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View Full Version : Work on PG (or how I spend my spare time)



Conrad
10-09-2009, 14:04
Currently I am looking at what to do with users who don't have Flash installed on their computers.

During the recent upgrade of the pictures stuff we switched to using a Flash uploader. This was chosen to allow us to develop using AJAX methods, so that when you do an upload the page changes without you going forward through the site. This also allows the user to do multiple uploads and show a progress indicator.

Sadly under the assumption that most users would have Flash installed to watch YouTube clips of skateboarders messing up I didn't code anything to gracefully tell a user they don't have Flash installed. This came up through Feedback from one of our users telling us it didn't work anymore from them. I was a little dismissive of the situation at the time, but on further investigation I think the way it works if you don't have Flash currently is actually quite bad, so looking at sorting that out.

Soup Dragon
10-09-2009, 14:07
Currently I am looking at what to do with users who don't have Flash installed on their computers.

During the recent upgrade of the pictures stuff we switched to using a Flash uploader. This was chosen to allow us to develop using AJAX methods, so that when you do an upload the page changes without you going forward through the site. This also allows the user to do multiple uploads and show a progress indicator.

Sadly under the assumption that most users would have Flash installed to watch YouTube clips of skateboarders messing up I didn't code anything to gracefully tell a user they don't have Flash installed. This came up through Feedback from one of our users telling us it didn't work anymore from them. I was a little dismissive of the situation at the time, but on further investigation I think the way it works if you don't have Flash currently is actually quite bad, so looking at sorting that out.


I use home PC, where i can download whatever i like, my work PC is a different issue!

Conrad
10-09-2009, 14:18
Yeah there is the issue that I think Flash can be a little bit troublesome on UNIX as well. I am hoping to put a method in to still allow uploads without Flash, but no promises until I have a good look at the guts of the code.

Soup Dragon
10-09-2009, 14:29
hi Conrad

is there anything you can do about map pointes that overlap each other?

i remember at Bridgnorth there were 3 pubs all using what appeared to be one pointer - which of course, when scanning a map, looks like there is only one pub - is there anyway of off setting them a little on the largest scale zoom (i know lower zooms its impossible)

Conrad
10-09-2009, 17:46
Right well I have just uploaded some fixes so hopefully people without Flash installed will be able to make sense of the pictures again now, sorry to anyone previously effected.

Maps, still thinking about that to be honest. It is definitely possible to do what you are asking, just not quite sure how at the moment. When we display them we display them by longitude and latitude, so it is hard to know how many degrees to move them to make them show. I remember I have looked at some enhancements that change multi-points so that they show as one bulbulous point with a number on them though, so maybe something like that is the solution. Will keep it in mind and may have a little play, as it feels like it is the sort of thing that may be corrected with a couple of lines of code.

Farway
15-09-2009, 14:20
Agree about map pointers, in fact I have deliberately off set some in Chichester and Portsmouth to show there is more than one pub at that location

On same subject, when adding or changing location, the pointer comes up with a X near base, which in the past I have located at exact site of pub, however when seen in map view, no X and thus pointer is not precisely correct

OK, I know it is only a few doors away, but would it be possible to do away with the X and just place pointer point on exact location, or should I just do this anyway? :confused:

Conrad
15-09-2009, 14:41
Seperating the pointers is on my list to look at when I redo the maps.

We don't actually code the x, that is supplied by Google whose maps we are showing. It appears to show you where you are about to drop the pointer, once it is dropped it lands there. I just checked it and this does seem to be working for me, the only times it moves are when I change the scale or switch between map and satellite view which is just an artifact of the maths they do, sadly unavoidable. So from my perspective, I would definitely say drop it with the x where you want it and I don't think we can remove the x, although as the pointer is being lifted I also don't think we should.

Soup Dragon
15-09-2009, 14:45
Hi Conrad

Is it possible to pick up a pointer for a bad pub in say, Blowich, and drop it in the North Sea?;)

Conrad
15-09-2009, 14:54
I can't remember who it was now, but one of our members was telling me through feedback how they were tempted to drop one of the Manchester Football clubs into the river on another sites maps.

