HTML Tables in News and Information

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ddickson-p40
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HTML Tables in News and Information

#1

Post by ddickson-p40 »

I have found a few postings about the limitations of using HTML on the Local Unit Web Sites. I thought I would see if anyone has encountered something I ran into and how it might have been resolved.

Our Sunday School president loves the lesson schedule feature on the LUWS which allows posting Gospel Doctrine and Priesthood/Relief Society lessons by week. We have been running the Gospel Principles course, the Teaching the Gospel course, and the Temple Preparation Seminar as part of our regular Sunday School curriculum. So the Sunday School President asked if we could post those schedules too. I thought it would be easy to create an HTML table from his Excel spreadsheet rather than attach the file (which is a bit cumbersome and presumes a member has an application that can open the file).

Creating the table was quite simple and with a little time, it looked pretty good (with the noted exception of being able to add an Anchor and refer back to the lesson material located on the lds.org site). However, a preview of the News and Information content shows up on the page with all news. The table caused the page to wrap it's content throughout the table as it tried to render the preview of the content. It caused the width of the news previews to assume the table width.

After messing with it for a couple hours, I ended up printing to a PDF and attaching a file. I figured that format was more globally accessible to membership. After thinking about it some, it will likely allow me to put in the Anchor tags and link back into the lds.org lesson material.

Anybody else had a similar experience? Any ideas or hints on using HTML on the site?

Note: I also like to use an HTML table to better list the meeting schedule on the front page of our LUWS. It puts it in a nice format and allows me to post start times of each meeting. It also allows me to post the next year's times before the time is changed in MLS.

<table border="1">
<tr>
<th>2009 Schedule</th>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><font size="2">11:30am Priesthood/RS/Primary</font></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><font size="2">12:30pm Sunday School Classes</font></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><font size="2">1:20pm Sacrament Meeting</font></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><font size="2">2:30pm End of Block</font></td>
</tr>
</table>
dmaynes
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#2

Post by dmaynes »

ddickson wrote: Creating the table was quite simple and with a little time, it looked pretty good (with the noted exception of being able to add an Anchor and refer back to the lesson material located on the lds.org site). However, a preview of the News and Information content shows up on the page with all news. The table caused the page to wrap it's content throughout the table as it tried to render the preview of the content. It caused the width of the news previews to assume the table width.
I have kept my HTML pretty simple. I use the unnumbered lists <ul> and numbered lists <ol>. I would think this would suit your purpose quite well. There is a 2K limit on the size of any entry in the News/Information section, so anything that is really extensive will require a PDF file. You can't get precise column alignment with this, but if you use the non-breaking space you should be able to get good alignment.
After messing with it for a couple hours, I ended up printing to a PDF and attaching a file. I figured that format was more globally accessible to membership. After thinking about it some, it will likely allow me to put in the Anchor tags and link back into the lds.org lesson material.
I don't know how to insert URL links into PDF files, except by putting in the entire URL explicitly.
Note: I also like to use an HTML table to better list the meeting schedule on the front page of our LUWS. It puts it in a nice format and allows me to post start times of each meeting. It also allows me to post the next year's times before the time is changed in MLS.
I like this idea for using the table to show the meeting times.

Thanks,
Dennis
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AileneRHerrick
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I'll play with it...

#3

Post by AileneRHerrick »

ddickson wrote:Any ideas or hints on using HTML on the site?

Let me tinker with it a little and see what I can figure out for you. It's a good idea! In the "Tips and Tricks" thread on the first page, someone listed a tip how to link inside the Ward Website. Now, whether it will work to link to lessons on LDS.org is something I do not know. Someone would have to try and see! Hopefully I'll get back to you soon!
russellhltn
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#4

Post by russellhltn »

ddickson wrote:However, a preview of the News and Information content shows up on the page with all news. The table caused the page to wrap it's content throughout the table as it tried to render the preview of the content.
The problem I experienced is that the preview didn't close any open tags, so everything below that item was also in a table. My solution was simply to create a "click on this item to see it" type of message and then about 6 lines down start the table. That way the table isn't in the preview at all.

