PDB browse feature - help beta test!

I took the liberty of changing the title of this thread to get more people to read it and help us beta test....below is what started the ball rolling - thanks, Jody!

Can you put the alpha browse function for hosta back?

It is just too time consuming and frustrating to try to add info to any hosta the way the PDB is right now.

I've tried several "searches" to try get a good list to no avail. I tried doing a search for just the genus hosta... it lists all the categories for species but the one that has "no species" doesn't work :( And is of course the one I need most. When they are listed alpha I am able to go right down the list one plant and letter a time.

Please please put the alpha search back :) I really "need" it! ;)

And I'll add on a little more cajoling - we really need the alpha-browse for each genera that 1,000 or more cultivars - I've indicated the number of entries we currently have next to each genus:

Daylilies (24,602)
Hibiscus (7,856)
Iris (5,941)
Hosta (3,575)
Beans (2,106)
Roses (1,471 - should double or triple soon)
Tomatoes (1, 183)

And to a slightly lesser degree, the following plants would benefit from an alpha browse by cultivar name:

Water Lilies (883)
Potatoes (510)
Hydrangea (395)
Corn (371)
Cucurbits (295, but that number could rise dramatically if I get crackin' on 'em this year)

Orchids (248, but that's the proverbial "calm before the storm" - Orchids are one of the largest groups of plants in the world, and if the PDB ever attracts some serious orchid growers, the sky's the limit.)

Alright, this is reasonable and we really need something. Here is a good start:

http://plantsdatabase.com/finder/

Jody and Terry (and anyone else) would you please test this out and let me know if you like it? Any ideas on improvements? This is VERY beta!

dave

Just tested the hostas and even found an error! Very nice!

It works pretty slick. Two things I noted (and I do understand that it's very beta ;o)

No hostas?!?! How can we expect Jody to test it out if we don't give her the hostas????? (*grin* - I figure they're coming.)

More seriously, navigation-wise you need a way to get back to the ABC order of the chosen genus without relying on your browser's back button. (Or maybe the internet world is starting to train users to use those buttons rather than build them into every web page - I'll defer to your expertise on that one.)

Hostas are there, Terry. At least, they are for me.

In the pulldown, they are after Daylilies and before Iris. The pulldown, btw, the selected from the Limits-Sections areas of the PDB admin menu. So, adding new sections to the "finder' will be simple and doesn't even have to involve me.

Regarding navigation: I know it needs to be improved. I will take care of that later. Right now I'm more concerned with actual functionality.

dave

I guess I really am blind. I looked, looked again, and once more before I posted. Read 'em aloud to myself, even. Sheesh!

Thank you Dave!!! (((((())))))
:)

For the quick test I did, it seems perfectly functional... I'll explore a bit more

Hey... while I was in there I realized I am no longer able to "edit" any info previously entered. Can edit pics, comments and plant name though... just not boxes so maybe no big deal, I'll be careful, LOL.

Seems to work well! Made finding a particular rose very simple. Thanks.

Did notice that on this page:
http://plantsdatabase.com/go/2902/index.html

The "see additional/all the images here" link is not available and I know there are more images.

and what happened to being able to add all boxes at once?

It would be nice to have the option to add a new plant in there...

Jody smiling at ya> (she reads my mind ya know!)

aThe Hosta worked good for me. Think what yo are doing is good Dave. Donna

jody: Do you mean a simple link to the "Add a new plant" page?

dave

yes dave that would work

Done!

Dave I know you are working on stuff, but wondered whether you had a chance to look at the missing info I mentioned above:

Did notice that on this page:

http://plantsdatabase.com/go/2902/index.html


The "see additional/all the images here" link is not available and I know there are more images.

Dave
can you add a simple link that will take us back to the alpha list on each page? or is that a little too much?

once I get into several pages of a "letter" I've got hit the back button several times ;)

A link to take us back to the alpha list would be great and is there a link to take us back to the DG forum list that I don't know about?

kooger, I don't think there is a link back to the DG forum yet - this is strictly a "beta test" area.

As to paging backwards, I agree it's a need-to-have. But until Dave gets it done, we can always use the down arrow next to the browser's back button. When you select it, a pull-down list of recently-visited pages comes up.

It takes a bit of a trail-and-error but you eventually learn to spot the page you want to go back to, and you get to skip hitting "back" repeatedly ;o)

I'm so thrilled to see that the "Alpha Browse" is being developed! I see you are always working to improve the system, and thank you for this. Question: After the beta testing is completed will this "Finder" (apha browser) then be located on the "Plants Database Home Page"?

Also.....I've tried out the link to the "finder/Alpha Browser" and I have a suggestion. For instance, (since I'm an avid iris enthusist) .... after clicking on "iris"........instead of going to the newly developed "iris alpha browse" page (with each of the aphabet listed on a blank page), is it possible to make the link correspond with this link: (?)

http://iris.plantsdatabase.com/star.php

The above link just seems to be so complete? Just a thought. :-)

I haven't had the chance to play with it much but did add a plant and I love being able to go to the add a plant from the catagory you are in. Like we could when we there was seperate databases for them.

Terry, I always forget about that little drop down arrow... :) Just exactly what is a "beta test" area?

The alphabetical search is handy *if* I'm looking for a specific cultivar name, but I also need to be able to search irises by classification or species/type. I used to be able to do that through the iris database, but something has happened to the search function there, and it is apparently no longer compatible or functional with my older OS and browser versions. Wish I could afford a new computer with updated software, but that ain't gonna happen anytime soon.

Dave, would you PLEASE recreate a way for those of us with older systems to continue to search by iris classification or species/type?

Thank you for your consideration,

Laurie

Hi, Laurie - check the email I just sent to you ;o)

Terry, I presume you emailed her about the new advanced search, which does everything she wants?

dave

Yep. Plus the tweaking you did to the basic search makes it work much better for finding all plants with the same common name (e.g., Miniature Tall Bearded Iris, etc.)

I just did a few small enhancements to the PDB Finder. Please take another look and let me know what else is still missing!

dave

Very VERY nice ;o) I love the navigation and ability to add while you're looking at a list of cultivars (for those of us with faulty memories, it helps to be able to go right to "add a plant" while the missing cultivar is still fresh in your mind.

I'm headed outside to make order out of chaos (read: weed the veggie garden so I can get stuff planted!) but the plantfinder is working very smoothly as far as I can tell. I'll help pound on it some more this evening.

If this is ready to go, I'd like to "launch" this by adding access to it via the homepage, under the general search engine. Yay or nay?

dave

I used it last night and it worked great. I like it.

Like a drop down bar right under the search blank that lists "all" in addition to the other choices? Or will it say Click here to narrow down your options or something?

I just checked out the "Add a new plant to this list" option and noticed it is right next to timer listed at the bottom. No space or new paragraph, but right next to it. Don't really know html code so can't tell you exactly what is going on, but hopefully you can see it here. It looks like this:
Add a new plant to this listTimer: 8.63 jiffies (0.086260080337524).
http://plantsdatabase.com/finder/index.php?sname=Hostas&choice=ALL

sweezel, I was thinking of a dropdown menu under the search engine.

Also, thanks for the bug report abou the timer. I fixed that.
dave

Sounds good. I was just wondering, because I think it is worth having direct access to on the front page.

Ummmm, are we ready to launch? I vote YES!!!!!

I was waiting for someone tell me to go. :) It's done.

dave

Dave, this might be to much to ask but is there a way you can fix it where we can it add it the foxfire toolbar like you did for the pdb search?

Where is it?

I can't find it .....