User talk:Cottrells

FamilySearch Collection Template Link Change
Hi Steve, I am in need of your expertise. As you know FSbeta is now the main source for FamilySearch Collections so there is a need to change the Template:FamilySearch Collections so that it directs to the beta site as opposed to the Record Search site. I was not sure where to link to in the template and wanted your impute so I didn't mess anything up. Thanks, let me know if this is not clear. LakeCL 17:45, 12 October 2010 (UTC)


 * Hi Chris, I have amended the template RecordSearch so that it now uses links to the beta site. This template is used in FamilySearch Collection to produce the links within that header template. Please let me know if you find any links that aren't working after this change. --Steve 11:52, 13 October 2010 (UTC)


 * Hi Steve we have a problem with the template links not taking everyone to the beta collections. It works fine using Google Chrome or Firefox as your browser. But if you use Internet Explorer It goes to a blank page on FSBeta when you click on the template link. Do you know if this could be a problem with IE or perhaps beta itself? or what? Thanks for you help LakeCL 15:23, 14 October 2010 (UTC)


 * Hi Chris, sorry about that. I think the problem was that I used http instead of https in the generating the URLs. I've checked the links with IE7 (I don't have access to other versions). Please let me know if this fixes the problems on all versions of IE. --Steve 16:13, 14 October 2010 (UTC)

County infobox adaptations
Hi, Steve,

We want to test a few things with the county infoboxes, and are wondering how feasable this is.


 * Adjusting the width of it (either wider or narrower). How much flexibility does it have, and will it automatically make all the images bigger?
 * Adding or removing a section of it. We do need this to test the infobox to put the page-adoption banners. And there will eventually be multiple page adopters, instead of only one. We need one to test this concept to show the page adoption community.

AdkinsWH 19:39, 29 October 2010 (UTC)


 * Hi Wilma, the current Infobox U.S. County has a fixed width of of 21em. This width could be changed but I would encourage the principle of keeping these types of infoboxes being the same width throughout the site. If the width of the infobox is changed, it does not change the size of the images used inside the infobox. Most have a default width of 200px, but images sizes can be set independently.
 * Sections of an infobox are only displayed if content is added to that section. We could also make sections of the infobox collapsible.
 * At the moment the adoption signs have been added to a article outside of an infobox. If I understand your question right, you would like to see these adoption signs (possibly more than one) placed inside the infobox. This can be done. Where about in the infobox structure do see them being added. At the top, in the middle at the end? If in the middle between which current sections? --Steve 14:47, 30 October 2010 (UTC)

Thanks, Steve. I just learned that this is where I should look for your response. Yes, we are trying to find a great place to put the page adopter signs that looks good. Infoboxes is an interesting way to experiment with. I would like to experiment with replacing the map that shows where the state is in the US with the adoption sign(s). Nathan Murphy and I are just playing with ideas for now. With your information, we will get back to you.AdkinsWH 16:41, 4 November 2010 (UTC)

Hi again, Steve. Will you mind moving the Adopt-A-Page sign into the infobox for Shelby County, Tennessee? Perhaps in place of the US map showing where Tennessee is located. Also, please add the little box under the adoption sign, so we can fill in contact information or a url for the page adopter, similar to the way the county courthouse is done. Thanks VERY MUCH.


 * Thanks for the additional information. I will make the desired amendments and use Shelby County, Tennessee as a working example. --Steve 09:19, 8 November 2010 (UTC)


 * Hi Wilma, I have amended the Infobox U.S. County template so that it can now include an adoption sign and have updated Shelby County, Tennessee to use this new code. I have placed this under the title and before the heading Map as the adoption sign is not a map. Thinking about your request for further details relating to the adopting organisation. I think these would be better made to the adoption sign template so that you can add it once and the details appear where the sign has been used. Question for you. Will there be instances where you would like the further details to be displayed and other places where just the sign with no further details should be displayed? --Steve 16:30, 8 November 2010 (UTC)


