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Which version of the text editor would you prefer for the forums?

DeeDee Member Posts: 10,447
In the last day or two we've been testing out some alternative formatting settings for the forums. Previously, the forums have used HTML for all posts, with spoiler buttons being handled with BBCode.

We have the option to make everything use BBCode, which would make the formatting options more intuitive for the majority of users, but might take away some of the more advanced HTML styling that advanced users might like playing with.

We also have the option (which is in use now) to use a WYSIWYG editor, which includes the option to view and edit the raw HTML of your post. But the HTML view for the WYSIWYG editor is raw HTML, not the lightly formatted HTML we have in the HTML format.

All three of these options support keyboard shortcuts for Bold, Italic, and Underline. The question is, which do you prefer?

This is an all-or-nothing proposition. Vanilla doesn't currently give us the choice to switch on a post-to-post basis (although any existing posts will continue to use the format they were created in). So take some time to play with the WYSIWYG editor, and think about which of the following three options you'd most prefer. I'll let this simmer for about a week, and then we'll make a decision based on the voting results and the discussions that follow.
  1. Which version of the text editor would you prefer for the forums?33 votes
    1. BBCode
      51.52%
    2. HTML
      27.27%
    3. WYSIWYG (with HTML view)
      21.21%

Comments

  • JuliusBorisovJuliusBorisov Member, Administrator, Moderator, Developer Posts: 22,758
    edited March 2016
    I voted HTML (btw, why this poll is anonymous?) 

    I've liked the previous system a lot, I've got used to it. It provided everything I ever wished for. We had a very useful "how to do" thread, and by following instructions could easily type what we wanted and in the way we wanted it.

    Quoting, editing, adding spoilers, inserting pictures - it all was very much easier before the change. 

    Even with the HTML toggle, it can't be a substitute to the previous system, because this toggle only works for the post you write, not for looking at other posts.
  • FranpaFranpa Member Posts: 637
    edited March 2016
    My reasoning for choosing BBCODE can be viewed here:
    Why I prefer BBCODE: https://forums.beamdog.com/discussion/comment/724395/#Comment_724395
    Why I hate  WYSIWYG Editor's 1: https://forums.beamdog.com/discussion/comment/724432/#Comment_724432
    Why I hate  WYSIWYG Editor's 2: https://forums.beamdog.com/discussion/comment/724453/#Comment_724453

    I'm also not a fan of the quote indentation but I believe that can be fixed by removing some of the syntax (The <div> stuff).
    Post edited by Franpa on
  • argent77argent77 Member Posts: 3,494
    @Dee Are you planning to use the NBBC plugin or an alternative addon, in case the majority of forum members chose the BBCode option?

    I've tested the BBCode version you had online for a short while a day a go in this post, but it didn't support everything I saw in the NBBC plugin code.
  • DeeDee Member Posts: 10,447
    argent77 said:
    @Dee Are you planning to use the NBBC plugin or an alternative addon, in case the majority of forum members chose the BBCode option?

    I've tested the BBCode version you had online for a short while a day a go in this post, but it didn't support everything I saw in the NBBC plugin code.
    If we do opt for BBCode, we will use the NBBC plugin, yes.
  • [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 0
    edited March 2016
    The user and all related content has been deleted.
  • The user and all related content has been deleted.
  • NonnahswriterNonnahswriter Member Posts: 2,520
    I voted for HTML when I meant to vote for BBCode...

    That's what I get for voting too early in the morning. :/
  • brusbrus Member Posts: 944
    edited March 2016
    In the end, whichever method you'll choose, lets us have the ability to draw lines




    color shadowed text ,tables
    class1, data1 class1, data2 class1, data3 class1, data4 class1, data5
    class2, data1 class2, data2 class2, data3 class2, data4 class2, data5
    . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
    class9, data1 class9, data2 class9, data3 class9, data4 class9, data5
    and lists:
    Choose only one answer who is the most annoying guy in BG:
    1. Noober
    2. Noober
    3. Noober
  • elminsterelminster Member, Developer Posts: 16,317
    brus said:

    In the end, whichever method you'll choose, lets us have the ability to draw lines








    color shadowed text ,tables


    class1, data1

    class1, data2

    class1, data3

    class1, data4

    class1, data5

    class2, data1

    class2, data2

    class2, data3

    class2, data4

    class2, data5

    .
    .
    .


    .
    .
    .


    .
    .
    .


    .
    .
    .


    .
    .
    .


    class9, data1

    class9, data2

    class9, data3

    class9, data4

    class9, data5
    and lists:

    Choose only one answer who is the most annoying guy in BG:
    1. Noober
    2. Noober
    3. Noober

    What about Lord Binky the Buffoon?
  • BillyYankBillyYank Member Posts: 2,768
    I like the wysy. When it first came out, it had some problems, like losing formatting in quotes, but those seem to have been cleared up. Inserting pictures, hyperlinks and basic formatting are all much faster now.

