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Thread: Increase Width of Code Boxes

  1. #1
    Non-Member Kalon's Avatar
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    Increase Width of Code Boxes

    I'm just wondering if it is possible for the website administrator to increase the width of the "boxes" containing the code wrapped in code tags in posts.

    I've paid all these $$$$$$$$ for a wide screen monitor and I get these narrow code boxes with all that wasted screen real estate to their right


    It's a pain in the you know where to scroll across the box most of the time to see all the code

    Thank you

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    Patience. No need to start duplicate threads.

    One problem is that the SitePoint forums are vBulletin, so it may not be so easy to implement style changes that would be acceptable to the wider general membership, eg. you may be browsing with a large resolution monitor with the view-port maximized, but what about those that aren't?

    IMHO perhaps the best course of action would be for you - if you are using Firefox - is to write a GreaseMonkey userscript that would change the width for you while you're on the forums.

    If you can't write one yourself, I may be able to talk one of the Staff members into doing it for you.

    Are you using Firefox? GreaseMonkey? Do you have enough experience to try writing one yourself?

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    Non-Member Kalon's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Mittineague View Post
    Patience. No need to start duplicate threads.

    One problem is that the SitePoint forums are vBulletin, so it may not be so easy to implement style changes that would be acceptable to the wider general membership, eg. you may be browsing with a large resolution monitor with the view-port maximized, but what about those that aren't?

    IMHO perhaps the best course of action would be for you - if you are using Firefox - is to write a GreaseMonkey userscript that would change the width for you while you're on the forums.

    If you can't write one yourself, I may be able to talk one of the Staff members into doing it for you.

    Are you using Firefox? GreaseMonkey? Do you have enough experience to try writing one yourself?
    Thank you for your reply.

    I replicated my original thread because I didn't see a reply after 2-3 days and so I thought maybe this forum might be a more appropriate location for my query.

    Thanks for the offer, but I usually use IE and I don't use Greasemonkey.

    But it's not a big deal really. I was hoping that maybe it was just a matter of adjusting a parameter somewhere in the administrator control panel.

    I can live with the code boxes as they are, but I am sure that some other vBulletin forums similar to this have wider code boxes. (see this example)

    Thanks again anyway

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    Quote Originally Posted by Mittineague View Post
    One problem is that the SitePoint forums are vBulletin, so it may not be so easy to implement style changes that would be acceptable to the wider general membership, eg. you may be browsing with a large resolution monitor with the view-port maximized, but what about those that aren't?
    I think it would just be a simple matter of changing the inline CSS width. Currently it's set at 480px, which is very small. That could be changed to something wider, but probably the best option is to set it to something like width: 80%, so that it would resize at different screen/viewport widths. That *should* be easy to to at HQ (he says, extremely ignorant of VB...)

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    Programming Since 1978 silver trophybronze trophy felgall's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Kalon View Post
    Thanks for the offer, but I usually use IE and I don't use Greasemonkey.
    Te IE7Pro plugin that works with IE6+ will allow slightly modified versions of Greasemonkey scripts to be run in IE.
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    <input name="html5" type="text" required pattern="^$">

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    SitePoint Evangelist TomTees's Avatar
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    Over at PHPFreaks you can *drag* the window to the size you want...

    At the very least, the window width needs to be increased.

    If you can make it adjustable, all the better!


    TomTees

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    SitePoint Wizard bronze trophy bluedreamer's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by ralph.m View Post
    I think it would just be a simple matter of changing the inline CSS width. Currently it's set at 480px, which is very small. That could be changed to something wider, but probably the best option is to set it to something like width: 80%, so that it would resize at different screen/viewport widths. That *should* be easy to to at HQ (he says, extremely ignorant of VB...)
    Yep it's just a CSS change, 480px is a bit small nowadays. I've seen many newer vB installs that have much larger reply fields, so the 480 is probably a relic from a bygone age.

    80% sounds good.

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    Quote Originally Posted by bluedreamer View Post
    80% sounds good.
    Hmm, I was talking privately with a staff member today, after my post above, and it turns out this is not so simple.

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    SitePoint Wizard bronze trophy bluedreamer's Avatar
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    Modern vB skins seem to have no problem with 100% width reply boxes...
    Attached Images

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    Non-Member Kalon's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by ralph.m View Post
    Hmm, I was talking privately with a staff member today, after my post above, and it turns out this is not so simple.
    Did they say why it isn't.

    The other similarly themed vBulletin website (see my example link in post no. 3) seems to have code boxes with close to 100% width

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    I wouldn't call that similarly themed. The "member data" is in a "top row" while here it's in a "left cell" that takes up some of the width.

