Building Great Library: who will participate?

SlowThinker · March 23, 2001, 23:22

It looks that Great Library might start grow. We are planning the structure of it at Apolyton's "Great Library" (Page 3 and 4) (any new idea is welcomed), but we don't know if somebody will be willing to work on.

I suppose we will have
a) to index existing threads
b) to compile threads into some condensed format (something like "Info: diplomats and spies" thread or jcarkey's "Compostiton")

Please post here if you think you want to participate.

John-SJ · March 24, 2001, 00:45

What about a Great Library Web Page?

I have a program called MindManager that (among other things) allows you to put a web page together in minutes.

Here is a very brief sample. All I would need is for us to agree upon a basic outline for all topics etc, and then to divide the text into chunks so they fit under the topics. If you look at the sample, Click on Strategies, then Strategy 2. See the links to subtopics Point 1, Point 2, and Point 3? Those names can be changed of course, and any amount of text can be placed under them, tables also if I'm not mistaken.

All of the arrows and icons can be replaced with anything we like, they are just .gif files.

Once the structure is complete someone who is good with html could go through and add any images we might like to include.

If it is decided to use this format I would be happy to put together the basic format and put the text into place.

BTW, the style of page I'm using is a java outline, a text outline is available also.

John-SJ

John-SJ · March 24, 2001, 14:09

Hmmm, you didn't get a paned window over on the left side? If you do, click on the book icons to open them. Also, I may have forgotten to upload a file, it worked for me without it, but you never know (edit: I have uploaded the file now). Do you have a java enabled browser? If java is not enabled, try enabling it.

If this doesn't work for you, let me know and I will put up the text outline version. It looks very similar actually.

John-SJ

[This message has been edited by John-SJ (edited March 24, 2001).]

SlowThinker · March 24, 2001, 16:55

John-SJ,
It works now (the left pane started to work), but I have to be on-line.

If I am off line, then the left pane freezes with "Initializing..." (although my cache is very large).
If I save the page and try to load it from my local disk then the left pane stays empty.

I suppose there may be any html code on the right pane. Is it true?

I think it could be a perfect place for my table from Apolyton's "Great Library" (Page 4), posted March 23, 2001 22:12. But we would have to force it to stay in the cache.

Could you put up the text version? I am not able to imagine it.

John-SJ · March 24, 2001, 17:41

The reason the page gets stuck while initializing when you are offline is that you would have to d/l all of the files associated with the page, most importantly the java file, mindmantoc.out. Altogether there are about 40 files used to support the structure you saw on that page.

For reference, here is the same demo page in the Text Outline Format.

I'm not sure what you have in mind exactly for the GL, but if you want to move the info out of it's current thread and convert it into a web page independent from Apolyton, this would be one fairly simple way to do it.

John-SJ

SlowThinker · March 24, 2001, 19:19

What may be at the right side of the page? Any html code? How is the indentation of "It's a Wonder" made? Html headers?

quote:

Originally posted by John-SJ
The reason the page gets stuck while initializing when you are offline is that you would have to d/l all of the files associated with the page, most importantly the java file, mindmantoc.out. Altogether there are about 40 files used to support the structure you saw on that page.

Do you think it is possible to force a standard browser to load all the content? If I save the text outline page under IE 5.0 as all www-page then only 5 html files and 3 folders with .gif files are saved.

quote:

Originally posted by John-SJ
I'm not sure what you have in mind exactly for the GL, but if you want to move the info out of it's current thread and convert it into a web page independent from Apolyton, this would be one fairly simple way to do it.

I will explain my idea of use of the MindManager at LINK: Apolyton's "Great Library" (Page 4) .

Scouse Gits · March 24, 2001, 20:52

Much prefer the test version - am loth to enable Active-X on my brouser ...

Damn good idea

------------------
Scouse Git[1]

"Staring at your screen in horror and disbelief when you open a saved game is one of the fun things of a succession game " - Hueij
"The Great Library must be built!"
"A short cut has to be challenging,
were it not so it would be 'the way'." - Paul Craven

brian32 · March 24, 2001, 21:38

SlowThinker,
I like the idea of the Great Library. If you guys need help compiling info I could help a little. Also, I have quite a bit of experience working with HTML. Just let me know where you need help and I'll help you out.

SlowThinker · March 25, 2001, 01:36

John-SJ,
Unfortunately, I wasn't able to start your example: I see just a button "Top": no effect. No "Strategies" or "Points".

How is the difference between a java outline and a text outline? Is a text outline some fixed text?

[This message has been edited by SlowThinker (edited March 24, 2001).]

Marquis de Sodaq · March 26, 2001, 10:54

I'm willing to pare threads down to usable documents.

------------------
"There is no fortress impregnable to an ass laden with gold."
-Philip of Macedon

SlowThinker · April 4, 2001, 10:07

bump.

La Fayette will participate, I hope Edward will too...

Sirotnikov · April 5, 2001, 14:20

I'll be happy to participate, however someone should organize the work.

Meaining: someone tells me what to do:
I get links to threads, and the topic which I should extract from them.
I extract that info and gather it in plain text
I send it for review
I recieve it back with notes
I fix what needs to be fixed
I make an HTML out of it, plus add tables and graphics and screen captures.

Also I'd be happy to do the design \ graphics (I am assuming this library would function like a separate web page here on apolyton.

I think it shouldn't be just a bunch of archived threads with many posts as that would only make people confused. It should be more like Slowthinker's work on his spy thread, only fancier.

Once all the HTML files are ready I can also make a Windows HTML Help file out of it

It can be downloadable, thus I don't have to be online to view it.

And ofcourse the help file will contain a link to apolyton and it's logo on every page

[/suckup]
[This message has been edited by Sirotnikov (edited April 05, 2001).]

Eli · April 5, 2001, 16:55

I'm willing to help in some small issues.

SlowThinker · April 6, 2001, 18:36

Sirotnikov, please read Apolyton's "Great Library" (Page 3 and 4) thread (link is in my first post here), the concept of GL is discussed there.

John-SJ and Sirotnikov, what would be the difference between the MindManager and a .hlp file?

Sirotnikov · April 7, 2001, 19:01

Mind manager is a big fancy Java applet
a HLP or CHM (new widows help) (I can do both

) file is better as windows already has the programs needed for it to run.

also java is more bloated

April 8, 2001, 04:15

quote:

Originally posted by Sirotnikov on 04-07-2001 07:01 PM
a HLP or CHM (new widows help) (I can do both

) file is better as windows already has the programs needed for it to run.

I'd vote for HLP or CHM format because that would be easily downloadable, doesn't need a special software to view, but the software already in every windows machine. KISS rules! (Keep It Simple Stupid)

Sirotnikov · April 8, 2001, 21:35

Who are you calling stupid? !!!

April 9, 2001, 05:09

quote:

Originally posted by Sirotnikov on 04-08-2001 09:35 PM
Who are you calling stupid? !!!

LOL I'm a programmer and this 'KISS'-rule is like holy to me.

The easiness of implement changes to the code is so important!

SlowThinker · April 21, 2001, 17:09

quote:

Originally posted by Sirotnikov
I'll be happy to participate, however someone should organize the work.

OK.

Sirotnikov and others, see "How to help" section of "The Great Library: a hierarchical structure" thread.