User talk:Nicjansma

TOC Question

• Nic, I have some basic experience as an editor at wikipedia.com, but am far from being an expert. Do you know how to create the Tables of Content that appear on longer articles? TOCs are extremely helpful in navigating. Revanche 10:13, 17 September 2006 (CDT)
  • Belay my last: it is created automatically, apparently, when enough sections have been added. Revanche 12:00, 17 September 2006 (CDT)
    • Yep -- you can also supress it by __NOTOC__, force it with __FORCETOC__, and put it in a specific place with __TOC__. The Help:Magic_words section shows others as well. Nicjansma 14:45, 17 September 2006 (CDT)
      • Excellent info. I've learned so much just trying to add to these pages...much more than I have at Wikipedia. I'm working on learning templates now. Revanche 23:21, 17 September 2006 (CDT)

Admin's User Page

• Also, you of all editors (admins?) here need a viable user page. You've got a great start on the main page, where you detail your efforts for the BT community. Revanche 10:13, 17 September 2006 (CDT)
  • Agreed, thanks for pointing that out! Nicjansma 14:45, 17 September 2006 (CDT)

Planet Pics

• Feedback: I like the new two-jump pictures for each of the planets. Tres cool. What's the source? Revanche 00:12, 18 September 2006 (CDT)
  • Good to hear! It took a while to generate all of that stuff, but I think it's pretty helpful. It's from this data file: [1]. I think there's a wealth of information in the file archive that I want to get onto the site, I'm going to try to work on stuff more this week. Oh, check the ToDo page when you have some time... maybe that'll be a good place to track progress? Nicjansma 01:01, 18 September 2006 (CDT)
    • Looks like we may be in-synch, as I just stumbled across the wanted pages. I've started (for lack of a less impressive word) BattleMech, just to get it blue-linked. Regarding the planetary pics, what program did you use to visualize the data? An early version of HM Astro? Revanche 01:18, 18 September 2006 (CDT) Edit: too cool. BattleMech 'automagically' came off the list. Revanche 01:20, 18 September 2006 (CDT)
      • For the planetary pics, I actually generated them from within C#, there's a great image library. Nicjansma 10:16, 24 September 2006 (CDT)

Infoboxes and Templates

• Ok, I'm really only learning that things I think I know aren't really so. I'm trying to figure out infoboxes (think they qualify as templates), but every time I copy code from MediaWiki or Wikipedia's Help, the box is not...boxed and on the right. I'm pretty much at an impasse. If you have any hints on this, then I can start moving forward again. I'll keep looking, but any help you provide would be much appreciated. Revanche 14:26, 18 September 2006 (CDT)
  • Nic, have you learned anything regarding info boxes? I've got a few more nights of working that would be good for this kind of leg work. Revanche 23:30, 23 September 2006 (CDT)
    • I was talking with the guys over at MechWikia, and it sounds like the Info boxes automagically go to the right and in a box once there's enough content on the page. Haven't tested this out. Nicjansma 10:16, 24 September 2006 (CDT)
      • That doesn't make sense to me. I can see the code involved with each box I've come across om Wikipedia. It refers to a template (hope I'm not using that term wrong) for a specifically-crafted box. Maybe what they mean is, when you insert the code on a given page and fill in the fields for that article (ex: insert code for a weapons box, and insert the data for the small laser), it only shows those fields you filled in. Meh...the help stuff at wiki and mediawiki haven't been to clear for a novice editor. Revanche 22:47, 24 September 2006 (CDT)
        • Whoo-hoo...figured it out for myself, thanks to the use of one at MechWikia. Check this out! Also, I've taken my lessons and I don't wanta forget 'em, so I'm starting a series of Quick Article 'templates,' where editors can grab the code for specific types of articles (forming communities) and not have to worry about actually inserting templates. That's now my big project. I'll build each quick article and four examples. Hopefully, the souls will pick up from there. Revanche 05:42, 26 September 2006 (CDT)
      • As for MechWikia, how's it going? Are they open to setting up shop here? Revanche 22:47, 24 September 2006 (CDT) Edit: I started poking around again on MechWikia and I saw your post there regarding joining forces. As they didn't respond there, and you don't have a registration on their page, I was wondering if you had gotten a response from them. Looking around on their site, they have a lot of work done on 'mechs, which would be a huge resource for this site. Likewise, you have tons of information I feel they just could not easily replicate on their site. As sheer data goes, I imagine you have hundreds of more pages [looks like over 2,600 to his 65] and it'd be easier - right now - to port their articles over here. If you'd like, I'd be glad to speak with them also, but I wanted to make sure it was okay to represent Sarna. Revanche 00:33, 25 September 2006 (CDT)
        • I've spoken with Kevin (Some_Guy) over at MechWikia via email, and he seems fairly receptive towards combining projects -- it sounds like he's willing to bring his resources over to Sarna.net. We're still chatting, but things are proceeding smoothly! Let's hope he's going to come help out! Nicjansma 04:49, 25 September 2006 (CDT)
          • Excellent! He welcomed me on my talk page over there and I expressed my interest in the merger, in response. Revanche 20:51, 25 September 2006 (CDT)

Policies

• Nic, how do you feel about me working on some SarnaWiki policies? For example, the three-revert rule, community consensus decision-making process, vote calls and vote processes. If you're interested, I'll start looking to see how wikipedia does it and bring some starter ideas over here. (Reason I ask is because of the discussion I started with Rantamplan over his 'My neveron history' article. Having a policy of voting would be helpful, especially in these early days (unless you want it to be by admins' fiat, until the article submission process is firmly established).) Revanche 20:57, 25 September 2006 (CDT)

Special Pages: Active Users

• Nic, do you have the option of adding the 'Active User List' page to 'Special Pages for all users?' Its valuable in that it reduces the users list to only those that have made changes or created pages. I've seen it at MechWikia.Revanche 02:33, 26 September 2006 (CDT)