HTML Editor IN the cache publication form

[+seldom|seen]

Is there any reason why Geocahcing.com can't incorporate a simple HTML editor as I see above this text as I am typing it so I can easily add text hotlinks, picture links ect. to the cache description while I am developing it? I am tired of coding all of the tags in by hand every time I publish a cache. I don't embelish very much and usually only tag stuff to call out clues to puzzles or and links to images or other web pages. It would be so much nicer to have the HTML editor tools right there at my disposal when entering my cache descriptions....

[+Bunganator]

I just have a separate word document with all of the codes that I just copy and past in. Then I change the text if necessary. It would be nice to have them on the publication page. I only see a coulpe problems:

1) There seem to be so many different commands to change texts and links and stuff that the tools would never be complete, even if you knew to manually change specific info within it.

2) It might give people that don't know how to use it even more trouble trying to do line breaks and links and everything. Even though they would learn through trial and error and asking others, I could see non computer saavy people digging themselves in a big hole just trying.

 

If there was ways to make it user friendly, maybe even a basic tutorial available, i could see it as beneficial.

[+seldom|seen]

I just have a separate word document with all of the codes that I just copy and past in. Then I change the text if necessary. It would be nice to have them on the publication page. I only see a coulpe problems:

1) There seem to be so many different commands to change texts and links and stuff that the tools would never be complete, even if you knew to manually change specific info within it.

2) It might give people that don't know how to use it even more trouble trying to do line breaks and links and everything. Even though they would learn through trial and error and asking others, I could see non computer saavy people digging themselves in a big hole just trying.

 

If there was ways to make it user friendly, maybe even a basic tutorial available, i could see it as beneficial.

 

All I'm asking for is the same HTML editor tool set that I get in this forum or the wi-geocaching forums when typing relpies like this where I can easily bold a line of copy or insert a hyperlink without having to code it all in by hand. It would make publishing caches a whole lot quicker for me than it currently is.

[+Miragee]

I'm sure someone who knows more of the details than I will come along to explain it better, but the software for these Forums is way different from the code on the GC.com site. With so many other more important things needed on the Site, I don't think they want to add code for the HTML shortcuts to the long list of "things to do."

[+seldom|seen]

I'm sure someone who knows more of the details than I will come along to explain it better, but the software for these Forums is way different from the code on the GC.com site. With so many other more important things needed on the Site, I don't think they want to add code for the HTML shortcuts to the long list of "things to do."

 

Seems to me that making cache publishing easier should be a high priority. I spend half of my time when devoloping caches going back and forth between the edit listing page and the pre-publish page checking to see if all of my hand coded <tag>s are placed in the right spots and that the page looks the way I want it to. in the process, I spend less time on the listing itself and it shows up with erroneous clues or misspellings.

 

I am constantly being asked by other cachers, "how I go about placing an image on a cache page", or "how do I create a hyperlink to another source of information". There are lots of creative cachers out there who aren't familiar with HTML tags and therefore are being limited by their own lack of knowledge.

 

I find it ironic that it is a simple matter to add flourishes to this forum page, where they're rarely needed {except to link to other listings} but a rather difficult matter to add flourishes to cache listings where they are.

 

Don't get me wrong, I don't want a whole bunch of juiced up cache listings with multi-color copy just for giggles, it should serve a purpose. On the other hand, for those of us who like to make captivating cache listings, it shouldn't be so laborious... if is doesn't have to be.

Edited February 2, 2008 by seldom|seen

[+Prime Suspect]

Seems to me that making cache publishing easier should be a high priority. I spend half of my time when devoloping caches going back and forth between the edit listing page and the pre-publish page checking to see if all of my hand coded <tag>s are placed in the right spots and that the page looks the way I want it to. in the process, I spend less time on the listing itself and it shows up with erroneous clues or misspellings.

Rule #1, keep modifications of off-the-shelf software to a minimum. Why? Because it becomes a nightmare when it's time to upgrade that software.

 

If a drop-in module already exists to do this, that's another story. But if not, sorry. I'd say it's not going to happen.

 

Besides, why not let people use whatever HTML editor they're comfortable with? It does, after all, make more sense to do this off-line, and then just send it to the site once, rather than hitting the server over and over, doing the testing on a live cache page. That also encourages people to keep an off-line copy of their cache page, just in case.

[knowschad]

Actually, that's not quite a HTML editor that you are using when you create a forum message. It is a BBC editor. They are similar, in that both are markup languages, but HTML is MUCH more complicated, particularily when it comes to support of new and/or obsolete standards. I agree that it would be sweet, and possible, but not easy to implement properly.

[+Driver Carries Cache]

Seems to me that making cache publishing easier should be a high priority. I spend half of my time when devoloping caches going back and forth between the edit listing page and the pre-publish page checking to see if all of my hand coded <tag>s are placed in the right spots and that the page looks the way I want it to. in the process, I spend less time on the listing itself and it shows up with erroneous clues or misspellings.

Rule #1, keep modifications of off-the-shelf software to a minimum. Why? Because it becomes a nightmare when it's time to upgrade that software.

 

If a drop-in module already exists to do this, that's another story. But if not, sorry. I'd say it's not going to happen.

 

Besides, why not let people use whatever HTML editor they're comfortable with? It does, after all, make more sense to do this off-line, and then just send it to the site once, rather than hitting the server over and over, doing the testing on a live cache page. That also encourages people to keep an off-line copy of their cache page, just in case.

 

Not to mention all the HTML you need for a cache posting can be learned in less than 5 minutes.

 

DCC

[+seldom|seen]

Seems to me that making cache publishing easier should be a high priority. I spend half of my time when devoloping caches going back and forth between the edit listing page and the pre-publish page checking to see if all of my hand coded <tag>s are placed in the right spots and that the page looks the way I want it to. in the process, I spend less time on the listing itself and it shows up with erroneous clues or misspellings.

Rule #1, keep modifications of off-the-shelf software to a minimum. Why? Because it becomes a nightmare when it's time to upgrade that software.

 

If a drop-in module already exists to do this, that's another story. But if not, sorry. I'd say it's not going to happen.

 

Besides, why not let people use whatever HTML editor they're comfortable with? It does, after all, make more sense to do this off-line, and then just send it to the site once, rather than hitting the server over and over, doing the testing on a live cache page. That also encourages people to keep an off-line copy of their cache page, just in case.

 

Not to mention all the HTML you need for a cache posting can be learned in less than 5 minutes.

 

DCC

 

I'm a graphic designer and even dabble in web design. But I tend to do everything through an interface and am just not HTML brained. It does take me some trial and error to get my pages right, even though I've published over 100 caches, most of which are in HTML and include graphics, marquees and the like. I'm just saying that it would be nice to have, even for me, a semi-capable cache publisher. The Goecaching community as a whole is no longer a bunch of tech savvy ah... somethings (perhaps that's how it began) but increasingly welcoming a greater number of people who have just enough skill to navigate a web site and use a GPS, which is just about every other person on the planet these days.

 

But if it is a nightmare to implement than forget it. I need to find a nice, easy to use (MAS OSX) HTML editor I guess. I will say that, all-in-all I find the process of publishing my cache more cumbersome painstaking than I think it should be.

[+Kojones]

I use Nvu for my HTML editing for cache pages. It's simple and easy to use! It's all saved off-line so I don't have to be connected to edit the pages. But, I agree, it would be cool to have the HTML editor.

 

Kojones