July 23, 2009

Late July Addendum

Items on the waiting list.

  1. New front page layout and information
  2. Creator/Character pages (via search and relation)
  3. remove.association API method
  4. Stream extension bugs (0.1.4.8)
  5. User statistics on /timeline
  6. Insert tracking (partially the additions API method)
  7. Variation data/field sizing (which titles are most complete)
  8. Cron jobs to remove invalid @replies
  9. Apply new stream parsing class
  10. Reflections view (similar to associations)
  11. Stream item editing (context, timestamp, message)

Various involvement level, but I’m terrible at judging what to do first versus what will accomplish the largest gain. So let’s see if we can be vocal. Some of the more important issues are items 1, 4, 7, and 8, because they affect currently operating methods (although a front page is needed for aesthetics… important, but I’m terribly inefficient. New items would be 11, 9, 5, 3, and 2. These tend to take the longest time because they lack API methods and the interface (having a method makes things quicker). So what’s left? Items 6 and 10, both which have existing methods, but need interfaces.

Now let’s take a look at the important ones, in terms of time-consumption (I’m sitting here wasting time writing this.. lol).

  • Front page: This will take a while given that styling is not my forte in any situation (even if my life was on the line).
  • Extension: I actually enjoy this, and though development goes very quick, there is a tendency to over-progress for the good of time. Still, these are quick fixes.
  • Data completion rating: This would be 1-2 days for the proper db scheming, but it only requires GET methods. Given this would be useful for editors, I’m sure they could work with a very basic XSL overlay (hopefully).
  • Removing phantom @: Right, this would be rather quick, since it is all in the DB and there is no need to have proper classes etc to perform maintenance (nothing would get finish otherwise).

Taking care of @replies, the extension, and the front page seem to be the most immanent and reasonable on time.

Updated 2009 Aug 28: crossed items which have been taken care of.

April 19, 2009

Firefox Stream Extens

Version at 0.1.3.4

Will use this post as a feature/bug track (really shouldn’t).

Download is here. Extension is update aware, so further versions will be available without direct download.

Some initial issues:

  • stream is blank when not logged in
  • not aware of disconnect/no auth
  • no way to announce to stream (see note)
  • cannot delete update directly from extension
  • no title suggestion on context box
  • no preference dialog
  • relative time does not update (no time shown)

Anything else?

  • There is no method of filtering announce vs non-announce updates (client-side)
  • There is no smart message length awareness (with http-link calculation)

Features

Announce

Currently the extension supports actions and announce. Announce may also be given basis/range by way of title format. The benefit of announcing is that it is treated as a special action, and though it is intended for media player plugins and scripts, there is no issues using manually.

To announce an experience, the action must be from the -Announce- section of the select box. The context type must be of a media-type, and a title must be give. The format for including basis/range (ie. episode 06) is as follows:

TITLE@BASIS:RANGE

Where TITLE is the name of the work, BASIS is of:

  • arc
  • chapter
  • episode
  • issue
  • part
  • season
  • segment
  • track
  • volume

RANGE is allowed variable characters up to 32. Example:

Gone With The Wind@chapter:05

Announce is important, as the stream can be filtered of announcements or unspoiled, in order to hide messages contained within announcements. While these filters are not available yet in the extension, the backend supports it. Announce is also important as it is a way in which to inadvertantly log experiences to corresponding states. One example would be if a user announces they are watching a series at given episode it will set their experience to current if there was no previous experience state.

Sticky

As of 0.1.3.4, there is a Stick checkbox, which is suitable when wishing to update on the same context (esp. announce) multiple times. Stick keeps the panel open and does not clear the context-name, type, or action fields upon posting. Minimizing/hiding is also disabled when sticky.

The advantage is that title@basis:range information need not be entered more than once. This does not change the necessity of a title Suggest panel, but it does help.