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Re: [contrib] Project: TXP Subway Map
> Anyone understand how it works?
Not sure, but after a quick look at the markup, the tutorial and the php, i think:
The php deliveres the xml*-data on that the *charts.swf calculates the charts
If this could be a solotion for your map-dilemma.
Find someone hows doing the flash and i do the php -> xml :)
Perhaps a little much work for a subway map of txp, but lets see.
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Re: [contrib] Project: TXP Subway Map
Yes, let’s see. This could be updatable as Destry suggests and tho I have little experience with Flash I believe it can be accessible. And it should be a lite load as it only would draw lines . . .
Find someone hows doing the flash and i do the php -> xml :)
You’re on . . .
Anybody around who likes to pick up the idea and transform it into a little project :)?
Well, Alex. I can register it as a project on the forum and I’m happy to “hold it together” and do what I can for it. Anyone else besides Basitian want to work on this? As I’ve said I’ll continue to work on pulling the resource links themselves together. They can export out of Freemind as an XML file. I can start a folder somewhere to store project bits and files. What else do we need. I’ll e Anark and see if he wants in.
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Re: [contrib] Project: TXP Subway Map
Another one on “php and grafik”
jpgraph
This one comes without flash, it generates .jpg.
But before starting the subway-map, we should toke some time, to think about a proofen concept of organizing the stations.
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#16 2006-03-02 14:11:51
- alexandra
- Member
- From: Cologne, Germany
- Registered: 2004-04-02
- Posts: 1,370
Re: [contrib] Project: TXP Subway Map
Just a couple of sidenotes:
- get a designer doing the maps design first
- keep it simple, really simple
- i recommend flash/xml (very flexible and great interactivity)
- start with a simple map
- better a simple map than none
I remember a site using txp, flash and xml… can´t remember authors name but will look it up on the forum and post it here later on
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Re: [contrib] Project: TXP Subway Map
Anark says he will consult on this and I’ve e-ed mr.riff and invited him to join the fun. I agree Alex, simple is usually the place to start. So we’re looking for a graphic artist to draw this baby? Sorry to say that tho my background is Art it’s not in drawing. I used to argue with my teachers — I said I have a camera to capture reality and otherwise I draw with objects. (I did assemblage and other abstract work.)
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Re: [contrib] Project: TXP Subway Map
And because of my abstract orientation this map screams textpattern at me.
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Re: [contrib] Project: TXP Subway Map
i hear the map screaming, but i don`t understand what.
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Re: [contrib] Project: TXP Subway Map
Flash master is mr.riff from India
I’m terribly sorry, but that’s one heck of an overstatement!
My experience with flash is very much limited – all I did was parse a very simple xml file into an array in actionscript, which then sent out a set of variables (upon mouse events such as onclick and onrollover) to javascript which, in turn, did all the dirty work.
This project sounds quite fun, innovative & inspiring.
As for how this is executed, I see two very simple (and somewhat crude) ways:
- The xml file that’s generated could contain a complete hierarchical structure of all projects, contributers & urls. Flash could then parse it and generate a map in real time accordingly. This method relies heavily on flash, won’t be search engine friendly and will take some time load (along with some cpu power). It’s also quite above my level of expertise.
- Alternatively, The entire map could be rendered in xhtml/css (which really isn’t that hard if you use txp :P ), and each element could be hidden with css. Flash would then parse a simpler xml file which would only contain the id’s of the elements that contain data (like project, contributors), and send out data to javascript which would then unhide the relative html elements. This method is very search engine/accessbility friendly, and shouldn’t take too long to load. We could even make this interactive as well.
The reason why I suggest flash for xml parsing is because I find flash to be more robust than javascript (and much, much more lightweight).
However, those two methods are very, very simple – and they don’t even come close to the elegance of ajax (which wouldn’t be search engine/accessibility friendly, now that I think of it) – and ajax is way over my head..
An exciting project, nonetheless.
I’ve PIZZA.
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Re: [contrib] Project: TXP Subway Map
nardo wrote: the benefit of cities/suburbs etc (as opposed to just flat subway maps) is that importance/activity/relationship is represented graphically
I think there’s ways of successfully communicating “importance/activity/relationship” without all the unnecessary eye candy (or visual pollution). My feeling, FWIW, is that too much visual thematics is beyond practicality here. I looked at that sim city thing and I’m immediately hit with a learning curve. Imposing a learning curve on the users is not what we want to do here. I would caution again, and echo Alexandra, we want simplicity (I would hope).
I still think AJAX is the right way to go here, though Mr. Riff’s second bullet above may be more practical. I can’t say for sure.
Please, everyone, let’s remember what this is really for: it’s for helping people to quickly find an access these various information locations so they can simply do what they really want to do, use Textpattern. We want to do that in the most optimal, lightweight manner. Of course you want to have a little fun with the design concept too, but just don’t go overboard.
neutrino wrote: Anyone else besides Basitian want to work on this?
I guess you can consider me a stakeholder in this project, if nothing else, because TextBook will be a significant destination in this railway and I’ll want to make sure the train gets there on time. ;)
For that matter, I think every leader of a TxP site should be a stakeholder in this project, giving feedback and having some say with the implementation.
Last edited by Destry (2006-03-02 19:27:50)
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Re: [contrib] Project: TXP Subway Map
> Bastian wrote:
i hear the map screaming, but i don`t understand what.
:) lol. it is abstract (and distributed). As I stared at it I could see various symbols representing various aspects of the community in the scattered way it is now. Add a little color and a legend . . .
Seriously, the subway lines/cities are still the main idea as far as I can tell from what everyone has said so far. Still waiting for a design type to show up.
@mr. riff thanks for coming to visit. I’m going to assume everyone here is in on seeing this project thru to its end (more or less regardless of the details?) so I’ll go register everyone as members of the project, if that’s OK. Yell if not.
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#23 2006-03-02 19:40:40
- Mary
- Sock Enthusiast
- Registered: 2004-06-27
- Posts: 6,236
Re: [contrib] Project: TXP Subway Map
Don’t start with a design first. First, collect all the data, then decide how to organize it, or you’ll end up with problems later. The suggestion of using FreeMind is a good idea, not as the final, but for organizing and mockup. Then you can use that to decide the implementation.
I agree with simplifying it as Destry mentioned. More complicated means it’ll either: never be finished, never be maintained, or never actually used.
Last edited by Mary (2006-03-02 19:48:26)
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Re: [contrib] Project: TXP Subway Map
Everything mary said. Word (or should that be “squidword”).
Last edited by Destry (2006-03-02 19:47:24)
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