We do offer a certain amount of protection from this, although I can see room for some sort of satisfaction feature to amuse bored people on the site.:)

Soup Dragon
15-09-2009, 15:00
Think of it as therapy - bad pint or bad service - you can chose - drop the pub in the sea, the arctic, the moon, or Death Valley:D

Farway
16-09-2009, 13:12
Think of it as therapy - bad pint or bad service - you can chose - drop the pub in the sea, the arctic, the moon, or Death Valley:D

Now there is an idea, have a skip on the map and just bung bad pub in there. If skip was scaled correctly a viewer would see the pointer and thus be warned to read review & avoid or maybe try it and see if it was really that bad

I know I am often tempted to try the Mother Shipton in Pompey

http://www.pubsgalore.co.uk/pubs/13591/

I think it even featured on a TV "Britain's hardest pubs" programme

I will go in daylight hours just in case ;)

Soup Dragon
16-09-2009, 13:36
Now there is an idea, have a skip on the map and just bung bad pub in there. If skip was scaled correctly a viewer would see the pointer and thus be warned to read review & avoid or maybe try it and see if it was really that bad

I know I am often tempted to try the Mother Shipton in Pompey

http://www.pubsgalore.co.uk/pubs/13591/

I think it even featured on a TV "Britain's hardest pubs" programme

I will go in daylight hours just in case ;)

Hi Farway and admin guys - take a look at my review for Poets Corner, Bloxwich - Shakespeare Inn and Victoria Hotel, Scarboro for real skip pubs

Farway
16-09-2009, 14:00
Hi Farway and admin guys - take a look at my review for Poets Corner, Bloxwich - Shakespeare Inn and Victoria Hotel, Scarboro for real skip pubs

Nice to see you fell for the Traditional Ales sign with the Victoria, not just me then, I fell into same trap at The Station in Bognor last week :(, must get the review written soon

Dave M
16-09-2009, 15:20
Hi Farway and admin guys - take a look at my review for Poets Corner, Bloxwich - Shakespeare Inn and Victoria Hotel, Scarboro for real skip pubs
We have the Poets Corner (http://www.pubsgalore.co.uk/pubs/39108/) listed as Willenhall, which caused a little confusion here when we went looking for it in Bloxwich. Most amusing though, and far more helpful than the one previous comment. From what I can tell Willenhall is actually correct although I notice a certain other site does have it as Bloxwich.

I did particularly enjoy the review of the Shakespeare when I saw it go by the other day. The sign outside does promise entertainment though and it sounds as if that is what you got.

Soup Dragon
16-09-2009, 16:19
We have the Poets Corner (http://www.pubsgalore.co.uk/pubs/39108/) listed as Willenhall, which caused a little confusion here when we went looking for it in Bloxwich. Most amusing though, and far more helpful than the one previous comment. From what I can tell Willenhall is actually correct although I notice a certain other site does have it as Bloxwich.

I did particularly enjoy the review of the Shakespeare when I saw it go by the other day. The sign outside does promise entertainment though and it sounds as if that is what you got.


I guess it would come under New Invention, or Short Heat at real local 'hamlet' level. Bloxwich is the closest 'village', it would have come under the old Willenhall UDC, until 1966, when this became a part of Walsall. There was of course a Short Heath UDC for a short time last century. I hope thats clear
:eek:

Conrad
16-09-2009, 16:31
Oy! You two :mad:!

That is quite enough locality talk, it distresses and scares me unduly.

We are not rewriting the location system again. Next thing you know I will be expected to index these places by their nearest village green.

(grumble - mumble - grumble)

Soup Dragon
16-09-2009, 16:38
Not getting a little defensive there, by any chance, Mr Conrad?

Conrad
16-09-2009, 16:55
We have already come close to revealing my tenous grasp on geography, couple this with how one goes about coding it and you have the stuff of my nightmares.

What is worse is I would normally challenge someone to try and come up with ways to improve how we do our locations in the system, having seen your post though I am scared that you would!

Soup Dragon
16-09-2009, 17:00
We have already come close to revealing my tenous grasp on geography, couple this with how one goes about coding it and you have the stuff of my nightmares.

What is worse is I would normally challenge someone to try and come up with ways to improve how we do our locations in the system, having seen your post though I am scared that you would!

Apparently, when the streets were first laid down, the area was known as Little Bristol, as nobody could find their way around. :p

Conrad
16-09-2009, 22:32
Why do you think I like pub crawling in Bath, less area to get lost in.

Dave M
16-09-2009, 23:46
Plus you get the names of them right in Bath! I lost count of the number of times you confused me by referring to the Sportsman as the Huntsman. ;)

Conrad
17-09-2009, 12:09
Back in those days both pubs were more like caves though, and I went to both on the basis of pool tables and pinball machines. My brain just couldn't be bothered to differentiate which was closer.