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Author Topic: MILAVIA Upgrade Progress #2  (Read 4400 times)

Offline Webmaster

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MILAVIA Upgrade Progress #2
« on: May 01, 2009, 02:51:12 AM »
Another little progress report on the upgrade of the website's layout.

Created a new style, maintaining the layout. It's just a small change to fix some of the alignment issues when viewing with bigger resolutions. Most main index pages (aircraft, airshows, downloads, etc) had been converted to the new version, so they're using this new style now. However many old pages and articles which haven't been converted to the new version, also now still have the old layout. So I'd still recommend scaling your browser window down a bit from full screen, otherwise you will notice pages switching from center alignment to left alignment back and forth.

I see this style layout change as a quickfix solution, I still want to create a great new header and fitting layout re-style in the future.

Since my last progress update, various things have been done, unfortunately not at the greatest pace:

Last time I said that the shop will be taken down. I did take down the old one, but replaced it with an Amazon's affiliate store. Because it's kinda limited in customization, I framed it, so you don't have to leave the site and look for that single link back to milavia. I can understand if you want to check titles first in full detail on Amazon's site, rather than using the shopping cart here, so I will continue to list related books within the aircraft sections.

The index pages of each section have been changed to the new version, including the news index and after relaunching it, the links directory too. Now, some of those indexes will be overhauled. There will be a new index for the aircraft section, and more than just links to the aircraft sections will be added. As the sections are quite a lot of work to create and keep up to date, I will add some less demanding content on some of the aircraft/subjects not covered. Also some 'special reports' will be moved to there. Same for the air force and downloads section. I am still working out how, when and what new things to include. Also in the AF section there is a links database called 'air force resources', this points you to relevant websites for many air forces not covered here. I will be fixing its layout, so it will be nicely centered too. The airshows section index will get the calendar menu.

Speaking of the airshows section, I am working on a preview 'editor', as soon as that is completely done, I will create some previews for this year's shows with the help of some editors/contributors.

The aircraft sections! As planned, the Flanker sections were all converted to the new layout, they were also updated and revised if neccessary. The recent poll on the forum, showed that the Eurocanards, F-22, F-35 and F/A-18 are also popular and in serious need of a big revision. I have started on some of these, but progress is slow.

The news section overhaul is still on the list of things to do. Still working on ideas. Now we've got most of it covered on the forum, the dedicated news section on the site has become less important.

About the quiz, some participants have suggested more quizes than one per month. I don't have time to check your answers, write down your names, and update it more often that once a month. I will see what I can do in future, maybe it can be done using a bit more automation.
  • Interests: Su-15, Su-27, Tu-22, Tornado, RNLAF
Niels Hillebrand
MILAVIA Webmaster

Offline Gripen

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Re: Upgrade Progress #2
« Reply #1 on: May 01, 2009, 11:30:31 AM »
Blah blah, I dont read long posts..

Answer me this... WHY IS IT SO NARROW?

Offline Raptor

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Re: Upgrade Progress #2
« Reply #2 on: May 27, 2009, 03:56:03 PM »
Ah looks good, Webby (i did read through it all  ::))

The header bug is FIXED!!! And i did notice something was different about the aircraft sections, now i know what it was!

Pray tell, Webby, what "editor" do you speak of?
-JCLim

Offline Webmaster

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Re: Upgrade Progress #2
« Reply #3 on: May 28, 2009, 08:06:12 PM »
Thanks Raptor.

The editor I was referring to is one of a couple of scripts I created to edit some of the content of the website from my browser. Some people are helping me with that, such as Ramon, and this editor script makes it easier to maintain things such as the calendar together. This is back-end stuff, nothing you would notice, unless you want to help out.

Anyway, the latest news on the editor for the previews is that I have postponed it... so no airshow previews for this year. Not sure about previews anyway, but don't worry airshow reports with photos will still be posted. 
  • Interests: Su-15, Su-27, Tu-22, Tornado, RNLAF
Niels Hillebrand
MILAVIA Webmaster

Offline Raptor

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Re: Upgrade Progress #2
« Reply #4 on: May 30, 2009, 05:35:02 AM »
You're welcome! Anything for the greater good!  :D

Ah.. So basically it's a program? The photos are good enough for the moment!  ::)
-JCLim

Offline Eldorado82

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Re: Upgrade Progress #2
« Reply #5 on: June 09, 2009, 04:04:09 AM »
nice looking forum.need to increase member number though:)
Remembering Steven "TigerShark" Zeluff

Offline Raptor

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Re: Upgrade Progress #2
« Reply #6 on: June 10, 2009, 03:59:05 PM »
I like this kudos thiing.  ;)
-JCLim

 



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