Dreamweaver - Re: cool FAQ page [follow up]

Author

Re: cool FAQ page [follow up]

Pablo

2006-02-07, 10:53 pm

Great stuff Thierry.

Cheers

Pablo
.....................................
www.dellwebsites.com
.....................................

"Thierry | www.TJKDesign.com" <thierry@212utah.invalid> wrote in message
news:drt8ro$fqo$1@forums.macromedia.com...
> Following a "bug report" (not in the script, but in a browser), I have
> made
> a few changes to the original solution.
> Also, it uses *images* now (thanks to Michael from
> http://valleywebdesigns.com/ who suggested to add this feature).
>
> http://www.tjkdesign.com/articles/toggle_elements.asp
>
> --
> Thierry | http://www.TJKDesign.com | CSS-P Templates + Articles:
> CSS Popups, CSS 3 Column Layout, CSS Tabs, CSS Dropdown Menu,
> TIP Method, Sliced Images, Clean Popup Windows, Easy Maintenance.....
>
>

Thierry | www.TJKDesign.com

2006-02-07, 10:53 pm

Pablo wrote:
> Great stuff Thierry.

Thanks Pablo.

--
Thierry | http://www.TJKDesign.com | CSS-P Templates + Articles:
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clintonG

2006-02-07, 10:53 pm

Very nice but the UI is not done yet. Change the + and the - in the image to
a ? and modify the tooltip text to a declarative statement "Click to show or
hide the answer." Remember the English teachers talking about "passive
voice?" Don't use the passive voice in tooltips and don't use words
delineated with slashes such as show/hide.

Given the time I'm very interested in the code too. DynamicDrive has two
excellent scripts for collapsible content both of which are extensible and
scalable but complex and time consuming to edit if content is not planned
well.

For example a list of items 1-7 and all of a sudden a new item has to be
inserted in between item 2 and item 3. How does the code cope with that
Thierry?

<%= Clinton Gallagher
NET csgallagher AT metromilwaukee.com
URL http://clintongallagher.metromilwaukee.com/

"Thierry | www.TJKDesign.com" <thierry@212utah.invalid> wrote in message
news:drt8ro$fqo$1@forums.macromedia.com...
> Following a "bug report" (not in the script, but in a browser), I have
> made
> a few changes to the original solution.
> Also, it uses *images* now (thanks to Michael from
> http://valleywebdesigns.com/ who suggested to add this feature).
>
> http://www.tjkdesign.com/articles/toggle_elements.asp
>
> --
> Thierry | http://www.TJKDesign.com | CSS-P Templates + Articles:
> CSS Popups, CSS 3 Column Layout, CSS Tabs, CSS Dropdown Menu,
> TIP Method, Sliced Images, Clean Popup Windows, Easy Maintenance.....
>
>

darrel

2006-02-07, 10:55 pm

> Very nice but the UI is not done yet. Change the + and the - in the image
> to
> a ?

That wouldn't make nearly as much sense IMHO. The +/- is pretty unversal in
meaning (collapse/expand) and having a question mark before the question
would look a bit odd.

Granted, the questions in the sample should probably all be actual questions
(ie, with a question mark)

> and modify the tooltip text to a declarative statement "Click to show or
> hide the answer." Remember the English teachers talking about "passive
> voice?" Don't use the passive voice in tooltips and don't use words
> delineated with slashes such as show/hide.

The problem is that 'click' is implied online. That's how you interact with
the page, so using 'click or click here' is somewhat redundant.

-Darrel

Thierry | www.TJKDesign.com

2006-02-07, 10:55 pm

Hi Clinton,

> Very nice but the UI is not done yet. Change the + and the - in the
> image to a ?

LOL
That's exactly what I started with, but then I though the "?" is not a good
enough visual clue of the expanding/collapsing behavior. And that users are
already familiar with the +/- sign. I also tried right arrow

> and modify the tooltip text to a declarative statement
> "Click to show or hide the answer." Remember the English teachers
> talking about "passive voice?" Don't use the passive voice in
> tooltips and don't use words delineated with slashes such as
> show/hide.

Good point. Even though I don't remember the english teachers ;-)

> Given the time I'm very interested in the code too. DynamicDrive has
> two excellent scripts for collapsible content both of which are
> extensible and scalable but complex and time consuming to edit if
> content is not planned well.
>
> For example a list of items 1-7 and all of a sudden a new item has to
> be inserted in between item 2 and item 3. How does the code cope with
> that Thierry?

It will expand and collapse evrything you throw at it. You can change the
order of your DTs/DDs, add a few or delete a few it will make no difference

--
Thierry | http://www.TJKDesign.com | CSS-P Templates + Articles:
CSS Popups, CSS 3 Column Layout, CSS Tabs, CSS Dropdown Menu,
TIP Method, Sliced Images, Clean Popup Windows, Easy Maintenance.....

[color=darkred]
> <%= Clinton Gallagher
> NET csgallagher AT metromilwaukee.com
> URL http://clintongallagher.metromilwaukee.com/
>
>
>
>
> "Thierry | www.TJKDesign.com" <thierry@212utah.invalid> wrote in
> message news:drt8ro$fqo$1@forums.macromedia.com...

Thierry | www.TJKDesign.com

2006-02-07, 10:55 pm

Walt F. Schaefer wrote:
> "Show/hide the answer" is *not* passive voice. It is *clearly* active
> voice.

