Feature Discussion - eFiction Community Forums

Skins

phillybilly — Tue, 01 Oct 2024 00:55:31 +0000

looking for help in creating new skins for an efiction web site. We have limited technical skills.

hits counter for custom pages and index page and text resizer for the site

Kate — Sat, 13 Jan 2018 15:33:53 +0000

Hi

would be nice to utilise the hits counter so it can be used on other pages and areas of the site not just for the stories. I would like to add this to the index page in the recent content and also available to use as an option on custom pages. I had trouble adding in php hits as the script does not like the php includes tag.

also I just had another idea, could the text resizer be included to work on the site like a block as I had to search for one for the whole site. This wuld be nice feature and useful. It could be in a block and also a finished linked to us block please.

regards Kate

Review responses

SnoWhiteSally — Sun, 09 Apr 2017 19:36:04 +0000

I'd love an option where you the author and the reviewer can communicate more than once, instead of them having to leave a new review.

Unable to migrate chapter text from data base.

Bob — Fri, 11 Nov 2016 09:44:51 +0000

We're in the process of creating our efiction software data for a mobile site software, but the migration can't locate the text in each of our chapters. We can migrate from the front end but it will take much more time. I'm hoping someone can explain where the text is stored for each chapter.

bob

Something like Bad Behavior?

Sue — Thu, 28 May 2015 11:03:16 +0000

I've just noticed the link on the bottom of this forum and checked it out. Looks impressive. Perhaps something like BB might be a good option for "Insert Name Here", especially for installations of it on shared hosting. Anything that could limit resource use and reduce bandwidth has got to be a good idea.

Allow characters in a category to filter down into sub-categories

Tarlan — Fri, 26 Sep 2014 19:13:50 +0000

eFiction 5.0 is great news!

The best way to describe a feature I'd like you to consider is to illustrate with an example, which I hope is clearer than the last time I asked about this possible feature as it was sadly misunderstood.

I have a multi-fandom Fiction archive that has a category for The Magnificent Seven. The fandom has a number of Alternate Universes, which I have made as sub-categories as it makes it easier for the reader to find what they want instantly without having to go to the advanced search. The problem is that I want to put the list of main characters in the top level category ONLY (The Magnificent Seven) and have them filter down into the lower level sub-categories automatically.

At the moment, I have a choice of:

1. setting each character up ONCE in the top level category (The Magnificent Seven) and then having to assign the story to BOTH that category AND to the sub-category
Disadvantage: the story is now listed under both top and sub category rather than just under the sub-category

Or

2. setting each character up in both top category AND in each of the 15 sub-categories.
Disadvantage: impossible to search for all stories with a particular character as the identical character name is now listed in the search under 16 different char ids.

At the moment, my way around it is to use a combination of option 1, and then when I have free time, going into pHpAdmin to manually add the charid to the story and remove the higher level category. It's obviously not idea and only works as I have a VERY small archive with low volume of traffic.

My thoughts:

table character
col1: charid (system generated unique key)
col2: character name
col3: description

table character-category
col1: charid
col2: catid

eg:
table character: 99, 'Chris Larabee', 'Leader of the Seven'
table character-category row 1: 99, 124
table character-category row 1: 99, 125
table character-category row 1: 99, 137
table character-category row 1: 99, 138

This way a single character can be assigned to multiple categories, and the admin could even be given the option when setting up a sub-category as to which character(s) can be filtered down from the top level.

Better anti-spam control

BlackFalcon — Wed, 20 Aug 2014 08:10:33 +0000

I hate to say this, but my current archive is getting hit with a ton of spam ATM. Disabling anonymous reviews doesn't help, cause the bots and human spammers can beat the current simple captcha. I say for a new version demands better spam control.

That's why I suggest Are You A Human? for anonymous reviews and registration. It stops all bots, and would greatly reduce the spam the staff of an archive would have to deal with.

Banners

Aliceinwonderbra — Thu, 29 May 2014 02:21:01 +0000

Sheep, might it be possible to include banners as part of the story submission form? Currently we're using them by adding them as part of the title, but it's a pain in the butt because then you can't browse the stories alphabetically. I also had to disable the title bar from displaying story titles because it would have the HTML in it. :-)

Framework

Sue — Mon, 19 May 2014 11:43:52 +0000

Hi Sheepy (may I call you Sheepy?)

I've been thinking a lot about what I'd like to see as part of the new eFiction, but after trying to create a new skin (with some added functionality) I think my biggest wish would be for the new software to have a framework. That is, a identifiable method and way of coding that allows people to see what's happening easily.

For example, where I worked we (and I use the term 'we' in the team sense - I didn't actually program anything) used a framework called Fusebox. So, although I didn't cut code, I could figure out what bit of code did what and change whatever was necessary without having to get into the guts of the thing. Also, in that framework or method, instead of code (for say, a title or author links) being duplicated throughout a program, a "fuse" or single bit of code was called where required. Even the naming convention of the codey bits gave a hint as to what did what.

Now, I'm not suggesting that you Fusebox your code, but I would ask that you consider "fusing" or "widgetising" the code where possible.

So, although it's not a feature in the end user sense, it would certainly be a feature in the developer of plugins sense.

I hope this made sense. I don't want to tell you how to program (you may already be using a system, if so disregard this whole post). And let me know if you don't want to be called Sheepy. :unsure:

Sue

export to pdf

Methen — Sat, 17 May 2014 18:23:18 +0000

It would be nice to have a feature that will allow a reader to export the story to a pdf file and save it for future reading...