That was some years back. Maybe that's changed now.
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aebrown
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#5

Post by aebrown »

RussellHltn wrote:The problem I experienced is that the preview didn't close any open tags, so everything below that item was also in a table. My solution was simply to create a "click on this item to see it" type of message and then about 6 lines down start the table. That way the table isn't in the preview at all.

That was some years back. Maybe that's changed now.
No change -- it's still a problem.
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AileneRHerrick
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But you CAN link back!!!

#6

Post by AileneRHerrick »

ddickson wrote:Creating the table was quite simple and with a little time, it looked pretty good (with the noted exception of being able to add an Anchor and refer back to the lesson material located on the lds.org site).

Okay, I just tested the tip that was given in the Tips and Tricks thread. I can't give credit for this tip, but I wanted to let you know that it works!

Enter this code:

Code: Select all

[font=Times New Roman][font=Times New Roman]<span style=color:blue;cursor;pointer; onclick=javascript:window.location.href=('http://www.lds.org/ldsorg/v/index.jsp?vgnextoid=d6371b08f338c010VgnVCM1000004d82620aRCRD&locale=0&sourceId=ac0dcb7a29c20110VgnVCM100000176f620a____&hideNav=1&contentLocale=0')><u>A Daughter of God</u></span>, taught by Bishop Smith[/font][/font]


You can see two places where you change your information. Change the URL to your desired location. Make sure to leave the single quotes are still there. Then change the title of the link to display what you want it to say. People will then be able to click on it.

Two important things about this:
1. I don't know how to make the cursor look like one of those pointing hand things... the one that lets you know you can click on a link. So if anyone knows how, let me know! :)
2. MOST IMPORTANT OF ALL! Technically you could use this to link to anywhere on the internet that you wanted to link to. However, (Tom, you can back me on this if I'm right :)), that doesn't mean you should. Use the same guidelines as for the web resource section. Only link to Church sponsored websites, not anything else... even if you think it's "appropriate."

So the trick works, and I hope that it will be used wisely and appropriately by everyone reading this!

Have a great day, and let me know if there's anything else you want me to tinker with and figure out! :)

Ailene
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WelchTC
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#7

Post by WelchTC »

AileneRHerrick wrote:2. MOST IMPORTANT OF ALL! Technically you could use this to link to anywhere on the internet that you wanted to link to. However, (Tom, you can back me on this if I'm right :)), that doesn't mean you should. Use the same guidelines as for the web resource section. Only link to Church sponsored websites, not anything else... even if you think it's "appropriate."
Ailene is correct. Only link to Church sponsored websites! However this is a nice work around so that people can find more official LDS resources.

Tom
dmaynes
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#8

Post by dmaynes »

tomw wrote:Ailene is correct. Only link to Church sponsored websites! However this is a nice work around so that people can find more official LDS resources.
Tom,

What are the odds that the new LUWS will have some similar linking functionality? It would be nice to have this. But, it would be even worse to use it and build the site with this capability only to have it taken away with the new LUWS.

Thanks,
Dennis
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AileneRHerrick
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#9

Post by AileneRHerrick »

dmaynes wrote:Tom,

What are the odds that the new LUWS will have some similar linking functionality? It would be nice to have this. But, it would be even worse to use it and build the site with this capability only to have it taken away with the new LUWS.

Thanks,
Dennis

That's a good point. My reasoning may be different then yours. I figure that it will probably be a long time before the new LUWS comes out (it'll probably be at least a year from now), since we haven't been given any "publicly declared timeline." I figure that since it's likely a long ways down the road, I'll go ahead and use it now. Yes, it may mean I have to go through and fix a few things when the new LUWS comes out, but if it's going to be awhile before it comes out, I don't see any reason not to do it.

Now if it were coming out next month (wishful thinking :D) then I'd probably just hold off.

That's my reasoning for doing it the way I do it. I could see how it may complicate things for the transition though, if it's not as compatible. You do bring up a good point. :)

Ailene
russellhltn
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#10

Post by russellhltn »

AileneRHerrick wrote:Now if it were coming out next month (wishful thinking :D) then I'd probably just hold off.
Then there's the Murphy line of logic: If I do it now, then it's more likely to come out next month. :D
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