A Couple Website Suggestions

[vdeane]

I noticed that at some point the temporary index was again replaced with the CHM lookalike one.  There are a couple tweaks I'd do to make it more functional:
-There should be links from the homepage to the highway data updates and this forum
-There should be a link to user logs somewhere, perhaps on the user page as they were on CHM.
-Also, it might be a good idea to replace the null user stats page with an index of all the users

[Thing342]

I'll see about adding this whenever I get some free time.

[michih]

I noticed that at some point the temporary index was again replaced with the CHM lookalike one.  There are a couple tweaks I'd do to make it more functional:
-There should be links from the homepage to the highway data updates and this forum
-There should be a link to user logs somewhere, perhaps on the user page as they were on CHM.

I've already submitted an issue: https://github.com/TravelMapping/Web/issues/37.

-Also, it might be a good idea to replace the null user stats page with an index of all the users

https://github.com/TravelMapping/Web/issues/42

Don't get me wrong, it's the right way for "normal users" to post issue here but I think the "developer" open issue list is on github. That's why I've copied your note to github.

[theFXexpert]

Some notes about issues/my wishlist of things I would like to see. You all are free to discuss/disagree/prioritize as needed:

- This was already noted on Github but, the shield cache directory needs to be writable. Otherwise it fails and shows a warning.

- In the highway browser: I don't think the colors showing progress for a user on a single route are contrasting enough. Colors are not consistent when &u parameter is/isn't supplied. I know it's similar to the old site, but it doesn't seem right.

- Port the home page styling/navigation to stats/map pages.

- Better code consolidation/creating modular code: CSS for the site seems quite scattered between separate CSS files and CSS embedded in PHP files. CSS relating to fonts can remain separate, but having one CSS file to edit across the whole site would make development faster and easier in my opinion. Perhaps consolidate some PHP code as well?

- Color coding table rows of systems and/or routes by % completion on user stats pages (similar to the old site) rather than continuing color coding systems by active/preview/devel?
A good compromise might be to color active systems by % completion while keeping preview and dev systems yellow and red (or a different scheme depending on the scheme used for % completion in order to create good contrast). When &db=TravelMappingDev is used, preview systems are colored by % completion.

- Showing smaller versions of generated shield SVGs in highway browser/stats pages' tables? (similar to the old site)

[yakra]

In the highway browser: I don't think the colors showing progress for a user on a single route are contrasting enough. Colors are not consistent when &u parameter is/isn't supplied. I know it's similar to the old site, but it doesn't seem right.

I'd like to see one single dark blue trace when there's no &u= parameter supplied. As on the old site.

Color coding table rows of systems and/or routes by % completion on user stats pages (similar to the old site) rather than continuing color coding systems by active/preview/devel?

I've missed the color coding scheme from the old site. I'd like to see it return eventually, but wouldn't consider it a big priority.

A good compromise might be to color active systems by % completion while keeping preview and dev systems yellow and red (or a different scheme depending on the scheme used for % completion in order to create good contrast). When &db=TravelMappingDev is used, preview systems are colored by % completion.

I like this idea.

Showing smaller versions of generated shield SVGs in highway browser/stats pages' tables? (similar to the old site)

Yes, this I'd like to see eventually. Though, it may or may not be better off waiting till after there are more customized shields available for the various systems. (Maybe?)

This brings me to a big item on my wishlist:
Banner SVGs for bannered routes. We'd need...
Alternate
Business
Bypass
Connector
(Historic?)
Scenic
Spur
Truck
...Are there any others I'm missing?
ISTR mapmikey using "Wye" for a few USAVA routes. Though personally I'd lobby to change those: usava;VA;VA6;Wye;Lov;Lovingston;va.va006wyelov; -> usava;VA;VA6Y;;Lov;Lovingston;va.va006ylov;

[rickmastfan67]

ISTR mapmikey using "Wye" for a few USAVA routes. Though personally I'd lobby to change those: usava;VA;VA6;Wye;Lov;Lovingston;va.va006wyelov; -> usava;VA;VA6Y;;Lov;Lovingston;va.va006ylov;

I'd agree with the 'VA6Y' setup.

[mapcat]

I'd agree with the 'VA6Y' setup.

Aren't they signed like this anyway? Or is that Arkansas?

[si404]

(Historic?)

(wrt banners).

Speaking purely of US Routes here (there might be state/provincial routes that have historic banners) but the routes aren't really bannered in the typical way, but rather the shields have the word historic in them. I may not be very familiar with banners, but I know enough to know that typically they come on their own separate panel (save for Business Interstates, which have their own shield, of course).

The shields for historic US routes (typically, but far from universally*) take this form, with a state name and the specific number of the route:


They do have some date-based banners in the form 19xx-19xx on Historic US66. And NM has "PRE-1937" banners on the route via Santa Fe. There's also a "SPUR"-bannered route. As such, the Historic bit being a banner for our purposes would be hard to deal with.

*see, for instance, MO's blue signs

[yakra]

I haven't delved into the shields.php code at all, but I'm guessing that right now it looks at a combination of Region and Route to figure out what shield to draw. Using the data from the System column, if System = usaush, then the Historic banner could be ignored & not rendered as a separate panel.

(save for Business Interstates, which have their own shield, of course)

This reminded me that I hadn't had a look at a Business Interstate shield in the TM HB yet. Interesting. Since we get a Boring Square, I can tell things aren't as simple (Region + Route) as I thought. The presence of a BL/BS banner prevents a regular I-shield from displaying.
Heh. I could look into the code to see what makes it tick, but that might end up being a very deep rabbit hole to go down. Best to stick to my own ares of expertise...

[si404]

I haven't delved into the shields.php code at all, but I'm guessing that right now it looks at a combination of Region and Route to figure out what shield to draw. Using the data from the System column, if System = usaush, then the Historic banner could be ignored & not rendered as a separate panel.

Sure, but at the moment, the current format (obviously subject to change, given it's a devel system) is for the Route field to be "HistUS66" so that I can get the date banners in. Therefore such a thing would be unnecessary.

[yakra]

Sure, but at the moment, the current format (obviously subject to change, given it's a devel system) is for the Route field to be "HistUS66"

*looks at usaush.csv* -- Ah! I hadn't noticed that bit.

so that I can get the date banners in. Therefore such a thing would be unnecessary.

Noting here that the date, where included, is part of the City field. Were you considering moving it to a different field?

[si404]

Noting here that the date, where included, is part of the City field. Were you considering moving it to a different field?

Yes, banners, but the banners field, IIRC, doesn't go long enough when displaying, so I temporarily moved it to the City field.

[theFXexpert]

I'd agree with the 'VA6Y' setup.

Aren't they signed like this anyway? Or is that Arkansas?

Based on what I saw when I went to Williamsburg, yes.

[froggie]

Those few Virginia "wye" routes are signed are typically signed xxY without a banner.  The only three I can think of offhand that even have signs are VA 6Y, VA 132Y (the Williamsburg route mentioned), and VA 180Y on the Eastern Shore.  6Y and 180Y each have just one sign.