BnetDocs is getting a new design.

The site has become clunky and slow, and constant modification has led to inconsistency in style and design which is why the site is both a pain to update, and slow to use.

I have a prototype design which I'm planning to complete over the next few weeks. It includes some changes in format, a different colour scheme, and a cleaner look. Before I plunge ahead, I'd like to make sure it's not going to garner widespread hatred, and to find out if anyone has any suggestions for improvement or ideas for features they think would be good additions to the design or the site in general.

This template is just a concept at the moment, so none of the links work. It should be sufficient to get the idea, though: http://bnetdocs.valhallalegends.com/dev/template.php.

Comments on the new layout:

Yeah it looks very nice. Like it alot.

But some comments on things.

Try making important things, stand out more than the less important things. For example:

(DWORD) Protocol ID (0)

You could try make the important things of that stand out more.

Like:

[color=yellow](DWORD)[/color]  [color=White]Protocol ID (0)[/color]

This is just a little idea, but this is my view.

It looks more professional... and happy.  I think you should still have "[0xXX]" next to the message name.

I agree with UserLoser :P. NICENICENICE JOB ARTA.

I agree with everything that has been posted before me.  It looks nice Arta.  Keep up the good work! :)

Thanks :)


[quote author=UserLoser link=topic=11854.msg116050#msg116050 date=1118941913]
It looks more professional... and happy.  I think you should still have "[0xXX]" next to the message name.
[/quote]

Thanks - fixed that.

Arta what are your comments on my suggestion?  :P

I think you should not have brackets there -- or at least pick something else to separate the ID from the message name:

[S->0x00] SID_NULL

That looks like 0x001.  0x50 looks like 0x501.  I was wondering what the hell you were doing to the IDs until I realized that was the problem.

I'll fiddle with parenthesis and see if it looks better.

[Unknown]: Not sure it's really necessary? I'll have a go and see how it looks.

Edit: I just removed the brackets, and it's much better :)

That looks very nice :) keep it up.

Looks nice.  My only gripe with this and the past BnetDocs though is that it's white.  I realize that it makes it look rather professional, but it also hurts my eyes if, for instance, I wake up early and look at the site.  If you could make it a dark background and nice high-contrast fonts, it'd reduce eye strain.  If not, though, no big deal.  I'll just make my browser use a custom stylesheet for it.

Also, it says "To bookmark a document or message, click it's 'Add to bookmarks' link." on the left, but the actual bookmark link says "Bookmark this page" =P

I learnt in science today:

Less light on the makes it go smaller, whereas you feel more tired. Why look at something useful to do with programming when it makes you feel tired? You cant program while tired very well.

More light on the eye makes you more awake and concentrated. So therefore, having a white background can do a few things, make it look better, read better, and even help you.

- This is what i was told in science..

Sorting by packet id instead of what order you entered them?

S->0x00  SID_NULL
C->0x50  SID_AUTH_INFO
S->0x50  SID_AUTH_INFO
C->0x51  SID_AUTH_CHECK
C->0x29  SID_LOGONRESPONSE
S->0x25  SID_PING
C->0x34  SID_QUERYREALMS

should be

S->0x00  SID_NULL
S->0x25  SID_PING
C->0x29  SID_LOGONRESPONSE
C->0x34  SID_QUERYREALMS
C->0x50  SID_AUTH_INFO
S->0x50  SID_AUTH_INFO
C->0x51  SID_AUTH_CHECK

[quote author=Soul Taker link=topic=11854.msg116078#msg116078 date=1118951163]
Also, it says "To bookmark a document or message, click it's 'Add to bookmarks' link." on the left, but the actual bookmark link says "Bookmark this page" =P
[/quote]

Fixed, thanks. I like bright pages :)


[quote author=Blaze link=topic=11854.msg116080#msg116080 date=1118951320]
Sorting by packet id instead of what order you entered them?
[/quote]

Oops - fixed - thanks.

Not all of the fonts match :X  Some are verdana and others are default.

Also, I think the gray comment boxes could be a tad darker.  Maybe #F3F3F3.

Finally: There is no <title>BnetDocs</title> or whatever you feel like calling it :)

The fonts are intentional.

That colour for the comments box would make them darker than the background. I wanted it to be fairly subtle - I'll make it a bit darker and see how it looks.

Eh, uniform fonts make the entire thing flow better, at least in my opinion.

Ahh, a somewhat useless extra I just (for no reason) thought up would be a quick-jump box which you could type in the packet id/name and just load that page.

I like it! I like it!  Did you make that small green logo yourself?

Its very nice, good job Arta!
I think the best idea was the one you were saying about awhile back about having each protocol in its own coloum so the site would open alot faster.
If more documentation about other protocols is going on there, that would probly be the best idea, as each coloum could have its own 'Documents' section relating to the protocol it is under :)
As for the colors and fonts, there fine! nice and bright means nice and clear ;)

Keep up the good work!

