Poll: Form and Function

[thefourthvine]

So, I've finished tagging all my entries. Notice my index posts that allow all of you, including anonymous users, access to all my tags.

Notice that they look fucking awful. And the print is tiny, so I'm not even sure anyone will use them. Plus, I seriously do not want these to be the top entries in my journal for however long it takes LJ to put a "Tags" link on the info page; looking at them depresses me, and I'm probably the only person who actually looks at my journal regularly outside of a friends list.

But, on the other hand, I did tag all those posts. I have no idea what the point was if I can't find a way to let everyone use them to search by fandom and theme. So this poll is asking, basically, for you to identify the lesser of the evils, because they all look fairly evil to me at this point.

And while you're here, could you weigh in on other appearance aspects of this journal? I mean, if I'm going to pitch a major wobbler over the hideousness of my index posts, surely I could also spare some time to worry about the fact that my journal is, well, pretty darned hideous? And that it may also make other people's friends lists hideous?

I mean, OK, I'm going to spare that time anyway, so I guess what I really want is for you to spare enough time to form an opinion. I would greatly appreciate it.

But mostly, please god someone tell me what to do about this whole tags issue, because - the horror. The horror. My dogs are averting their eyes from the screen, here. Dust mites are scoffing at my primitive grasp of website design. It's all very very bad and wrong. Help meeeeeee.

[Poll #518389]

Comments

[thefourthvine.livejournal.com]

I have changed my layout to Flexible Squares; I seriously love what I have, as I like things simple simple simple. But it looks like hell in my laptop, so I'm easily swayed by tempting promises of links that will be prettier than my current tagging horror.

And I would love some help with this, yes. Love it.

[wistfuljane.livejournal.com]

=)

I can understand the need for simplicity, but customizations with most s2 styles won over that.

If you have chose Flexible Squares, customize your layout with the color schemes and the options you want. And then we'll add a theme layout based on your initial customization by going to advance customization > your layers > Create layout-specific layer > type: theme > layout: flexible squares > create and then copying your initial customization by going to advance customization > your layers > your layers > name: user > edit > ctr + a and copy and going back to your layers > name: theme > edit > paste under layout id & etc.

Erm, if any of these is unclear, let me know. This is just step one.

[wistfuljane.livejournal.com]

Here are the links if I am confusing you: creating a theme layer (http://www.livejournal.com/community/s2flexisquares/914.html) and adding more boxes to sidebar (http://www.livejournal.com/community/s2flexisquares/2205.html).

Another thing, you might want to increase your layout width, one of things LJ still need to fix about Flexible Square is that sometimes your post might spill over to your layout (see your poll).

Yes. Tell me when you want to ready for step two.

[thefourthvine.livejournal.com]

Nope, that was very clear - thank you - and I've done that. What next?

[wistfuljane.livejournal.com]

Now underneath all your customizations, i.e. all the set properties, copy & paste this:


function print_sidebar()
{
var string extra1_title ="";
var string extra1_content ="";
var string extra2_title ="";
var string extra2_content ="";

$extra1_title = """<li class="sbartitle">Title of New Box 1</li>""";
$extra1_content = """<li class="sbaritem">Text for New Box 1. You can use HTML here if you want to.</li>""";

$extra2_title = """<li class="sbartitle">Title of New Box 2</li>""";
$extra2_content = """<li class="sbaritem">Text for New Box 2. You can use HTML here if you want to.</li>""";

print_userpic();
print_sidebar_blurb();
print_sidebar_linklist();
print_sidebar_box($extra1_title, $extra1_content);
print_sidebar_box($extra2_title, $extra2_content);
print_sidebar_calendar();

}


You can have the first box to be links of fandom tags and the second box be links of theme tags. Or you can have everything in one box, just delete all the parts that have $extra2. If you want to add more boxes, copy and paste this underneath the respective places:

var string extra3_title ="";
var string extra3_content ="";

$extra3_title = """<li class="sbartitle">Title of New Box 3</li>""";
$extra3_content = """<li class="sbaritem">Text for New Box 3. You can use HTML here if you want to.</li>""";

print_sidebar_box($extra3_title, $extra3_content);

Just change the number. And you move your boxes according to the print_sidebar_box order. If you have disable blurb & calendar, then you don't have to worry about that.