 * Hi Steve -- I've been working with Wilma on this. Thanks for inserting the adoption sign within the infobox. It may become necessary to have different descriptions under the adoption sign for each county. We were thinking it might be easier to include what amounts to a caption in the infobox where that information can be added, rather than a separate template for each. Each one will probably only appear on one page, so I don't know if we need to be able to make one change in a template that will change the signs across the board. Could we go ahead and make it possible to have a "Web" box directly under the adoption sign. We are meeting with the page adopters today at 1:00 MST and would love to demonstrate this. Murphynw 15:31, 10 November 2010 (UTC)


 * HI Nathan, What do you mean by web box? If you could give examples that would help, but I'm thinking that if I added an additional parameter to the adoption sign template so that in addition to the standard text within the sign for a particular adopting org that there could be an additional line of text that could be customised for each placement of the sign. Does that sound like it would meet your needs. I will mock-up an example. --Steve 17:59, 10 November 2010 (UTC)

Without a custom message
Thanks, for your help on these, Steve. The custom message idea is very interesting. We'll talk more about this.

With a custom message
Example now also positioned inside a US county infobox


 * Steve -- these with a custom message are WONDERFUL! Couldn't be better.
 * Now, can it be placed immediately under the MAP section? I tried on the talk page for Yell County, Arkansas, but couln't get it to move. Thanks AdkinsWH 23:54, 2 December 2010 (UTC)


 * Hi Wilma, I have moved the adoption sign within the Infobox U.S. County, so that it is now below the maps and above the facts section. --Steve 11:23, 3 December 2010 (UTC)


 * Thank you, thank you. Hope this works for everyone.


 * PS Sometimes I find myself sending an email that you should be part of. Shall we still just do things here and I'll try to remember? AdkinsWH 21:46, 3 December 2010 (UTC)

Adoption Signs for banner-type logos
We have had a wonderful logo submitted, but being banner-type (wide), it does not display well in the current adoption sign. Example: Seminole Nation of Oklahoma

What do you suggest? Thanks, Wilma PS Hope you don't get too tired of us asking for all this help. You are very much appreciated for this and so much more that you do.


 * Hi Wilma, I have amended Adoption Seminole Nation, I.T. so that the image fills the width of the adoption sign. Did the example with the extra text meet your need of having a caption for the adoption sign? --Steve 08:20, 12 November 2010 (UTC)


 * Hi Steve and Wilma. I like the customizable adoption sign. Mind if I play around with it? This is just what I was hoping for, but didn't know how to build it myself. Can this be inserted into an infobox? Murphynw 19:01, 15 November 2010 (UTC)

Hi, again, Steve. Very informative session today. Thank you. It was probably a little uncormfortable when we were silent. A lot to absorb.

On the Seminole adoption sign: Can it be made wider? It is on Seminole Indian Reservation (Oklahoma) page, and so small. Just hoping. AdkinsWH 23:16, 23 November 2010 (UTC)


 * The adoption sign could be made wider, but others are requesting the the current one be made smaller (see Talk:Tennessee as an example of the smaller sized adoption sign). I guess the reason for requesting for it to be made wider is that the text is not readable, even with the banner logo filling the entire width of the sign. Looking at the other adoption signs| many with text are hard to read, but they are recognisable as logos convey meaning even at reduced sizes. --Steve 17:13, 24 November 2010 (UTC)
 * You are right about not making too many custom adoption signs. I'll tell the adopter.AdkinsWH 23:51, 2 December 2010 (UTC)

Map of French Borders -- it is soooo large
In the article Map of French Borders I did try the help/size page by doing ....gif|1000px]]

It didn't show up at all in the preview. Did my error start from the upload?

Want to learn, not just make you do everything! Thanks, Wilma


 * Hi Wilma, I believe the problem was the file type. I have uploaded a new version [[Media:France.png|France.png]] that doesn't have the same problems. --Steve 08:17, 8 December 2010 (UTC)

Old microfilm conversions
In uncategorized pages under maintenance, there are a large number of old microfilm conversion tables. The category for these tables are in black as apposed to blue or red. I've compared the ones the have a blue categorized label to the black ones and I can't see any difference in the code. Do you know why that is so I can get these off the uncategorized pages in maintenance.

Elder Smith.


