Possible CD-TBA integration

[EHaskins]

I've been playing with the TBA API lately, and I had an idea.

What if a user's team number, in their profile page and above their posts, became a link to the TBA page for that team. It seems to me that I often want to find info about a user's team, and having a convieniant link to that info could be extreamly useful.

It's just a random idea I had. I don't know if it would be worth implementing.

[Racer26]

I think it would be helpful...and I can't see any reason it couldn't be implemented in a few lines of code, especially given all the stuff Brandon has already done to CD's copy of vBulletin

EDIT: from an aesthetics perspective, i'd say a piclink (like the one when you quote someones post) would be better, next to their team number, as a blue linktext would compete with your username

[Brandon Martus]

This sounds like a good idea. I'll see what I can do between work and regionals this weekend.

[Billfred]

It seems like CD-Media could use this as well--if it's a team tag (frcXXXX) or a regional (palmettoregional), what about wedging in a link to that information on TBA or the FIRST site? If there were other teams who've tagged their own photo galleries the same way as CD, perhaps throw them in as well.

[Greg Marra]

I just tossed Brandon two images that could be the links. I am not sure which one works better, because making things the same size as normally-sized text is really tough. Also, little images are a bit tricky to click.

Team 177 http://www.thebluealliance.net/images/tiny_lamp.png (http://www.thebluealliance.net/tbatv/team.php?team=177&sbutt=Go)

vs.

Team 177 http://www.thebluealliance.net/images/tiny_tba_link.png (http://www.thebluealliance.net/tbatv/team.php?team=177&sbutt=Go)

They're both tiny, but that's the constraint of the problem. If anyone else wants to take a hand at it and come up with something better, http://www.thebluealliance.net/images/ is your playground, and I have PSDs if you want them.

[Brandon Martus]

I used the tiny TBA-> one .. we'll see how that goes over.
It can always change.

[GaryVoshol]

That was fast!

[Danny McC]

That was rather fast. It it quite nifty as well.

[fluffy]

I used the tiny TBA-> one .. we'll see how that goes over.
It can always change.

what if there are two teams listed?...like in yours.

[Elgin Clock]

I figured this might happen, so I went looking.

http://www.chiefdelphi.com/forums/showthread.php?t=65528
Try linking to some people's TBA button when they have a FVC title.

Not so good.

Any way to filter the TBA icon for just people with FRC titles?

[Greg Needel]

what if there are two teams listed?...like in yours.

listing 2 teams isn't really an option on CD it is a hack of sorts when entering the team name. People enter this in the team name field to get 2 teams: <team 1 name) & FRC #<team 2 number> (<team 2 name>

*carrots are omitted.

[fluffy]

listing 2 teams isn't really an option on CD it is a hack of sorts when entering the team name. People enter this in the team name field to get 2 teams: <team 1 name) & FRC #<team 2 number> (<team 2 name>

*carrots are omitted.

Oh, I learned something new today :P

[Nate Laverdure]

I used the tiny TBA-> one .. we'll see how that goes over.
It can always change.
I think the TBA-> one needs to be shorter by a pixel to match the cap height of the surrounding text.

EDIT: I'd just like to add that I really like this idea, and I think it adds a clean and simple bit of usability to CD. It may also lead the way for more interoperability between CD and TBA, which would also be a great thing to see.

[hipsterjr]

Bravo. This could prove to be very interesting.

[Branden Ghena]

That was a fast update, Thank You very much Brandon Martus!

[David Guzman]

I love it. This is awesome.

Thanks Brandon.

[jgannon]

I really like the idea of linking team numbers to TBA pages, but I find this new image to be just a tad obtrusive. How about just making the team numbers clickable? Set the style to be the same as regular text, but make it underline on mouseover so people know it's a link. It would be a little more Easter-eggy, but also a little more visually appealing.

[blaxbb]

I really like the idea of linking team numbers to TBA pages, but I find this new image to be just a tad obtrusive. How about just making the team numbers clickable? Set the style to be the same as regular text, but make it underline on mouseover so people know it's a link. It would be a little more Easter-eggy, but also a little more visually appealing.

I think it's better as an image, it makes it easier for people who aren't used to the site. (just want to check for info)

With an image, a quick glance shows its a link to TBA, but an underlined link doesn't catch your eye.

[geeknerd99]

I'd prefer a link instead of the image. It's nice to know it exists, but now I'd like to go back to more or less how things used to look. The TBA-> is starting to become a bit of an eyesore already and I've just seen them for about 2 minutes.

[Mike AA]

When I logged on today and opened the first thread I wanted to look at and saw the TBA-> I said "cool quick idea and works well with CD"

I Like it. Should stay how it is.

-Mike

[Racer26]

Wow... Nice job Brandon, I didn't think you'd have my expansion of the idea implemented quite that fast... Cool. Its no more of an eyesore than the online pic or anything else. I say leave it. :P

[Elgin Clock]

I used the tiny TBA-> one .. we'll see how that goes over.
It can always change.

If it was up to a vote, the TBA block is very much more visible than the small blue alliance lightbulb. I vote to keep the TBA block.

[Jeff Waegelin]

I like the link idea, but I don't really like the TBA graphic. It stands out too much on the page, IMO. I would prefer the small lightbulb, actually, because I find it less obtrusive.

[Alan Anderson]

I like the link idea, but I don't really like the TBA graphic.

I concur. I find it very distracting. My preference would be to make the team number the actual link.

And now that I've used the word, what would it take to make it an actual user-configurable preference?

* no link to TBA
* hyperlink from the team number
* little blue light graphic
* bigger "TBA->" graphic

[Joe Matt]

I like the graphic, but if you want to make it blend in more, how about make the button a darker grey (to match the posts) with TBA in blue?

[ahecht]

I like it, but I think it would be better if it were located on the right and the arrow pointed to the left -- that way it doesn't mess up the alignment of the text.

[Racer26]

Actually, I like ahecht's idea, only just dont have an arrow on the TBA graphic, just move it to the right side, and have no arrow on it

[Libby K]

I like it. The graphic is slightly obtrusive, but I've gotten used to it.

Thanks, Brandon. You rock!

[Bharat Nain]

I like it. The graphic is slightly obtrusive, but I've gotten used to it.

Thanks, Brandon. You rock!

I like it as it is too. It is far from obtrusive for me. Other graphics in peoples signatures are way more eye-catching than this and most people have colorful signatures. It blends in well enough letting people know it is a blue alliance logo. And that was fast too! Good work Mr. Martus.

[Schnabel]

I like it as it is too. It is far from obtrusive for me. Other graphics in peoples signatures are way more eye-catching than this and most people have colorful signatures. It blends in well enough letting people know it is a blue alliance logo. And that was fast too! Good work Mr. Martus.

I will have to agree. I don't think that the TBA is very obtrusive at all. Yes it does misaligned the text, but that is just part of its nature. Bharat made a good point as some of the signatures on here can be a lot more eye catching and distracting than this little graphic that everyone has. With it being uniform throughout the entire forum, it blends in a lot better than if some people have their numbers as a link or the light instead of the button.

[Jim E]

Very nice.
No more searching for team website names. Thanks.

[Greg Marra]

Very nice.
No more searching for team website names. Thanks.

I just noticed that individual team pages failed to link to team websites. I've added that. Thanks!

[Brandon Martus]

I've created a custom BB Code for The Blue Alliance.

Example: Team 47

Usage: Team 47

[Greg Marra]

I've created a custom BB Code for The Blue Alliance.

Example: Team 47

Usage: Team 47

That is awesome. Sweet work Brandon!