Template talk:Subpage list

Don't you think we should be using numerical IDs? Surely we'll have more than 26 subpage types in the long run. I anticipate hundreds... --Larry Sanger 14:39, 19 July 2007 (CDT)

In that case number would be good. i was using letter for now to get the A, AA, and AAA. However, 1A, 1B and 1C works equally well. Chris Day (talk) 16:25, 19 July 2007 (CDT)

Hundreds? Wow. Can you elaborate?  —Stephen Ewen (Talk) 18:37, 19 July 2007 (CDT)

Default button option

Thinking a bit more about the default vs optional subpages, there seem to be two formats to consider.  

1. Subpage buttons always appear in the same relative order (although some may be missing if optional).  Conseqently if there are two default subpages A page and D page, all CZ pages using the template will have buttons for A and D.  But if B and C pages are present for a particular article then the buttons will appear in the order A,B,C and D.
2. Subpages buttons will cluster, default one first, followed by tthe optional buttons. Conseqently if there are two defaults A page and D page, all CZ pages using the template will have buttons for A and D.  But if B and C pages are present for a particular article then the buttons will appear in the order A, D, B and C.

The current subpages template is coded to give the first solution. One advantage is that only values have to be attributed to the designated Default pages others will be optional automatically.  

For the second option to work all subpages in the "subages list" template must be given an attribute, either "Default" or "Optional". Larry, from what you wrote in the forum it sounds like you would prefer the second option.

In the forum it was also mentioned that it would be good for the optional buttons to sort alphabetically. The current code is not set up to do that.  And i'm not sure if it is even possible (my ignorance at work here). This could be solved by doing it manually in this subpages list template but would lead to a logistical nightmare when adding new pages.  A possible solution is for someone to write a simple script to regenrate the list each time a new button is added. Chris Day (talk) 00:39, 20 July 2007 (CDT)

I just set up the code in the {{Subpages}} template to function in the way described above in option2. Parameter #C must now be in one of three states.

• Left blank: will be ignored as a button, even by the {{unused subpages}} template.
• Set as "Default": will be added to the top of the subpages template even if the subpage does not exist. Will also be included in the unused subpages template.
• Set as "Optional": will only be added to the subpages template if the subpage exists. These buttons will always be after the default buttons.

I have set up this subpage list to demonstrate the functionality of this template. Timelines is now a default button* but is listed near the bottom. There are also two "free buttons" that have no text in their #C parameter, thus, they are not included in the unused subpage list. Chris Day (talk) 12:18, 20 July 2007 (CDT)

* I just set timeline back to an optional status. Chris Day (talk) 10:23, 21 July 2007 (CDT)

Lists and catalogs?

We might want another subpage type for lists and catalogs. For example, on a genus page, there could be a list of species, the philosophy page has a Catalog of famous philosophers, etc. I think these are different from related articles. I am working off and on on a "Catalog of commercial wood species" which should be linked from the Wood page. Luigi Zanasi 13:38, 28 July 2007 (CDT)

At present this comes under tables but we could change the names to be more descriptive of the table content. Chris Day (talk) 13:51, 28 July 2007 (CDT)

Yes, I'm thinking that "Catalog" was more apt than "Table" after all. "Table" just doesn't convey any clear notions, it just says what the format is. Well, a timeline might be in a tabular format. Hmm. I think I've convinced myself again..."Catalog" is a little better. Thoughts? --Larry Sanger 13:56, 28 July 2007 (CDT)