February 8, 2010 at 7:57 am
Somehow we have GOT to get people to use the fr*ck#ng code tags in these forums. This is an especially difficult problem for site newbies who have no idea about the IFcode tags at all. After thinking about it (a lot!) and surveying other SQL Sites to see what works and what doesn't, I believe that there is only one practical way for SSC to do this.
First we need an "Insert SQL Code" Button in the editor, just like the ones that we already have for "Insert Image", "Insert Hyperlink", etc. Somehow we have special buttons for all of these lesser functions, but none for the most frequently needed and most important function of all (inserting code). All of the other SQL Sites (that are not mainly programmer sites, with SQL on the side) have the same problem that we do **except** those that have a prominently displayed ADD CODE button.
Secondly, it needs to be Prominent. So it should have not just a tooltip fly-over ("Insert SQL Code") like the existing buttons, it should also have these words displayed as a permanent label beside it also.
Thirdly, it needs to say "Insert SQL Code", and NOT just "Insert Code". It may seem picayune, but with only "Insert Code" I feel there is a real danger that many new folks will mistakenly think that this is for Client code (C#, VB, etc...) rather than for SQL, as in "... you know, real code." (grrrr...)
Fourthly, like the "Insert Image" and "Insert Hyperlink" buttons, it needs a Popup Form. Unlike them, it should be a Multi-Line textbox to insert code, and be able to marginally edit it. I know, this may seem useless or redundant given that we already have a better editing box underneath it, but there is a whole "Visual Psychology" to these things that makes it seem more right to the user if it has that.
Well that's it. I said above, it doesn't seem like this should be much more than trivial to add it, given that we already have this for lesser functions, and there is no doubt that we seriously need it (*), and as far as I can tell, this is the only thing that has a real chance of working.
( * - I'll be happy to explain in detail exactly why we really do need it, if you have have any doubts.)
[font="Times New Roman"]-- RBarryYoung[/font], [font="Times New Roman"] (302)375-0451[/font] blog: MovingSQL.com, Twitter: @RBarryYoung[font="Arial Black"]
Proactive Performance Solutions, Inc. [/font][font="Verdana"] "Performance is our middle name."[/font]
February 8, 2010 at 9:00 am
RBarryYoung
Somehow we have GOT to get people to use the fr*ck#ng code tags in these forums
Second the motion
February 8, 2010 at 9:42 am
Making a button would certainly make it more prominent (how to insert SQL Code). I think that would solve a lot of the problems around the code.
There will still be some who do not do it (Urgent...), but overall I think more people would use it.
Jason...AKA CirqueDeSQLeil
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February 8, 2010 at 10:22 am
CirquedeSQLeil (2/8/2010)
There will still be some who do not do it (Urgent...), but overall I think more people would use it.
those "Urgent" posts are like a train wreck or nasty car accident for me; even though i know better, i just have to look and gawk; I might not help, but i still slow down and look....
Lowell
February 9, 2010 at 1:31 am
Instructions on how to use the tags would be nice, possibly emailed as part of the initial registration or as a pop-up within the Post Reply screen.
It took me a while to work out how to use them and there's no forum just to practice formatting messages, which I have seen on other sites.
BrainDonor
February 9, 2010 at 5:51 am
BrainDonor (2/9/2010)
Instructions on how to use the tags would be nice, possibly emailed as part of the initial registration or as a pop-up within the Post Reply screen.It took me a while to work out how to use them and there's no forum just to practice formatting messages, which I have seen on other sites.
BrainDonor
Good point.
Just an FYI, I think that most of us have found that the best way to learn formatting and how to use the tags is just to find a post with some formatting that we like and then click the "Quote" button. Then we can see how that poster did it.
As for practice just use the Preview button in the editor, and remember, you don't have to actually post what you are previewing from the editor. You can always just abandon an editing session.
[font="Times New Roman"]-- RBarryYoung[/font], [font="Times New Roman"] (302)375-0451[/font] blog: MovingSQL.com, Twitter: @RBarryYoung[font="Arial Black"]
Proactive Performance Solutions, Inc. [/font][font="Verdana"] "Performance is our middle name."[/font]
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