Now the content. You're already know how to link to the tags, right? (<a href=""></a>) For these codings, however, whenever you want a line break, you have to type in <br> so it will be like this:

<a href=""></a> <br>
<a href=""></a>

Also, underneath layerinfo "name" = "";, type in a name between "" so you can identify it later.

Once you're done, hit compile then go back to Customize Journal and underneath Theme, select your theme and hit on Select. You're done.

Note: if you encountered any error message when you hit compile, let me know. There are also codes that will add spaces between your post and tags as well as adding an entry "link" (http://www.livejournal.com/users/s2flexisquares/2307.html) and "edit tags" (http://www.livejournal.com/community/s2flexisquares/28368.html) next to leave a comment. Let me know if you want those too.

[wistfuljane.livejournal.com]

May I also suggest that you decrease the width of the sidebar by changing this: set sidebar_width = 165; I know you want your links to all be in one line, but there's all that empty space for the small link. You can differeniate them by adding + or [x] or whatever if you want. Or you could have your links be bullet points: <ul><li></li><li></li><ul>? That's up to you, however.

[thefourthvine.livejournal.com]

You are a wonderful human being. I mean that. Because I have conquered the hideousness, and it is all thanks to you.

*is overwhelmed with love*

And I'm planning to add the code for "link" and "edit tags" to my journal, as soon as I recover from the heady rush of having a fandom index, but I'm pretty sure I can get those from the posts you linked to. If I turn out to be overconfident about that, can I come back to you for help?

And, yes, I'd love the code for putting a space between the tags and the entry.

Thank you!

[wistfuljane.livejournal.com]

I should have linked this before, but this is the main tutorial (http://www.livejournal.com/community/s2flexisquares/26668.html) for tags.

In your set properties, add this to it:

set tags_aware = true;

And then add this before your sidebar boxes code or after, whichever will be easier for you: (eta: this will be over the character limit so see next comment)

You might want to compile all this in notepad and then copy & paste during advance customization.

And you're welcome. All of these codes are from s2flexisquares anyway. And you're welcome to ask any question and for any help. Good luck with the "edit tag" & link.

[wistfuljane.livejournal.com]

function Entry::print_metadata() {
if (size $.metadata > 0 or size $.tags > 0) { #altered so the metas area will print if you have tags
           var string currents = """<div class="clear"> </div><div class="clear"> </div>
           <div class="currents">""";

#added tag code
           if ($.tags) {
               $currents = $currents + """<div class="tag"><strong>$*text_tags</strong> """;  
               var int tcount = 0;
               foreach var Tag t ($.tags) {
                  $currents = """$currents<a href="$t.url">$t.name</a>""";
                  $tcount++;
                  if ($tcount != size $.tags) { $currents = """$currents, """; }
               }
               $currents = $currents + """</div>""";
            }
            foreach var string k ($.metadata) {
               var string text = $k;
               var string val = $.metadata{$k};
               if ($k == "mood") {
                   $text = $*text_meta_mood;
               }
               elseif ($k == "music") {
                   $text = $*text_meta_music;
               }
               if ($k == "mood" and defined $.mood_icon) {
                   var Image i = $.mood_icon;

                   $val = "<img src='$i.url' width='$i.width' height='$i.height' align='middle' alt='' /> $val";
               }
               $currents = $currents + """<div class="current$k"><strong>$text:</strong> $val</div>""";        
            }      
            $currents = $currents + "</div>";
            println "$currents";
}
}

[wistfuljane.livejournal.com]

Oh and you're probably annoyed by that # that appears next to your tags, right?

If so, then add this set text_tags = "Tags: ";

It will remove the #.

[norah.livejournal.com]

Oh my God. I want one liek yours but I am too stupid to follow directions. At least, today.

SO PRETTY.

And useful! And stuff!

[wistfuljane.livejournal.com]

I can help you with Component sidebar if you like. =)

And murlkins is testing his code to add a tags sidebar that will automatically update you tags that I'm also testing. You can see how it works in my journal and his/her test journal, murklinstest.

P.S. Happy Birthday!

[norah.livejournal.com]

Belated thanks! I love your guides on how to implement these things - I swear, maybe once this damn WiP is done.