installed a 2nd sidebar plugin and left it at the default settings. With 2 link lists in the left sidebar, the sidebar's width gets huge. If I remove either one of them (or moved one to the right sidebar), the left sidebar returns to normal. While both were active, I cleared my browser's cache and CTRL+F5'd to make sure I got a fresh copy of the page, with no change in results.

Also, folder behavior is a little quirky with 2 link lists in the sidebar. Clicking a folder in one will occassionally open the corresponding folder in the other list. The only pattern I was able to see was that the first folder in the first list always opened correctly, but the second folder in the first list opened the second folder in the second list. I tried replicating this by deleting both and installing 2 new sidebar plugins. I left both at their default settings. In this instance, the folders always opened in the first list, even when clicked in the second list.

Thanks for all of your effort with this plugin, it really looks good. The stackable thing, I can live without but I will have another look this weekend and see if there is something that I can contribute.
mgroeninger
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Post by mgroeninger »

Damn, sorry about the stackable thing...

I'm not a css guy.. I tossed it on my site and tested it with the lists in different columns, which worked pretty well.

Unfortunately I didn't test it in the same column.... and I'm not sure what I would need to do to get them to work in the same column.. (I am assuming there is a problem with div names/associates)

But I will look into it.
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