 * Hi Elder Smith, I took a look at those pages, where the category link was not active and found that they were all on pages where there no space between the word conversion and the numbers in the article title. This meant that the template used in the category (see archive of previous discussion about this feature} was not able to extract the number to be used as the category sort key and in so doing stopped the category from working. I have now renamed/moved these pages and the category link is now working for these page. Thanks for noticing and for brining this to my attention. --Steve 07:53, 15 December 2010 (UTC)

Thanks Steve. Looks like you missed one, however, 10300 - 10307. Now, how do I get these categorized pages to fall off the "uncategorized pages" category in Maintenance?

Elder Smith


 * I couldn't move Old microfilm number conversion10300-10307 as the correct title is already in use, Old microfilm number conversion 10300-10307 (with a working category). The mistitled page is also blank and looks like it needs deleting, after the pages linking to it are redirected. As for the special page lists. I believe you will find that the list of uncategorized pages may not automatically update right away, it may take 30mins or so (maybe more) depending on how busy the server is. --Steve 16:36, 15 December 2010 (UTC)

Gold Star edit
Steve - please fix your user page for me- so sorry - then please erase this message :)


 * Hi Kara, thank you for the gold star. I have fixed the page so no worries there. I think that an addon/toolbar from SKB Enterprises, that you have turned on in your browser, caused the problem. --Steve 08:25, 23 December 2010 (UTC)

User Boxes
Hi Steve,

Thanks for the help with the Userboxes, I am rapidly coming up to speed on learning Wikitext but still have a ways to go. Any suggestions would be appreciated. I will check out the new boxes. Thanks.

James L. Tanner 15:01, 30 December 2010 (UTC)


 * Hi James, I'm glad to hear that you are finding your way around wikitext. If you've not already read/seen these articles I would recommend them
 * Help:Wiki markup
 * Help:Tables
 * Help:Images
 * and from WikiMedia Help for editors
 * --Steve 23:52, 30 December 2010 (UTC)

Infobox for Swedish Parishes Fix Link
Hi Steve,

Just a couple items, first thank you for your work on the Infoboxes for the Swedish parishes. They look great and are going to be a huge help on the Swedish parish pages. I've started the definition pages for the Swedish terms in the Infobox and found that the link for Domsaga doesn't work. Will you please fix that? Once it's fixed, I'll continue building the definition pages.

Thanks

MorrisGF 16:27, 3 January 2011 (UTC)


 * Hi Geoff, the reason the link for Domsaga is not working is that it is being displayed next to the edit link for a section heading. The format of this edit link is preventing the link from working not the code within the infobox. --Steve 16:35, 3 January 2011 (UTC)

Wikipedia's Historical populations table
Hi Steve --

When you have a chance, could you tell me how hard it would be to create a "Historical populations" table like the one found under "Demographics" in http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jefferson_County,_Kentucky for FamilySearch Wiki? Has anyone built one of these before? I'd love to have one of these to put into the county pages where I'm working.

A few minor adjustments:

1. We might not need to hyperlink the census years

2. Some counties were not created until much later than 1790, and if we could hide or erase rows for years that do not exist, that would be a great help. The years 1790 to 2010 would be the maximum range to include.

3. Would it be difficult to program it to do a plus/minor percentage for population growth/loss

I'd love to have it right justified to the right of text, as it is laid out in Wikipedia.

Murphynw 22:43, 4 January 2011 (UTC)


 * Hi Nathan, take a look at the template that is already in the Research Wiki Historical populations, you do not need to link the years, the range is entirely down to the user and there is a +/- column. For full details about how it can be used, read the documentation that is provided with the template. If things needs tweaking to suit your requirements let me know. --Steve 00:58, 5 January 2011 (UTC)


 * This is awesome. Works just how I was hoping! Thanks for putting that up a few years ago. Murphynw 00:59, 7 January 2011 (UTC)

Contacting FamilySearch
At your suggestion I moved "FamilySearch Support email and telephone contact list" to "Help:FamilySearch Support E-mail and Worldwide Telephone Directory" with a "REDIRECT" to your suggestion of Help:Contact FamilySearch. That way there are more words to search with and it still goes to the site where the list of phone numbers is maintained by the Church.

I was a missionary in Wales and the Midlands back in the 60's. Want to come a visit Chester, North Wales and South Wales again. Just loved Boston. Felt like I knew the place.