"Shows/Hides the answers" would be passive voice, am I correct?

--
Thierry | http://www.TJKDesign.com | CSS-P Templates + Articles:
CSS Popups, CSS 3 Column Layout, CSS Tabs, CSS Dropdown Menu,
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Walt F. Schaefer

2006-02-07, 10:55 pm

"Show/hide the answer" is *not* passive voice. It is *clearly* active voice.

Walt

"clintonG" <csgallagher@REMOVETHISTEXTmetromilwaukee.com> wrote in message
news:drtd8q$m71$1@forums.macromedia.com...
> Very nice but the UI is not done yet. Change the + and the - in the image
to
> a ? and modify the tooltip text to a declarative statement "Click to show
or
> hide the answer." Remember the English teachers talking about "passive
> voice?" Don't use the passive voice in tooltips and don't use words
> delineated with slashes such as show/hide.
>
> Given the time I'm very interested in the code too. DynamicDrive has two
> excellent scripts for collapsible content both of which are extensible and
> scalable but complex and time consuming to edit if content is not planned
> well.
>
> For example a list of items 1-7 and all of a sudden a new item has to be
> inserted in between item 2 and item 3. How does the code cope with that
> Thierry?
>
>
> <%= Clinton Gallagher
> NET csgallagher AT metromilwaukee.com
> URL http://clintongallagher.metromilwaukee.com/
>
>
>
>
> "Thierry | www.TJKDesign.com" <thierry@212utah.invalid> wrote in message
> news:drt8ro$fqo$1@forums.macromedia.com...
>
>

clintonG

2006-02-07, 10:55 pm

<snip />

>
> It will expand and collapse evrything you throw at it. You can change the
> order of your DTs/DDs, add a few or delete a few it will make no
> difference
>
<snip />

I haven't studied your code but that answer sounds good, real good. The
DynamicDrive scripts require a set of alphanumeric IDs in the HTML for each
set of collapsible content. The numeric value of the IDs must be
incrementally consistent. Putting a new item in between item 2 and 3 in a
list of let's say 10 items is very time consuming and fraught with error
when reordering the alphanumeric IDs.
It will be enlightening to learn how you avoided that design problem.

<%= Clinton Gallagher

Walt F. Schaefer

2006-02-07, 10:55 pm

I'm a little uncertain. But, "By clicking here answer is shown/hidden" is
*definitely* passive.

Classic examples:
John kicked the ball. ACTIVE
The ball was kicked by John. PASSIVE

Walt

"Thierry | www.TJKDesign.com" <thierry@212utah.invalid> wrote in message
news:drtrcr$c30$1@forums.macromedia.com...
> Walt F. Schaefer wrote:
>
> "Shows/Hides the answers" would be passive voice, am I correct?
>
> --
> Thierry | http://www.TJKDesign.com | CSS-P Templates + Articles:
> CSS Popups, CSS 3 Column Layout, CSS Tabs, CSS Dropdown Menu,
> TIP Method, Sliced Images, Clean Popup Windows, Easy Maintenance.....
>
>

darrel

2006-02-07, 10:55 pm

> I haven't studied your code but that answer sounds good, real good. The
> DynamicDrive scripts require a set of alphanumeric IDs in the HTML for
> each set of collapsible content.

In general, places like DynamicDrive seem seem to have a large stockpile of
older scripts that don't take the whole 'unobtrusive' philosphy to heart.

-Darrel

Thierry | www.TJKDesign.com

2006-02-07, 10:55 pm

clintonG wrote:
> <snip />
>
> <snip />
>
> I haven't studied your code but that answer sounds good, real good.
> The DynamicDrive scripts require a set of alphanumeric IDs in the
> HTML for each set of collapsible content. The numeric value of the
> IDs must be incrementally consistent. Putting a new item in between
> item 2 and 3 in a list of let's say 10 items is very time consuming
> and fraught with error when reordering the alphanumeric IDs.
> It will be enlightening to learn how you avoided that design problem.

There is no attribute to plug in the DTs or DDs, so there is no issue
related to ordering/deleting/adding pairs (DT/DD).

--
Thierry | http://www.TJKDesign.com | CSS-P Templates + Articles:
CSS Popups, CSS 3 Column Layout, CSS Tabs, CSS Dropdown Menu,
TIP Method, Sliced Images, Clean Popup Windows, Easy Maintenance.....

Michael Fesser

2006-02-07, 10:55 pm

..oO(clintonG)

>I haven't studied your code but that answer sounds good, real good. The
>DynamicDrive scripts require a set of alphanumeric IDs in the HTML for each
>set of collapsible content. The numeric value of the IDs must be
>incrementally consistent. Putting a new item in between item 2 and 3 in a
>list of let's say 10 items is very time consuming and fraught with error
>when reordering the alphanumeric IDs.
>It will be enlightening to learn how you avoided that design problem.

The script simply loops through all list elements on startup and applies
some JS code to them.

Micha

Donna Casey

2006-02-07, 10:55 pm

Walt F. Schaefer wrote:
> I'm a little uncertain. But, "By clicking here answer is shown/hidden" is
> *definitely* passive.
>

Active:
When written in active voice, the subject performs the action expressed
in the verb; the subject acts.

Passive:
When written in passive voice, the subject receives the action expressed
in the verb; the subject is acted upon.

:Donna