Re: Yelp TOC again

[Don Scorgie <DonScorgie Blueyonder co uk>]

Hi,

On Tue, 2006-04-04 at 15:03 -0400, Brent Smith wrote:
> Don Scorgie wrote:
> > So, what do people think?  Worth considering?
> > Don
> > 
> 
> I like the idea of having the top-level categories always present when
> viewing the table of contents.  I think it might look better if they
> were separated from the contents in a sidebar or something, similar to
> the following: (using standard HTML, not a gtk sidebar)
> 
>                           SOUND AND VISION
> 
> -> Sound and Vision      This section describes some of the things you
>     Graphics              can do in GNOME with pretty pictures and tunes
>     Command Line Help
>                           Documents in this Section:
> 
>                           Totem Movie Player
>                               Want to watch your DVDs / random movies you
>                               downloaded? This is the place to be...
>                           Sound Juicer CD Extractor
>                               Want to listen to music without those damn
>                               coasters? Try this
>                           ....

I was trying to do that with the colours (the very slightly lighter grey
behind the docs).  Unfortunately (if I'm reading your comments right)
its not apparent enough.  My html skills don't stretch as far as doing a
separator without doing frames.  Which is not an option here.  So, I'll
have a look and see what else I can do.

> 
> Another thing is that if we are going to go with just only 1 top level
> category, then I'm afriad we are going to either get categories that
> have way too many entries, or too many top-level categories.  However,
> I do agree that navigation and document discovery is much easier when
> there are only top-level categories.

Ye, its a compromise.  I like the fact that all the categories are
visible throughout the TOC, but as you say, it might be too many
categories or not-enough categories overstuffed with documents.

In the current TOC, there are 19 possible categories (excluding the
top-level Desktop and Applications but including "Other Documentation
and Command line help").  This really stretches the sidebar.  However,
on my system, only 12 (ish) categories are visible, which doesn't look
too bad (still a little crowded though).  Maybe having subcategories
isn't so bad.  Having them become visible in the left menu when the
category is selected might be an idea.  When on another page, some way
of showing that subcategories are available maybe.

Anyway, I'm rambling a little ;)
I'll have another look at this soon and see what I can do
Don