    Whatever you choose, please keep the ban on .bmp's.
  • cmk24cmk24 Member Posts: 605
    If I could have anything I would want markdown (github style) but as that is not an option I vote for WYSIWYG.

  • BillyYankBillyYank Member Posts: 2,768
    One thing that @semiticgod noticed in the no reload thread, and I just tested, is when you drag and drop multiple pictures to your post, they're inserted in random order.  That should be reported to Vanilla as a bug.
  • AdulAdul Member Posts: 2,002
    I like HTML as I'm mostly used to that markup - formatting images and links is the easiest for me there.
  • DeeDee Member Posts: 10,447
    It's not a random order; they get inserted wherever your cursor is.
  • ThelsThels Member Posts: 1,422
    The old HTML wasn't really HTML, it just used some HTML tags here and there, which doesn't make it all that different from BBcode (though considering how many people struggle with posting a link or an image, I expect they'll have an easier time with BBcode than HTML).

    The HTML option that comes with the WYSIWYG setting is full on HTML. Rather than only using some HTML tags for links, pictures, etc..., and being able to just type normally for the rest, you now need to include divs and brs for the most basics of stuff. Want to start a new paragraph? Think you can get away with pressing Enter once or twice? Too bad, use <br><br> instead!

    I voted BBcode, but I honestly wouldn't mind at all if it went back to the way it was. Both allow some formatting here and there, without having to tag everything.
  • BillyYankBillyYank Member Posts: 2,768
    Nope.






    Note the difference in order between the pictures I dropped in here and the alphabetical order below. Not only that, but this is the second time I dropped those pics, and the order was different the first time (the one with the cat was third.)
  • argent77argent77 Member Posts: 3,494
    edited March 2016
    @BillyYank They appear to be sorted alphabetically by their internal names which are "edldpcerx0qt.jpg", "lxkpckphocdx.jpg", and so on. (Edit: Or maybe not. There are still names out of order.)

    I would say it's a bug of sorts.
  • DeeDee Member Posts: 10,447
    edited March 2016
    Oh, do you mean you're dropping multiple images at once?

    Like this:

    Yes, that's a bug. But why are you trying to mass-upload images in the first place?

    4.jpg 200.7K
    2.jpg 436.5K
    3.jpg 639.8K
    1.jpg 1010K
  • AstroBryGuyAstroBryGuy Member Posts: 3,437
    cmk24 said:
    If I could have anything I would want markdown (github style) but as that is not an option I vote for WYSIWYG.

    I'd vote for markdown too. BBCode is #2, so I voted for that.
  • BillyYankBillyYank Member Posts: 2,768
    Dee said:
    Oh, do you mean you're dropping multiple images at once?
    snip

    Yes, that's a bug. But why are you trying to mass-upload images in the first place?

    Screenshots for no-reload runthroughs.
  • DeeDee Member Posts: 10,447
    Ah, okay. That makes sense, and I can totally see why that would be frustrating.
  • BillyYankBillyYank Member Posts: 2,768
    Since it's a different order every time, I'd guess that it's putting them in the order that their uploads complete.
  • deltagodeltago Member Posts: 7,811
    I would like to think the new format is easier to use and understand for new people coming to the forums.

    The bar on top is very much self explanatory and makes placing links and pictures in a post easier. A person just has to go through a meme thread to realize how complicated inserting images is for someone not knowing how to use the upload feature properly.

    Yes there are wonderful posts that explain how to do certain functions when editing a post, but they aren't needed when all the basics are right above text window.

  • DeeDee Member Posts: 10,447
    deltago said:
    I would like to think the new format is easier to use and understand for new people coming to the forums.

    The bar on top is very much self explanatory and makes placing links and pictures in a post easier. A person just has to go through a meme thread to realize how complicated inserting images is for someone not knowing how to use the upload feature properly.

    Yes there are wonderful posts that explain how to do certain functions when editing a post, but they aren't needed when all the basics are right above text window.

    Everything you describe would actually be part of whichever solution we use. The button bar at the top of the edit box is there to stay; it's just a question of how the formatting is driven.
  • CrevsDaakCrevsDaak Member Posts: 7,155
    Plain HTML FTW. WYSIWYG editors are like dictatorships and BBCode is just... BBCode...
  • DeeDee Member Posts: 10,447
    WYSIWYG has too many bugs, it looks like. I'm going to switch us over to BBCode for the moment, since that's where the votes are landing. I'll create a new poll with just HTML and BBCode so that we can get a more accurate slate of preferences.

    Thanks for bearing with me, everyone. I realize the changing formatting can be frustrating, but it's all in the interest of improving things for us all.
  • DeeDee Member Posts: 10,447
    edited March 2016
    So, for those who aren't aware, BBCode works a lot like HTML, except that instead of < and > you use [ and ]. There's a few other differences, but those are the basics. You should see a "You can use BBCode in your post" message at the bottom of the reply box, which will take you to a page that has more information.

    New Poll: https://forums.beamdog.com/discussion/49139/html-or-bbcode-which-should-we-use
This discussion has been closed.