Template talk:Nicholas the Traveler

Time Zone
The template seems to use GMT as the time zone regardless of what UTC abbreviation you place after the time. Is this an error in the template code or do we need to update the example (which uses EST) and template instructions? --  Glamtre  (Contribs) 00:20, June 29, 2010 (UTC)


 * (Note: I copied and adapted the documentation from the Zaishen Combat template (originally), which was written by someone else.) I looked up the documentation for the #time: function, and it says it takes the same input formats as a PHP function which are explained here.  After trying a number of these, it looks like whatever version of #time: is implemented on Wikia is completely ignoring the time zone on input and setting everything to UTC.  All of the following should give different results, but instead they all give the same as the UTC result.




 * This isn't a template issue, it's a Wikia issue. &mdash;Dr Ishmael Diablo_the_chicken.gif 01:28, June 29, 2010 (UTC)
 * I've noticed this on some of the time based templates I am using with my User name space. Is there a mechanism by which we can lobby to have this function or module changed or updated? --  Glamtre  [[Image:Axe-icon-right.png]] (Contribs) 03:11, June 29, 2010 (UTC)


 * Special:Contact is the official method of reporting issues to Wikia now. If you do send them a report, please post a copy to the Wikia staff noticeboard so we have documentation of it.  (Also, they're usually good enough to post there with a response/explanation after it gets resolved.)  I'd write it up myself, but I'm too tired right now.  &mdash;Dr Ishmael Diablo_the_chicken.gif 03:48, June 29, 2010 (UTC)

Data in template?
Given that the data is going to run to 137 rows, would it be worth moving data to a different article (so that the template parses that info)? That will make the template easier to manage (should we decide to alter its presentation), make the data easier to manage (since it will be all that is stored), etc. &mdash;Tennessee Ernie Ford ( TEF ) 16:18, July 19, 2010 (UTC)


 * How do you plan on doing that parsing? GWW uses the VariablesExtension extension, which we don't have here on Wikia.  I don't see any reason that we'd choose to "alter the presentation," and even if we do, a simple regex can easily update the entire list.  Why should we over-complicate things when there's no real reason to?  &mdash;Dr Ishmael Diablo_the_chicken.gif 16:39, July 19, 2010 (UTC)


 * I never like to bundle data with data architecture with presentation (something always seems to happen to make one wish one had) . However, if making such things distinct at wikia is trickia, then it's not worth doing. &mdash;Tennessee Ernie Ford ( TEF ) 16:46, July 19, 2010 (UTC)


 * If we had VariablesExtension, then we could do it like this:


 * (pseudo-code commented out to reduce page size)
 * And the Main Page could use those three variables (TravlerLocation, TravelerItem, TravelerQuantity) to present the info however it wanted. We could set up the dialogue in a similar, separate template (since it would be huge, as RT pointed out, we wouldn't want to overburden this template).  I agree that this would be ideal, but we'd have to lobby Wikia to get the extension installed.  &mdash;Dr Ishmael Diablo_the_chicken.gif 17:07, July 19, 2010 (UTC)


 * Heck, that extension would make so many things so much easier, I've gone ahead and attempted a request for it. Watch this space.  &mdash;Dr Ishmael Diablo_the_chicken.gif 17:24, July 19, 2010 (UTC)


 * Alright, got the extension, and here's my first draft of a template using it:
 * Template: User:Dr ishmael/Nicholas the Traveler tmpl
 * Test page: User:Dr ishmael/Nicholas the Traveler test
 * And I've changed my mind on the dialogue. If we're going to do it like this, we may as well put everything together in one place.  &mdash;Dr Ishmael Diablo_the_chicken.gif 19:18, July 19, 2010 (UTC)


 * User:M.mendel/NickDoc is a demo that uses the data in Nicholas the Traveler/Past Collections (as-is) and Nicholas the Traveler/Past Dialogues/tmp (slight change to Nicholas the Traveler/Past Dialogues in that is uses numbered headlines). The proposed solution fully addresses TEF's suggestion and exhibits the same beneifits that Dr Ishmael's solution has, while avoiding some of the latter solution's weaknesses. -- ◄mendel► 02:22, July 20, 2010 (UTC)

Data in location pages?
Since most locations will have Nicholas visiting, it would make sense to add another standard section to the location; it could give the date that Nicholas was here, or the one he is expected to return, and if done with templates (like an infobox, but maybe different presentation) it would also be possible to create these tables automatically. E.g.

Nicholas the Traveller
Notes and comments DPL could then create a list of all Factions locations etc, and if we had a use for the knowledge when he last asked for a rare material, we would add SMW metadata to all our infobox templates and be able to formulate queries like these. Which is what got me thinking about this initially, because to use the data with SMW, it should ideally each be on its own page. (We haven't seen a use for SMW in the past, so don't get your hopes up, but still... ;) -- ◄mendel► 05:39, July 20, 2010 (UTC)