[quote author=rabbit link=topic=11854.msg116103#msg116103 date=1118958473]
Eh, uniform fonts make the entire thing flow better, at least in my opinion.

Ahh, a somewhat useless extra I just (for no reason) thought up would be a quick-jump box which you could type in the packet id/name and just load that page.
[/quote]

You can do that with the search box. Perhaps a search box in the menu would be a good idea, though. The font in the menu is different because the main page's font looks crappy at 9pt. I'm bored of verdana for the content, though, so I want that as arial. They're similar enough :)

[quote author=NicoQwertyu link=topic=11854.msg116111#msg116111 date=1118959327]
I like it! I like it!  Did you make that small green logo yourself?
[/quote]

No, that comes courtesy of Akamas. Thanks Akamas!

[quote author=Ringo link=topic=11854.msg116117#msg116117 date=1118960514]
Its very nice, good job Arta!
I think the best idea was the one you were saying about awhile back about having each protocol in its own coloum so the site would open alot faster.
If more documentation about other protocols is going on there, that would probly be the best idea, as each coloum could have its own 'Documents' section relating to the protocol it is under :)
[/quote]

Not sure what you mean by different columns? Either way, I think this version is much quicker. I rewrote the menu code completely. When completed, the new site will still allow you to show/hide sections of the menu, so the speed improvement should be even greater. Multiple 'documents' sections could be good, but I don't think we have enough documents to fill more than one section :)

[quote author=Arta[vL] link=topic=11854.msg116119#msg116119 date=1118961307]
Not sure what you mean by different columns? Either way, I think this version is much quicker. I rewrote the menu code completely. When completed, the new site will still allow you to show/hide sections of the menu, so the speed improvement should be even greater. Multiple 'documents' sections could be good, but I don't think we have enough documents to fill more than one section :)
[/quote]

Hmm, i think i remember seeing the site like this for a day or 2 when you were talking about it. (But with out the game stuff)


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

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[color=blue]Battle.net Messages:

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[/color]



And each column/menu was abit like this


[size=3]Battle.net Messages:[/size]
[color=blue]
Documents:
    Logon Sequences
    Battle.net Flags
    Battle.net's file transfer protocol (Version 1)
    Battle.net's file transfer protocol (Version 2)
    BNLS Checksum Algorithm
    Clan Message Codes
    Game Statstrings
    Icons.bni
    NLS/SRP Protocol
    Notational Conventions
    Platform & Product IDs
    Protocol Headers
    Sizes & Types
    User Statstrings
    Warcraft III Profile Requests


Consts for all messages: [pas cpp vb]

Battle.net Message Documents:
  [C>0x00]  SID_NULL
  [S>0x00]  SID_NULL
  [C>0x02]  SID_STOPADV
  [C>0x05]  SID_CLIENTID
  [S>0x05]  SID_CLIENTID
  ....
[/color]


I think u were on to somthing there :)

Eh? That's how it is now.

hm i might need to del my cookies or somthing :P

I'd also like to see an option to display logon sequences including BNLS (it gets annoying for me sometimes to cross reference everything).

Also, "vl" and "bnetdocs" are commands on yubnub...hrm...

[quote author=rabbit link=topic=11854.msg116130#msg116130 date=1118964696]
I'd also like to see an option to display logon sequences including BNLS (it gets annoying for me sometimes to cross reference everything).
[/quote]

That's a really good idea. I'll put it on the list.

[quote author=rabbit link=topic=11854.msg116130#msg116130 date=1118964696]
Also, "vl" and "bnetdocs" are commands on yubnub...hrm...
[/quote]

Neat! I wonder who did that. The site looks cool as well - *goes off to play*

Can you have the list on the left be a different frame or something of that nature?  Every time I click on a packet I don't want to have to scroll the window all the way to the bottom again to find the next packet.

The awsome.

I really like the new template now.  It looks clean, and its fast loading.  :)

Any ETA, Arta? Looks really nice.

Green looks funny.

hmm, I need to finish it off. Thanks for reminding me :)

*bump*

I think you forgot again, but yeah, it would be nice to give it a new look. :)

Just a thought. As of right now, I feel it's hard to take a quick glance at the comments, or news, and differenciate between different posts. They all sort of run together. Maybe put a light gray, or black border around each comment/news post?

Edit: Didn't realize this thread was so old. Still, I feel the same. :-P

I don't like how a few long packet names will wrap to the next line. I'm not sure how to deal with that, though.

[quote author=Joe[x86] link=topic=11854.msg155591#msg155591 date=1152608282]
I don't like how a few long packet names will wrap to the next line. I'm not sure how to deal with that, though.
[/quote]
Increase your screen resolution.