Website Makeover

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Ian Regan
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Re: Website Makeover

Post by Ian Regan »

Tony Summerfield wrote:Playing devil's advocate, I am wondering what this would look like with a book that has only got one reprint, such as Girls' and Boys' Circus Book?
Here you go Tony - what do you think?

http://www.seriesbookart.co.uk/sandbox/circus_test.html" target="_blank

I've fixed the line-wrapping problem on the Treasure Island example page, by the way.
“I am fighting an enraged chair,” Jupe puffed. “And I think I’m winning. Give me another couple of minutes.” - Jupiter Jones in The Mystery of the Fiery Eye.
Tony Summerfield
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Re: Website Makeover

Post by Tony Summerfield »

Yes, I think that looks fine, Ian. The only problem I can see now is with really long entries, like The Adventure of the Secret Necklace, but that will just have to go to two lines.

Whilst I agree that it would be nice to get the Famous Five short stories with the rest of the books, I have the sort of feeling that you might end up picking up all the rubbish with it. If you are not sure what I mean by this, just stick Famous Five into search and see what you get - 93 books and 18 short stories, as of course you get every instance that they are used. It isn't always easy getting exactly want you want to see!
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Re: Website Makeover

Post by Moonraker »

Tony Summerfield wrote:
Looking at your Adventurous Four query, Anita, I wonder if the best thing would be to add Shipwrecked and Stranded to the Continuation books, as they were heavily edited in much the same way as the Riddle series and with changed titles perhaps they don't really belong with the original books. Opinions please!
Yes, I agree, Tony. I think once a book is edited so drastically, it has no place in the company of the originals. It is knowing where to draw the line, though; for example I would think that the 'new' Enchanted Wood books still belong with the originals, in spite of those irritating name changes.
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Anita Bensoussane
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Re: Website Makeover

Post by Anita Bensoussane »

Moonraker wrote:Yes, I agree, Tony. I think once a book is edited so drastically, it has no place in the company of the originals. It is knowing where to draw the line, though; for example I would think that the 'new' Enchanted Wood books still belong with the originals, in spite of those irritating name changes.
I take it you're referring to the older 'new' Enchanted Wood books featuring Joe, Beth, Frannie and Dame Snap - not the 'brand spanking new' Enchanted Wood books (which in actual fact probably contain no spanking at all!) featuring Silky and her fairy friends Bizzy, Petal, etc!

Anita
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Ian Regan
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Re: Website Makeover

Post by Ian Regan »

Well, I finally finished the drop-down menu demos last night, and uploaded them this morning. I have managed to implement the thumbnail border highlight that Keith suggested too:

http://seriesbookart.co.uk/sandbox/drop_down.html" target="_blank
http://seriesbookart.co.uk/sandbox/drop_down2.html" target="_blank

This approach could be combined with the Treasure Island demo where the large reprint cover is kept in that particular section - that probably would be the best solution for people on lower screen resolutions.
“I am fighting an enraged chair,” Jupe puffed. “And I think I’m winning. Give me another couple of minutes.” - Jupiter Jones in The Mystery of the Fiery Eye.
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Ian Regan
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Re: Website Makeover

Post by Ian Regan »

Here's a rough version of what I was referring to in my previous post:

http://seriesbookart.co.uk/sandbox/another_layout.html" target="_blank
“I am fighting an enraged chair,” Jupe puffed. “And I think I’m winning. Give me another couple of minutes.” - Jupiter Jones in The Mystery of the Fiery Eye.
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Re: Website Makeover

Post by Anita Bensoussane »

I think that's an attractive and user-friendly layout, Ian.

I wonder why publishers sometimes reversed the image on the front cover between one printing and the next?

Anita
"Heyho for a starry night and a heathery bed!" - Jack, The Secret Island.

"There is no bond like the bond of having read and liked the same books."
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Tony Summerfield
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Re: Website Makeover

Post by Tony Summerfield »

Yes, I like this final version, Ian, I think it is much better to have the reprints together and separate from the 1st edition details, primarily as those with smaller screens can get it all on one page.

