Help Develop the Fungi Pages

[StuartDH]

We're currently upgrading the reference section and we need lots of volunteers to help create content for the fungi pages.

If you'd like to help, please click on the following links for more information on how you can get involved. We've tried to make it a very quick and simple process to add content in literally a few seconds, so please dig in and help out wherever you can

Missing Fungal Facts | Wild About Britain
Missing Fungal Images | Wild About Britain
Add to the Fungus Glossary


Recent Fungus Updates

Create a New Fungal Entry in the Reference Section

Thanks

Stuart

[flaxton]

Can we input new specimens yet?
Mal

[StuartDH]

Hi Mal,

Yep, I've just switched it back on

Create a New Fungi Listing

Stu

[Lancashire Lad]

A couple of queries for Stu DH please: -

Firstly,
I created a new A-Z listing for Snaketongue Truffleclub, and uploaded three photos to illustrate. I subsequently discovered that only the central portion of each photo is being displayed on the new entry, which detracts from the overall entry. Having checked various other entries, this would appear to be the case in general, unlike the wild flower entries which show complete photos. (There appears to be no facility to click on the fungi A-Z photos to show full size, or full photo. ).

Secondly,
When browsing the fungi A-Z, each time I click on a letter, my computer freezes for about 1 - 2 minutes. After repeat occurences of this situation every time I access those pages, I am now sure that this must be due to the sheer amount of information bing downloaded for these particular pages.

I would say my broadband speed is fairly average, but it is slightly disconcerting when the computer locks up for an unspecified length of time. Newcomers may be disinclined to use these pages, (or indeed try "Control/Alt/Delete", as I originally did several times before I eventually realised what was happening).

Could some sort of message be considered for addition to each page, saying something like "page downloading - please wait", or maybe a simple moving graphic similar to the windows egg timer?

Please don't take this as nit-picking. (It is sometimes difficult to write things down without them appearing rather blunt. ). - I'm just trying to make constructive comment on some things of which the administrators/programmers may possibly be unaware, and which would undoubtedly improve the pages in question if able to be taken on board.

Regards,
Mike.

[NickCantle]

Bringing up issues (no matter how small) signifies to me someone who is equally as keen as myself and the other volunteers to get this A-Z as spot on as possible. It has the potential to be such a fantastic resource for beginners and amateurs alike, and I think that perfecting it is something that needs to be done!

[Chris Yeates]

Originally Posted by NickCantle

Bringing up issues (no matter how small) signifies to me someone who is equally as keen as myself and the other volunteers to get this A-Z as spot on as possible. It has the potential to be such a fantastic resource for beginners and amateurs alike, and I think that perfecting it is something that needs to be done!

agreed Nick, and if it is going to be 'as spot on as possible' can we please get over this add a fungi issue - no wonder so many newcomers appear to be getting led astray . . .

it does reflect badly (and totally unnecessarily) on what has potential to be an internationally important source (and reflecting well on British mycology of course!)

may I humbly suggest changes in the headings in the first post on this thread to:

Missing Fungus Facts | Wild About Britain
Missing Fungus Images | Wild About Britain
Add to the Fungal Glossary

Recent Fungal Updates

in fact all the above could use the adjective Fungal but I'm not going to get too precious here! but important is:

Create a New Fungus Entry in the Reference Section

surely this wouldn't give the hardworking SDH too much grief?

cheers

Chris

[ron1863]

The Fungi reference section has been driving me nuts, I have been adding data only to find that the fungus I have been adding data to has a copy with all the relevant information there already. Is there any way that copies can be deleted. A lot of fungi have double entries because some have Common name & Latin name in the title, while some only have the latin name.

[charlieb]

Originally Posted by Chris Yeates

no wonder so many newcomers appear to be getting led astray . . .

So what it is it (serious question!).... fungus one, fungi many?

This is how I would have thought the "insect pages" would read:

Missing Insect Facts | Wild About Britain
Missing Insect Images | Wild About Britain
Add to the Insect Glossary


Recent Insect Updates

Create a New Insect Entry in the Reference Section

All the singular of the entity, no need for "insectival facts"?

(incidently all the "insect pages" in the sidebar are plurals )

[StuartDH]

Hi Mike,

Thanks for the info

Originally Posted by Lancashire Lad

A couple of queries for Stu DH please: -

Firstly,
I created a new A-Z listing for Snaketongue Truffleclub, and uploaded three photos to illustrate. I subsequently discovered that only the central portion of each photo is being displayed on the new entry, which detracts from the overall entry. Having checked various other entries, this would appear to be the case in general, unlike the wild flower entries which show complete photos. (There appears to be no facility to click on the fungi A-Z photos to show full size, or full photo. ).

The images are all cropped to have the same aspect ratio, so they will fit on a templated page properly, without pushing off to one side etc. This means that potrait or very wide images wll be cropped back to a 4:3 ratio. Teh wildflower photos all fit, because I chose oriinal pics that were already about 4:3. If you click on the small photos on the A-Z identifier pages http://www.wildaboutbritain.co.uk/identify/fungi or the species main page then you should be able to see a full image uncropped

Originally Posted by Lancashire Lad

Secondly,
When browsing the fungi A-Z, each time I click on a letter, my computer freezes for about 1 - 2 minutes. After repeat occurences of this situation every time I access those pages, I am now sure that this must be due to the sheer amount of information bing downloaded for these particular pages.

I would say my broadband speed is fairly average, but it is slightly disconcerting when the computer locks up for an unspecified length of time. Newcomers may be disinclined to use these pages, (or indeed try "Control/Alt/Delete", as I originally did several times before I eventually realised what was happening).

Could some sort of message be considered for addition to each page, saying something like "page downloading - please wait", or maybe a simple moving graphic similar to the windows egg timer?

What browser are you using? I think we might be getting some issues with safari. The totla page sizes sholdn't be more than about 200kb, so they should load within a few seconds, but I'll take a look and see if we can add a timer

[StuartDH]

Originally Posted by ron1863

The Fungi reference section has been driving me nuts, I have been adding data only to find that the fungus I have been adding data to has a copy with all the relevant information there already. Is there any way that copies can be deleted. A lot of fungi have double entries because some have Common name & Latin name in the title, while some only have the latin name.

I also wish there was an easier way Ron, but we're basically relying on content being put in the right places and I can't think of a way to prevent the system falling over when it in't

I ran a check a week or so ago and removed/merged all the duplicates. The only thing I can suggest is to search the reference section's content before adding a new listing.