Who needs HTML table functionality ?

[KuhlKatz]

Recently I wanted to create a list of my Soc members, and maintain this to include all names & the time zones they appear in.

When I started this out, I looked for some BBCode functionality to create a table. Lo and behold, this did not exist !
There are codes to create lists, which could almost do what I wanted, but that would require some really good formatting, or I'd have to revert to using a fixed-space font like Courier to get it formatted properly.

So I opted to create an HTML list from the Excel sheet, but yet again could not use it as HTML is disabled for security reasons. No problem here, as I can fullly appreciate this.

To get the list out, I had to publish it as an image - horrible format to maintain a list in that changes over time.
In short I had to revert to creating the HTML list, rendering it in a browser, then doing a screenshot of that, use a utility to crop out the list, upload it to EF, and then publish it in my post.

I am no web expert, but can tell that images uses a lot of bandwidth, more so if they are used to represent text that their HTML counterparts could do very simply.
Now take into consideration that EU does not support PNG images, which are far smaller and of higher quality than their JPEG counterparts, and you could see where this goes - Lots of space, lots of bandwith, and a lot of time to maintain something that should be simple.

What I need to know in short, is this :
If similar functionality than this table below could be provided and used in EF, would someone else make use of that, or am I one of a kind ?

Thinking along the lines of EF's Colourer List from Dom_sufc (Johnny Proud) .

 

[MindBuster]

When I started this out, I looked for some BBCode functionality to create a table. Lo and behold, this did not exist !

And there is a reason why those does not exist, the problem is getting all tags closed properly to avoid the forum layout getting messed up.

I've seen the examples you pm'ed 711...

Title: TableBorder
Tag: tableb
Replacement: <table border="1" cellpadding="5" cellspacing="0">{param}</table>
Example: [tableb][tr][td]Bordered Table[/td][/tr][/tableb]

...and if you look at the "Example:"...

[tableb][tr][td]Bordered Table[/td][/tr][/tableb]

...that's the code that a member would have to type, now imagine a member forgetting to close a tag, he adds a "[td]" but forgets to close it with a "[/td]" then the forum layout will get messed up as there is no subroutine to check if the code is complete and valid.

I have just now before answering this thread replied to a pm from 711 about this matter, and we are currently discussing it, but getting the feature here on EF is a long shot, considering the circumstances.

 

[KuhlKatz]

And there is a reason why those does not exist, the problem is getting all tags closed properly to avoid the forum layout getting messed up.

...

I've seen the examples you pm'ed 711...

I fully agree that leaving out a closing tag for the code could possibly screw up the forum layout for EF.

I am not that familiar with vBulletin at all. The examples I knocked together was done on a vBulletin demo to test the functionality of the tables only, without having to enable HTML. I am not sure if there are any methods of coding it to check that all tags are properly closed.

In my opinion it is sloppy to publish tables as images, as it wastes a lot of space. I also have to upload an image for every new list I create, and on top of this, I do not seem to have the ability to delete my previously uploaded images.
This must waste a lot of space and surely add to the overall forum maintenance costs for 711.

As an NBK member I have access to a closed forum on EF, where this list is to be published. If I have to post the image in the Gallery before I can use it in my post, it means that it is open for everyone to see.
I do not want to provide the world with a list of all members, as these are also not visible to others on EU Soc Terms for any of the NBK Societies.

I am aware that it might never be implemented.
The reason for the poll is to determine if there are other people that could use this functionality or actually needs this functionality. This was certainly the first time that I really absolutely needed something like that.

 

[Midori Fairlona]

The reason for the poll is to determine if there are other people that could use this functionality or actually needs this functionality. This was certainly the first time that I really absolutely needed something like that.

Unfortunately I can't vote in your poll. My feeling is that tables would be nice, but I could equally live without them. However, the only option close to that in your poll is "Yes!! I have been waiting for tables all my EF life," which is much more strongly worded than my opinion.

As I saw mentioned in another poll recently, having plain "yes" or "no" options instead of or in addition to your other options may help to get more votes.

 

[MistyDawn]

Recently I wanted to create a list of my Soc members, and maintain this to include all names & the time zones they appear in.

I presume that this would be for you and soc mates?

Why not link to a 'free' page and publish your table there?

Just an idea....

 

[jim_T]

Well +rep for effort Kuhl!

...and as always when Jim wants to rep his buddy Kuhl:

"You must spread some Reputation around before giving it to KuhlKatz again."

 

[Loki]

stupid question i know but i dont deal with forums other than as a poster...why do you desiable HTML, XHTML etc here for the posts?

 

[711]

stupid question i know but i dont deal with forums other than as a poster...why do you desiable HTML, XHTML etc here for the posts?

Enabling HTML (and espesially XHTML or other scripting tools) is a major security risk, not only for the server, but also for any visitor who views a thread with potentially malicious or exploitative code. Very few public forums enable HTML code for this reason.

As for the BB Codes that KuhlKatz suggests, MindBuster has explained the issue quite well, but let me elaborate: vBulletin (the software that powers EntropiaForum) makes extensive use of nested tables to present each page in a user-friendly readable manner. If we were to implement these proposed BB Codes, and a user forgets to close a table tag that the BB Codes are intented to replace, the whole layout of the page will be disrupted.

As MindBuster explained, there is no easy workaround for this to ensure that table tags are always properly closed, and given the limited potential usage of such codes among our member base, we are unlikely to enable such BB Codes.

One alternative for posting more organized data is to use the full WYSIWYG editor to compose a post, which gives more powerful layout and formatting options. This editor can be enabled in any members options section of the User CP.

 

[NotVF]

If we were to implement these proposed BB Codes, and a user forgets to close a table tag that the BB Codes are intented to replace, the whole layout of the page will be disrupted.

Users who don't know what they're doing should just not bother messing with advanced stuff. There's a reason why they don't let just any moron drive a formula 1 car, or obtain automatic weapons... Oh wait...

As MindBuster explained, there is no easy workaround for this to ensure that table tags are always properly closed, and given the limited potential usage of such codes among our member base, we are unlikely to enable such BB Codes.

I'm unburdened by any knowledge, but wouldn't it take a relatively easy PHP script? It's similar to when a user would fill in a filepath when installing an application. The program should check that the last charachter in the path-string is a "\", and if it is not, just add one.

Would take only a few lines of extremely easy code to implement.

I actually can see where the OT is coming from, as I've been frustrated to no extent by the inability to post tablized data. Then again, I've also seen dumbasses mess up comeplete site layouts when they tried doing something "special".

As for vulnerabilities, a more elaborate script or a regular expression could ensure only certain text-formatting tags are allowed, and the rest is just filtered out. It'd require more work for sure, though.

Just my

 

[Dextar]

Subscribing

 

[chielsen]

As MindBuster explained, there is no easy workaround for this to ensure that table tags are always properly closed, and given the limited potential usage of such codes among our member base, we are unlikely to enable such BB Codes.

One alternative for posting more organized data is to use the full WYSIWYG editor to compose a post, which gives more powerful layout and formatting options. This editor can be enabled in any members options section of the User CP.

But there is:
http://nl2.php.net/tidy

$options = array('show-body-only' => true);
$html = tidy_repair_string($html, $options);