If we were to implement this system with immediate effect, one thing worries me slightly. Up to now I have concentrated on the novels section, I am currently adding artwork to books that don't yet have it, but I still have scores of reprints to add to other sections and at present very few of these also have keys. I will get there eventually, but it won't be a quick process as some of the character books have numerous reprints.

One other thing in my mind is what will happen when reprints are a different shape. By and large we are dealing with portrait images, but some books have reprints that are landscape images. I am thinking particularly of the Noddy books, which were published in the 80s as landscape images, but they have been republished this year as portrait images and both covers are quite a bit different from the 1st edition, so I want to show them both. I will try and set one up as an example to see what happens.

All good stuff though, Ian.
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Re: Website Makeover

Post by Tony Summerfield »

I have managed to set up the first Noddy book, Noddy Goes to Toyland. The reprint was actually square and it looks a bit odd in the reprint thumbnail, but it is fine when you click on it, so all may be well!
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Re: Website Makeover

Post by Keith Robinson »

Just had a moment to check in here! Great work, Ian, and I like the final idea best of all. As far as I'm concerned that works great and I'd be happy to implement that on the site... um, when I get time. :oops: It's ridiculously busy at the moment.

In answer to the landscape/portrait problem, it's not really a problem at all because I dealt with that one ages ago. ALL book covers images are confined to 280 wide x 290 high. Most are portrait shaped, so are 290 high. But some are very wide. Mary Mouse is a good example of this -- there are no reprints for this particular one but all covers follow the same rules anyway. So we just need to make sure to allow for 280px wide (plus a bit of space) as I have done in the current first edition setup.
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Re: Website Makeover

Post by Tony Summerfield »

I am not so sure about this, Keith - if you have a look at the next book in the series, the reprints appear much wider - Mary Mouse
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Keith Robinson
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Re: Website Makeover

Post by Keith Robinson »

Ah, the thumbnails appear wider, yes, but they just wrap to fit whatever space is available to the left of the larger image. I don't see that in itself as a problem though.

The thumbnails follow their own sizing rules, which is 43 x 70 if they're tall, or 70 x 43 if they're wide. So reprint covers are one or the other. This is fine for most books, but of course square books will look a bit odd squeezed like this -- are there are any square reprints I should look at? Haven't checked lately.

I may have to add some additional calculations to allow for square books sooner or later, but for the most part it's best to keep the thumbnails a uniform size. Perhaps the following would work:

43 x 70 for tall books (most common)
60 x 60 for square books
70 x 43 for wide books

These sizes can very easily be tweaked if necessary, so that each size best fits the available space.
Tony Summerfield
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Re: Website Makeover

Post by Tony Summerfield »

The reprints to the Noddy Novels that I have recently added (1-20) are square, and you are right that the thumbnails look decidedly odd, but the main image is okay.
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Ian Regan
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Re: Website Makeover

Post by Ian Regan »

Anita, Tony & Keith -

I'm delighted that you all think the final layout is the best one for the website. :wink:

After a great deal of head scratching, I've now managed to simplify the code a fair bit, which should make it easier for Keith to implement when he gets the opportunity:

http://www.seriesbookart.co.uk/sandbox/slimline.html" target="_blank

I've removed the top entry in the drop-down menu (the Select Reprint here text), as it didn't seem to make sense to me after a while. Since the first reprint is selected by default when the page is loaded anyway, it seemed logical that its key should also be visible. This only became obvious to me when I tested the page with a book possessing one solitary reprint.
“I am fighting an enraged chair,” Jupe puffed. “And I think I’m winning. Give me another couple of minutes.” - Jupiter Jones in The Mystery of the Fiery Eye.
Tony Summerfield
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Re: Website Makeover

Post by Tony Summerfield »

As always, Ian, your last adjustment gives the best result so far, I think this is fine to put into action as soon as Keith can spare the time. I know that Keith is still very busy, and Anita is having a well-earned weekend off site. As for me, no rest for the wicked, I have been on the Journal all afternoon.
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