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Disc: Category Browser
Hi!

I'm going to post some of the new feature/design changes so that people can see where we are going and post any comments.

One of the new features is our Category Browser. This is a javascript based tree that will let you easily manage your category structure.

It is designed for large directories. It will only load your first level of categories, and when you click on a category that has _not_ been loaded, it will load that subcategory. Any category you have already clicked on will be cached and not need to be reloaded. It's designed for very large directories and will make managing sites with 10,000+ categories very easy.

It also improves category management by:

- Deleting a category will delete all subcategories and links in that category.
- Moving a category will move all subcategories and links to the new position.
- To move a category, you simply click "Move" and then click on the category you want to move it to.
- You can also move links and copy links (i.e. place in alternate categories) simply by clicking on the category you want them to go to.

This will also be the base for the new editor system. The browser can be "rooted" at any subcategory, and only allow changes to within that category. It is smart enough to know that if a link is in two categories, one outside of your control, you won't be able to update that link (thereby affecting something outside of your area).

Cheers,

Alex

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Gossamer Threads Inc.
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Re: Disc: Category Browser In reply to
Sounds great Alex.
I think that you are certainly doing great work in giving us teasers on your new product just like MGM, Warner Brothers etc. before they launch an action packed blockbuster movie with their trailers etc.

Just can't wait to see it on a screen near me :-)


Jag

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Re: Disc: Category Browser In reply to
This is the feature I've been waiting 3 months for!

I can't wait to be able to use it! Right now my directory is on hold. With a directory of it's complexity, it makes it almost impossible to manage without something like this.

Great job on implementing this !

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Re: Disc: Category Browser In reply to
Sounds great to me...however, I hope that it would be flexible enough not to use it if we don't want to do.

Regards,

Eliot Lee

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Re: Disc: Category Browser In reply to
Alex, I hate to be a thorn in everyone's side... but wouldn't this be a perfect use of .php ??

(I realize that most sites won't have it, but many,many sites will.... and more sites seem to offer PHP than mod_perl).

Javascript is great, but wouldn't the same thing be able to be done with PHP, using direct database calls? (Since categories know where they are, etc?)

This is an interface issue, with database operations, and that is just what PHP was made for. In a limited access environment like the Admin area, it would seem to offer additional features, and even start to create a mod_perl/php integration.

(I know, I know... I'm putting on my raincoat now.....)

http://www.postcards.com
FAQ: http://www.postcards.com/FAQ/LinkSQL/

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Re: Disc: Category Browser In reply to
Yes, this is optional, you still have the same admin interface as before, this is in addition.

As for PHP, no, the reason to do it in Javascript is so you don't have to go to the database everytime. It works as follows:

All first level categories are loaded when the browser inits.

Clicking on a category will call the database and load that categories subcategories.

You can then close and reopen that part of the tree _without_ going to the database.

Make sense?

Cheers,

Alex

--
Gossamer Threads Inc.
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Re: Disc: Category Browser In reply to
Hello Alex!

That would be nice to have a solution of Categories. I am not completely sure if this is the very best system to force people using Java-scripts and many have them de-activated. However thats your decision.

What important to note is that:

Everytime a Category tree is loaded, it loads the entire path i.e. Category/Sub_Category/XXX in the browser. This is results in transfering bytes that "May be unnecessary" if one does not want.

Therefore I suggest that:

If there is an option given to the admin or ? user to turn it on or off can be very helpful. May be for the user it may not be absolutely necessary as he may already know the earlier step. For the admin it could help. Admin may not always need to look in to that path. For e.g. whenever I Validated I was not interested in their categories but in their description if it contained abusive things. Here the very long path of the categories was not necessary and that could be saved by turning the option on of off. There is already designed variable of short path and the full path of the categories.

Further there also should be a warning from the javascript to turn it on + browser checking the version if it is able to continue.

Moreover it should be also backward compatible.

Seems like that you have entered the Arena of Java and if you would Master it as Good as MySQL acrobatics that you have shown in Links SQL that the Future Next Generation seems to be really bright. Can`nt Wait.

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Re: Disc: Category Browser In reply to
In Reply To:
Everytime a Category tree is loaded, it loads the entire path i.e. Category/Sub_Category/XXX in the browser. This is results in transfering bytes that "May be unnecessary" if one does not want.
No, only Category would be loaded. Category/Sub_Category would only be loaded if the user clicked on Category.

Also, this does not force the user to use this. You will still be able to manage category/links like you can now in Links SQL.

Cheers,

Alex

--
Gossamer Threads Inc.
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Re: Disc: Category Browser In reply to
I don't really understand how this thing works,

I know that you can make the pull down menus etc with Javascript - but how do you do it with dynamic - as you can't query a database with Javascript.

Hmm... Just remembered the side bar of PhpMyAdmin uses javascript to do sorta what your talking about, gonna have a look at the code now.

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Re: Disc: Category Browser In reply to
Hello Alex!

Thanks.

But then page.cgi will be useless.

It is really hard for me to beleive there could be any better solution other than MySQL query each time. This will ofcourse use connect but not that great overloads in there. However, it would allow all other features to be integrated in the superb way like page.cgi etc.

What about such paths in the database. If Main cats you want to load through Java it still needs references in the tables.

By SQL queries on Categories, you have many more extra advantage. Instead of an extra table for related table and values etc., if there is one MASTER Table for Categories and other MASTER Table for Links every thing could be handled from there by associated values in columns. First one queries which are the main Categories and presents, further steps would be similar to the first step.

By the way is it only an improvement in the management or also on the user side? User side is naturally very important.


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Re: Disc: Category Browser In reply to
Never mind,

After looking at the PhpMyAdmin nav bar thing I realised how easy it was to do, I was confused thinking that you thought you could somehow get the Javascript to make the SQL queries :)

Anyway, I think, like PugDog said this would be good thing to do in PHP, and so would page.cgi - A page.php file for those people without Mod_Perl that want to show the pages dynamically would be a good feature.

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