Wikipedia:Tables

From my very limited understanding of both Wikipedia and scripts, it seems that Java scripts, etc. cannot be enabled or script files uploaded at Wikipedia, at least by regular users. However, I was wondering whether there could be some way to allow in code to make sortable tables. Although the ones I have seen online do not all seem to work for all browsers, it would be a wonderful resource I think--particularly for the almanac-type page (see List_of_reference_tables) to be able to have tables sortable (i.e., circumvent the need for adding interactive databases). Would Wikipedia (and Wiktionary also) be willing to allow such a script to be addable (preferably with a simple alias activation code) to allow such sortable tables? To give an example of such code (though I don't know if this one would be ideal for Wikipedia), I found one at http://builder.cnet.com/webbuilding/pages/Programming/Scripter/080999/?tag=st.bl.7264cd3.plbl Thanks! - Brettz9 20:20 Apr 20, 2003 (UTC)

I think human sorting makes more sense - keeps markup simple and obvious, and it's not massively difficult to keep things in order. If it's not worth the effort to keep a list sorted... is it worth the effort to keep the list? Martin

I don't think I understand your comment. It involves an extraordinary amount of work to sort a list manually. And requiring it will mean that pages are not created that could be useful. For example, at the Wiktionary site, we have started a Swadesh list of 207 English words translated into about 8 languages per page. It would be nice, I think (and others have said so also), to be able to sort this in different ways. For example, you could click on one column heading to view the page in the traditional order Ogden placed them. You could click another heading to view them alphabetically by English (or any other language). Another column could be clicked to view them sorted by category, etc. It is too much work to create separate pages for each of these sorts. And even if someone did, then any changes made to one, would need to be made to all. - Brettz9 00:04 Apr 21, 2003 (UTC)

You can always use a text-processing tool to sort the list offline. -- Tim Starling 03:52 Apr 21, 2003 (UTC)

Yeah, that can be useful for things like adding columns when you are editing, but it is cumbersome to do this for any table a person just wants to view in a different manner. I think it can also deter people who are not familiar with the possibility or know-how to use this technique to enable them to do so (and again, it places added steps for everyone). After all, the user-friendliness of Wiki is not only its draw, but also allows its content to grow. And different sorts might be seen as their own kind of content. - Brettz9 15:24 Apr 21, 2003 (UTC)

On most sites when you click a thumbnail image you get taken to a larger copy on a seperate page. We could make it so that users can click on a table to get it on a sperate page that can be sorted any way. Then there wouldn't be an problem with javascript or dhtml (which I think are both undesireable in this site). Cgs

You're thinking of having multiple sorts of the same list? Ok, in that case I can see your point. I still wonder if the benefits outweight the increased markup complexity, though... Martin

Yes. Well, that's why I was hoping that if it were possible, that some abbreviated wiki alias code could also be assigned to minimize all the extra mark-up. I agree though, seeing a page beginning with a lot of scripting code would be intimidating to many potential contributors. - Brettz9 15:24 Apr 21, 2003 (UTC)

For a table like List of countries by population density it would be nice, we could dispense with separate tables for area and population, thus avoiding redundancy, hence facilitating updating. - Patrick 17:44 Apr 21, 2003 (UTC)

Similar to the option "&printable=yes" [1] (/w/wiki.phtml?title=Wikipedia:Village_pump), wikipedia could offer a version allowing sortable tables "&sortable=yes", e.g. a with a link like [2] (http://builder.cnet.com/webbuilding/pages/Programming/Scripter/080999/example) (sample from above). It should be possible to convert simple <table> <tr> <th> <td> markup to such tables. --- User:Docu

However it can be done, I also think it would be nice--if it is possible--to be able to have the different sort configurations show up somehow in the URL, so that a person could share the specific sort configuration with others without them having to re-sort the list manually. It wouldn't be essential, but I think it would be nice. Of course, these are all "unfunded mandates", since I am not able to bring this into fruition... :) - Brettz9 00:06 Apr 22, 2003 (UTC)