Talk:Malaysia Airlines Flight 17/Timeline

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Apologies for using the 'old technology' of categories etc for this. I undertook to get it up and running fast and so more-or-less just cloned the JFK Assassination Timeline --Peter P (talk) 11:05, 28 July 2014 (IST)

* Call for suggestions re timelines

Apologies accepted ;) Seriously, let's work out what we would like as regards timelines. What would be an ideal set of standards/practices?... Then see how close we can get by implementing that using SMW technology. I have left the existing code for this timeline as it is, but added a |timeline parameter to Template:Event to show how we could start to phase out the existing system with something more flexible and robust. Robin (talk) 15:54, 20 August 2014 (IST)

I've only just created my first ever timeline event (posted at the same time as this Call and maybe not all that well laid-out). So I'm no expert. Nevertheless, I agree with your suggestions and ideas. But, as I have no idea how to go about making these changes happen, all I can offer is my moral support on this. --Two Dogs (talk) 16:12, 20 August 2014 (IST)
It was partly your enthusiasm at documenting MH17 that inspired my suggestion, so moral support is good. It's the brainstorming phase, so ideas are welcome even if you don't know how to go about implementing them. I'll have another look a couple of days and then have a look at how feasible a re-code looks. I'm not sure about (4) below, but 1,2,3 & 5 don't look too daunting. Robin (talk) 18:07, 20 August 2014 (IST)
Point 4 kind of threw me for a bit - as it was a press release with no time on it. So I fiddled it a bit by giving it a noon start and no end. It seems to have worked. https://wikispooks.com/wiki/Dutch_PM_thanks_locals --Two Dogs (talk) 18:33, 20 August 2014 (IST)
I second Robin. Thanks for useful contributions here. Mistakes are easily reversed/corrected so best just jump in --Peter P (talk) 19:45, 20 August 2014 (IST)

I agree everything in the Wishlist section below and have nothing to add to it just now. All that is actually needed to produce a timeline graphic is a selection of pages containing 1. a date-time (or start and end date-times) and 2. a description. Setting up the timeline page itself with sensible selection criteria is key. However, useability is important too - especially when adding multiple new timeline events.
At present:
  1. Selection of events is by category.
  2. The category is assigned by the particular form/template combination.
  3. Display of a current timelines event includes two links - return to timeline and add another event.
Item 3 is a considerable useability feature as is the prominent display of the dates-times and description - ie the mandatory components of a timeline event.
I think it probably best to do any development work separate from the existing two timelines because the MH17 one in particular is slick and could easily attract new users. It would be a shame for them to hit hic-coughs when the learning curve is steep enough already --Peter P (talk) 19:40, 20 August 2014 (IST)

Wish list for timelines

  1. A common template for "events" and "timeline events" - since this would allow for easy moving of events in and out of timelines
  2. Events can occur in an arbitrary number of timelines - because events have multiple significance, and we don't want multiple copies of events running around
  3. List of all timelines easily available, e.g. at the timeline page
  4. Events to display either as points (Property:occurred on) or as line (Property:start -- Property:end)
  5. No custom code needed - this is unwieldy and hard to maintain

Ideas...

  1. Event pages occurring (optionally?) as subpages of the main event/person page?...