Elder Charles Smith


 * Hi Elder Smith, Yes it makes sense to point all pages about contacting FamilySearch to a single wiki article that links to the information that is maintained in the Help Center. It would be duplicating effort to maintain a page of numbers in the wiki.


 * I also have my heart tied to Wales, I was a missionary in South Wales and the South West in the '90s :) --Steve 22:39, 5 January 2011 (UTC)

Technical Meetings
Steve, I have updated the link for today's meeting, so you should be able to access it. The one for last week has disappeared from the site, so we need a better solution for long-term access to previous meetings. Thank you for letting me know about the meeting links. --Mark 23:00, 11 January 2011 (UTC)


 * Thanks Mark, that updated link does work. So my next question is, why was I not able to join the meeting today? Is there a connection limit, so that once the maximum number is reached no more Guest callers can be added to the meeting? I ask this because I noticed that the meeting page that I saw stated Number of phone connections: 14. There was also a link called Invitees which when opened showed a list of 3 FamilySearch employees, plus 14 guests for a total of 17. --Steve 23:50, 11 January 2011 (UTC)

Czech Republic
The Czech Republic page has issues on the page that force the topics list to the bottom of the page. We are at the RootsTech conference right now, so I can't fix it myself. If you have time, could you fix it? Thanks --Fran 18:11, 10 February 2011 (UTC)


 * It's fixed. Hope you enjoy/survive the conference. I enjoyed watching the opening keynote session that featured Shane Robison and Jay Verkler (introduced by Anne). --Steve 18:57, 10 February 2011 (UTC)

Community Tools
Thanks for fixing the auto-category and the formatting of the last two sections. They were on my to-do list, but ran out of time last night. I have a .doc outline for the workshop that I'm converting into the wiki article. I also need to get some screen shots to help improve the page visually. That's also on my to-do list for tonight after the conference day is over... another late night. I'm sitting in one of the workshop rooms right now. Everyone in the class has a computer, so using the wiki page with links to the example pages will be helpful. It will make it easy for everyone to follow along. Too bad the help content in the wiki is still in need to much improvement. I really don't know what I'm doing to do about teaching the Help section or what are the best pages to link to. As you can see, the last two sections of the class outline are still in need to some work, so much thanks for your help!! --Fran 18:49, 11 February 2011 (UTC)


 * I've added a couple images to the page but now the page is doing something strange. Both images don't show on the page at the same time. Every time I refresh the page, one image shows up and the other one only the file name appears. With each refresh, the one that shows and the one that is a file name switches. But never do they show up on the page visually at the same time. Any clues as to why this is happening? I've never see this before in the wiki. --Fran 07:59, 12 February 2011 (UTC)


 * I have seen this happen before, basically whenever a image is first uploaded to the wiki it takes a while for it to be replicated to each of the servers, meaning that when you refresh the page it may be served up by one which hasn't got the image yet. Often if you wait 30mins or so everything will work as expected. --Steve 09:56, 12 February 2011 (UTC)

Contact
Are you going to the Who Do You Think You Are? conference in London next week? Darris is going and will be at the booth plus teaching a couple classes. If you are going, I'd suggest you meet up with him there. --Fran 18:30, 18 February 2011 (UTC)


 * Hi Fran, I'm not planning on going, but I appreciate you letting me know. --Steve 20:47, 18 February 2011 (UTC)

Ancestral File page
Thanks for going in so quickly and editing those Ancestral file pages! janellv 22:20, 22 February 2011 (UTC)


 * No problem. I searched for other comments that had been added to articles rather than talk pages and found one more, which I have now moved to Talk:Ordering Microfilm or Microfiche from a Family History Center. I couldn't find any others. --Steve 17:50, 23 February 2011 (UTC)

May I contact you on Sype when needed
2/28/11

Steve-

Kara Walquist and all on Michael's team tell me you are wonderful! Kara tells me you have helped her a ton. I am new on Michael's team I have never done anything on the Wiki till about two weeks ago. I started to be a contributer so I would know how they feel, I have already messed up some things.

Steve I want to be your friend as well as need too anyone that does as much as you do I want to know. I wondered if I could put you on my Skype contacts so when I need help and Kara isn't able to help me, I may inlist your aid. Is that OK?

much thanks,

Dawne