Plugins on wiki organized by categories.

[Fatman_do]

I took a stab at reworking the plugins menu on the wiki. I took best guess efforts on placing plugins in certain categories. If anyone (plugin authors esp.) feels there are errors in this approach, or would like new or different groupings, please make suitable changes or make suggestions.

[Fatman_do]

Going with a "less is more" philosophy, all plugin names have been removed from the sidebar menu. A list of supported or unsupported plugins is now a choice on the left side menu. The main plugin page has been cleaned up as well. The idea behind this is that there is no longer maintenance needed on the sidebar menu for adding or removing plugins.

Links to categories on the plugin page, as well as "All Active" selections will insure developers plugins will be shown when new pages are created. Adding categories to those pages will aide in users finding them as well.

As always comments welcome.

A work in process...

[Fatman_do]

Just create a new page

example, put this into your browser

Code:

http://gbpvr.com/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Plugin/MyNewPluginName

and then edit that page from there.

It will automatically appear on the active page once you edit and save that page. If you add any categories, it will automatically populate those lists as well.

[Jaggy]

Just a quick thought about the new plugin layout, basicly I like it but....

I noted this post from blader_se & decided to have a play....

First to any new wiki editors, Please, don't rename wiki pages!
Renaming page's (which on the file server means copy file to a new file) will lead to unnecessary use of disc space and link rot.
Instead, the same effect should be accomplished by editing the sidebar and editing the page title (done with the 'title:' markup).

After a bit of syntax trial & error I got it to work...brilliant...but (there is always a 'BUT' isn't there )

When I first setup the MLPanel wiki page I named it MLPanel, but on the sidebar I had it display "MLPanel Screen Saver" (slightly easier for users to know what it is from the title) but with the new layout plugins don't display in the sidebar anymore so only displays MLPanel everwhere.

What I am wondering is should we encourage developers to use the

PHP Code:

(:title text:) 


ie.

PHP Code:

(:title MLPanel Screensaver:) 


to allow for better plugin names & in the active plugins page display this title by adding something like (there seems to be plenty of space beside the plugin names)

fmt=#title - Display a list of pages by page title. Use “order=title” to have them sorted by title (default is to order by page name).

I don't know if it still display the main title if (:title text) isn't used?

Anyway thoughts anyone?

[Fatman_do]

Just a quick thought about the new plugin layout, basicly I like it but....

I noted this post from blader_se & decided to have a play....



After a bit of syntax trial & error I got it to work...brilliant...but (there is always a 'BUT' isn't there )

When I first setup the MLPanel wiki page I named it MLPanel, but on the sidebar I had it display "MLPanel Screen Saver" (slightly easier for users to know what it is from the title) but with the new layout plugins don't display in the sidebar anymore so only displays MLPanel everwhere.

What I am wondering is should we encourage developers to use the

PHP Code:

(:title text:) 


ie.

PHP Code:

(:title MLPanel Screensaver:) 


to allow for better plugin names & in the active plugins page display this title by adding something like (there seems to be plenty of space beside the plugin names)

fmt=#title - Display a list of pages by page title. Use “order=title” to have them sorted by title (default is to order by page name).

I don't know if it still display the main title if (:title text) isn't used?

Anyway thoughts anyone?

Give it a test? We can always add the :title text to the plugin pages if it works out.

[Jaggy]

Give it a test? We can always add the :title text to the plugin pages if it works out.

Done! and it seems to work OK displaying either "title" if available or if not "page name" all in one ordered list

Now just the small matter of getting developers to actually use it :eek:

[Jaggy]

I have now modified all the Plugin Categories pages as well so it should all be uniform now.

Another thought when a user selects "Active Plugins" on the side bar they are presented with just the list, what if instead of just the list we presented them with as below (just copied from the main plugin page)?

!!Plugin Categories
Note that some plugins may fall into more than one category.

*[[Plugin.ActivePlugins |Complete list of maintained Plugins]]
**This is a list of every supported plugin on the wiki.

*[[Plugin.MusicPlugins | Music Plugins]]
**These plugins are designed to enhance your music collection and radio playback capabilities within GB-PVR.

etc. etc. etc. down to ...............

*[[Plugin.MiscPlugins |Misc. Plugins]]
**These are plugins that don't fall into the above categories.

this way they can select the whole list if they like or select a category.

[zehd]

After discussing the 'less is more', and then becoming quiet, I wanted to say...

I love the wiki, and the plugin and utilities on the side bar...

It's always been my philosophy that using any addon is inherently more advanced than what a Newbie should start out with - Keep basic, default..

Having third party stuff in an extra level makes sense to me

Edit: Errr, I mean I love the plugins and skins links. The Utilities still takes a while. I'm not worried though, it will only be a matter of time before you see the light...

[Fatman_do]

Edit: Errr, I mean I love the plugins and skins links. The Utilities still takes a while. I'm not worried though, it will only be a matter of time before you see the light...

I already plan on tackling it some day. Just is going to be lots of fun so I am waiting until I am bored enough.

[Fatman_do]

I have now modified all the Plugin Categories pages as well so it should all be uniform now.

Another thought when a user selects "Active Plugins" on the side bar they are presented with just the list, what if instead of just the list we presented them with as below (just copied from the main plugin page)?

!!Plugin Categories
Note that some plugins may fall into more than one category.

*[[Plugin.ActivePlugins |Complete list of maintained Plugins]]
**This is a list of every supported plugin on the wiki.

*[[Plugin.MusicPlugins | Music Plugins]]
**These plugins are designed to enhance your music collection and radio playback capabilities within GB-PVR.

etc. etc. etc. down to ...............

*[[Plugin.MiscPlugins |Misc. Plugins]]
**These are plugins that don't fall into the above categories.

this way they can select the whole list if they like or select a category.

I missed this until today...I was thinking of putting links to the different categories on that page as well.