FamilySearch Wiki:Technical Meeting Agenda 30 November 2010

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= Agenda =

Due to technical issues, the new way of recording our calls in not working, so we will use MeetingPlace as we always have today. Sorry for the inconvenience. --Mark 21:05, 30 November 2010 (UTC)

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 * How to make scrolling tables: Many wiki pages contain tables that are too wide for the content pane, causing content to bleed over behind the navigation bar. In the past, we've used special wiki code to create tables that scroll. However, we never included the example code in Help:Tables, and the scrolling box we've used in the past had some flaws that made it a little unclear that a table was actually in a scrolling box. I've taken a run at refining the scrolling table code and posted the example code to a section of Help:Tables. Hopefully this will help folks fix all the great U.S. state census tables that were partially hidden behind the navigation bar when we integrated the wiki with Beta. (Example: Pennsylvania Census.) RitcheyMT 01:16, 29 November 2010 (UTC)


 * A lot of tables created for US Census records were created as individual templates, not just a table on the content page itself. These templates were then added to the wiki page. I've noticed that a lot of the tables/templates are the ones that do not currently fit in the available content space. In this case, it's the template that has to be edited, not just the table on the page. I don't know if the scrolling map template could also be used for a table that's in a template. --Fran 21:00, 30 November 2010 (UTC)


 * Thanks Fran! I've posted a new discussion on the forums to invite the community to refine this idea. RitcheyMT 01:23, 1 December 2010 (UTC)


 * Next, I'd like to do the same thing with scrolling images so we'll have instructions to fix all the illegible county names on the state maps on the U.S. state pages. (Example: Pennsylvania.) RitcheyMT 01:16, 29 November 2010 (UTC)


 * Praise to anyone who can find 500px size maps or larger (at least it should never be below 500 for maps!). Some are wider than 500, making scrolling necessary. I redid Rhode Island state/county clickable map using different and higher quality map and they are now inter-linked. This is possible because of 5 counties. Dsammy 18:15, 29 November 2010 (UTC)

Discussion Items

 * The U.S. state page imagemaps are less useful than they once were because now the county names aren't legible unless someone mouses over the county names. What do you think of the solution I've posted on my sandbox? RitcheyMT 01:43, 29 November 2010 (UTC)


 * I think that the solution works well. I know you are cautious about the benefits of templates, but I think this example can prove how useful they are. Rather than remembering the complex code used to create a scrolling table, use instead a new template scrolling table which when paired with closing div will create a container for scrolling table content. I have gone ahead and added an example in your sandbox. --Steve 12:53, 29 November 2010 (UTC)