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#1 2006-02-23 12:30:30

Raven
Member
Registered: 2006-01-25
Posts: 21

Sort the category list

Hi,

I would like to sort the list of linked categories I can call via the tag txp:category_list, preferably directly or per ID.

Currently this list is ordered alphabetically, which gives quite curious results as the sorting is drawn from transliterated Russian.

Greetings

Raven

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#2 2006-02-23 15:26:51

els
Moderator
From: The Netherlands
Registered: 2004-06-06
Posts: 7,458

Re: Sort the category list

txp:category_list can only sort alphabetically. If you want a different sort order, you can either handcode the list, or use one of several plugins.

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#3 2006-02-23 16:10:45

thebombsite
Archived Plugin Author
From: Exmouth, England
Registered: 2004-08-24
Posts: 3,251
Website

Re: Sort the category list

You could also use the “txp:if_different” and the “article_custom” tag which would allow more flexible sorting for a category listing and would also allow you to output lists which are section specific.


Stuart

In a Time of Universal Deceit
Telling the Truth is Revolutionary.

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#4 2006-02-23 18:34:36

Raven
Member
Registered: 2006-01-25
Posts: 21

Re: Sort the category list

Hi,

thanks for the suggestions. I was searching under Categories ;-)

I tried wow-menu but got no display of the menu, is that compatible with 4.0.3? Which one would you suggest for the goal?

Greetings

R

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#5 2006-02-24 08:58:30

Raven
Member
Registered: 2006-01-25
Posts: 21

Re: Sort the category list

Hi again,

ok – wow-menu won’t work, though I finally got it to display, it isn’t working in IE (and the later user is not savvy enough to even install FF, nor does he like anything but IE) and produced errors. A pity as it appears it might have done the job else.

Any other ideas?

Greetings

R

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#6 2006-02-24 15:51:49

thebombsite
Archived Plugin Author
From: Exmouth, England
Registered: 2004-08-24
Posts: 3,251
Website

Re: Sort the category list

Well if you used my method you could get an “unordered list” of categories which you could style into a menu with CSS.


Stuart

In a Time of Universal Deceit
Telling the Truth is Revolutionary.

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#7 2006-02-24 17:45:36

Raven
Member
Registered: 2006-01-25
Posts: 21

Re: Sort the category list

Hi Stuart,

well, I need a SORTED list of category links in the sidebar. And I need to be able to sort it myself, not alphabetically ;-)

Wow-menu could have done this, if it worked with IE instead of only Mozilla/FF. I found no other method short of hardcoding. And hardcoding (which apparently is needed for a lot of customization) isn’t truly an option either, if I want to hand over the installation to a non-tech-savvy person. I fear I have to abandon TXP and go for a more enduser-friendly system.

Greetings

R.

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#8 2006-02-24 19:55:30

Mary
Sock Enthusiast
Registered: 2004-06-27
Posts: 6,236

Re: Sort the category list

What does “preferably directly” mean? Would that not be the same as making the list yourself?

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#9 2006-02-24 21:48:17

Raven
Member
Registered: 2006-01-25
Posts: 21

Re: Sort the category list

Hi again,

“directly” as in not hardcoding something into the template, instead having the function in the backend to sort the category list according to one’s wishes. Easily. And in just about any way I want to sort, too.

That’s the problem I currently have with lots of TXP’s adjustments. I’m setting up a blog for a person knowing next to nothing about HTML, PHP or web apps in general. He can write a post in a forum or on one of the blogging sites, but anything which would ask insight into HTML etc. is out of his league entirely.

Thus, while I of course could hardcode any sorting order I like into the template, he won’t be able to simply add a new category when he needs to and to sort them all again the way he wants to. While I just might teach him to use an application mask where he can decide what item goes where, I sure can’t teach him to delve into PHP/HTML to change a hard coded order or add something new directly in such a hardcoded list.

And the same problem appears to apply to a lot of functions of TXP. It’s not geared to work for non-geeks.

Greetings

Raven

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#10 2006-02-24 22:14:00

Mary
Sock Enthusiast
Registered: 2004-06-27
Posts: 6,236

Re: Sort the category list

Textpattern isn’t blog software. It can be used to power blogs, but that isn’t it’s focus. Though I agree, there should be sort order (as well as descriptions) for categories. You’ll likely find WordPress more suited to your friend/client.

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#11 2006-02-25 07:22:03

Raven
Member
Registered: 2006-01-25
Posts: 21

Re: Sort the category list

Hi Mary,

well, I wouldn’t call it a CMS or CMR either. ;-) It’s lacking too many functions for those (privileges-permissions, workflow, collaborative work, multilinguality, deep navigation etc.). For the geek a nice lean pluggable base for a blog maybe. I so far quite like it.

But that doesn’t help me much, it’s not geared to the ultimate goal I wanted to use it for. I already looked into WP and Nucleus, but found their UTF-8 support somewhat lacking compared to TXP. But… better a blog with non-localizable parts than a blog he can’t post to and manage by himself. :-) I didn’t want to forever jump in whenever he wants to change something.

Greetings

Raven

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