Title/Desc on same line in topic view

[//Nathan]

I was just thinking, one thing that has always annoyed me with IPB is how there is a Topic Title and Topic Description. That alone I got used to quick enough, but what bugs me is how it looks good when you're writing the topic (one above the other), looks good in the forum view (same), but then you go into the topic and they're on the same line, separated by a comma. Sometimes it looks OK, but sometimes it looks like crap, especially when punctuation is involved.

I'm sure it's a matter of taste, but my suggestion is that the title/description bar be double-height, maintain the one-above-the-other order (for the sake of uniformity if nothing else), and maybe have some important information immediately to the right, such as a reply/vote (if poll)/view count and/or the pages' links. Like a topic header. I imagine this would be quite easy to mod in, but I think IPB would have a fresher, more efficient look if it were done this way.

[Quillz]

I, personally, remove the topic description from the topic view entirely. In my opinion, it looks much better just having the topic title displayed, as the description really isn't all that vital in the first place, especially in the topic view. Anyways, I'm pretty sure you can manually create the space yourself. Just put a "br" between the two; I don't see why that wouldn't work.

[//Nathan]

You're right on both counts, of course. Like I said, it would work as a mod. I've not looked at too much of the code, but I do remember looking at the RenderRow component in the skin settings... the part that does up the mini profile. You don't have to be a programming whiz (I'm not) to see what does what. Apparently there's all kinds of "variables" which are generated by the software, it's just a matter of inserting a readout of that variable's value into the template. If that made any sense, but that's my understanding of it.

I bet it does look a lot better with just the title. Perhaps in a future version, when you make a new forum, one of the questions it would ask is: Show: [Topic Title | Both Title and Description] and maybe in the futre add "Extended Information" as a third choice, for the view count, reply count, rating, and page links. And whatever else.

Actually a <br />. I still have a problem with that... when I first started dabbling in HTML code, it was <br>. It's been explained that the two added characters make for XML or XHTML compliance. Personally I think it's annoying. Not sure if the "old way" works, but when messing with IPB, I just do it the new way. Heh... just updated the blog TOS... Should be in Admin CP, as it is now you have to edit the lang_blog file. Easy enough, but hopefully there's an AdminCP implementation in a future version, as there is for the board TOS.

[.Justin]

I have to agree with removing the description, because really, in my opinion, it should be in placed where the post can't be shown fully (like board home, or the forum listing, a subject line of a email telling you about new replies in the thread, etc) and I have to agree it also gets in the way of the topic title some times.

[U2 Fan]

what bugs me is how... you go into the topic and they're on the same line, separated by a comma. Sometimes it looks OK, but sometimes it looks like crap, especially when punctuation is involved.

Personally, I think it always looks like crap! I've never been able to work out why those two fields have to be merged. It's a complete mess, IMHO.

[tranceandy]

Like it the way it is at the moment, but if something better comes a long... :)

[Quillz]

Dark Reality, I'm sure you already know this, but you have to edit (off the top of my head, here) page_top_classic and page_top_new_mode to remove and/or edit the way the topic title and descriptions are shown.

[//Nathan]

Thanks Quillz, I'll keep that in mind. I've been very lazy in working on my board. When 2.1 comes out, I want to do a full wipe and put 2.1 in clean, and then mod it from there.

2.1 so far completely owns 2.0.4, and I'll "sweeten" the upgrade for my members by throwing a couple 'new' modifications in there, so when it comes back up, it's a lot better than a default 2.1 installation. I just hope I can do this before I leave, where I'll have more time. But then I also hope they wait until after I've moved, so I can teach my girlfriend (co-admin) how to do it. :) So either way it will work out.

[elj]

I'd like the description removed.

[Guest]

Isn't this part of what skins are for?