    What makes it not so easy is vBulletin uses tables for layout.

    I'm no CSS guru by any means, and some of my fellow Staff are much better at it. I don't know how much time and effort they put into finding a suitable work-around, but I'm sure they would be more than pleased if someone is up to the challenge and can find a solution.

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    Non-Member Kalon's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Mittineague View Post
    I wouldn't call that similarly themed. The "member data" is in a "top row" while here it's in a "left cell" that takes up some of the width.

    What makes it not so easy is vBulletin uses tables for layout.
    By similar theme I mean that it is also a forums website for website developers.

    At the bottom of their web pages I see

    Powered by vBulletin&#174; Version 3.7.3
    The page layout on this website is ok, but if I had a choice I would prefer the layout on the example site I posted as imho the space usage for 'member data' and posts is more efficient.

    On this site all the whitespace under the avatar and member info is wasted along with the whitespace to the right of all the code blocks.

    But as I said earlier, it's not a big deal. I was hoping that it might be a quick and easy adjustment to widen the code blocks but I can live the current layout as well

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    Quote Originally Posted by Kalon View Post
    Did they say why it isn't.
    There were some test cases where a long line of text would blow the age apart.

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    Non-Member Kalon's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by ralph.m View Post
    There were some test cases where a long line of text would blow the page apart.
    ok thanks but it sounds strange

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    SitePoint Evangelist TomTees's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Mittineague View Post
    I wouldn't call that similarly themed. The "member data" is in a "top row" while here it's in a "left cell" that takes up some of the width.

    What makes it not so easy is vBulletin uses tables for layout.

    I'm no CSS guru by any means, and some of my fellow Staff are much better at it. I don't know how much time and effort they put into finding a suitable work-around, but I'm sure they would be more than pleased if someone is up to the challenge and can find a solution.
    Why doesn't SitePoint build their own website?!

    I just assumed with all of the talent here, that this was a home-grown system and not some recycled OTS solution...


    TomTees

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    Quote Originally Posted by Kalon View Post
    I replicated my original thread because I didn't see a reply after 2-3 days and so I thought maybe this forum might be a more appropriate location for my query.
    Off Topic:

    Next time, if you see that nobody is answering, try to contact a member of the staff. Sometimes moving a thread to other area can make wonders! (although, in this particular case that would have not been suitable... but we would have brought this to the attention of the developers so we could answer you
    Before asking, do a search... if you don't find the answer, then ask
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    Non-Member Kalon's Avatar
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    I was already spanked by Mittineague for starting a new thread

    I was hoping you were going to tell me we're going to get wider code boxes

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    Off Topic:

    I didn't want to spank you at all, just give you some more options


    We're discussing possible solutions (well, the geeks of the staff are doing it). We're trying to do it ourselves because it is much faster. Hopefully, they will be able to address the issue and sort it out for you
    Before asking, do a search... if you don't find the answer, then ask
    The purpose of this forum is to help others in the community, that's why it's called Sitepoint and not Linkpoint.
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    Non-Member Kalon's Avatar
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    ok, thank you for your help

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    Non-Member Kalon's Avatar
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    I just did a bit of at vbulletin.org and found this thread which might be of help.

    There's lots of other stuff there as well but I'm sure your staff are aware of it.

    I'll butt out now and leave you to it

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    That's great Kalon. Thanks. It seems that we found the solution and it is tested... now we have to see if we can implement it... I guess we will have to bribe someone from the dev team at HQ

    Although I think that the administrator maybe be able to implement it herself.
    Before asking, do a search... if you don't find the answer, then ask
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    Non-Member Kalon's Avatar
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    sounds good

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    Non-Member Kalon's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by molona View Post
    I guess we will have to bribe someone from the dev team at HQ
    .

    hmmmmmm are they holding out for a bigger bribe?

    maybe we'll have to pass a hat around and take up a collection

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    Patience, patience We're getting there step by step
    Before asking, do a search... if you don't find the answer, then ask
    The purpose of this forum is to help others in the community, that's why it's called Sitepoint and not Linkpoint.
    SP Guidelines - No fluff.

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    SitePoint Wizard rguy84's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by molona View Post
    Off Topic:

    Next time, if you see that nobody is answering, try to contact a member of the staff. Sometimes moving a thread to other area can make wonders! (although, in this particular case that would have not been suitable... but we would have brought this to the attention of the developers so we could answer you
    Off Topic:

    Is there a way we can tell who is considered staff? I know staff like HAWK, and such has their user names in black. Then I know team leads have an in with staff. But I never put the connection together where advisors/mentors sat in things
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