Let's get TDN cranking
by Stephen Zepp · in General Discussion · 10/19/2005 (7:06 pm) · 30 replies
Editorial Note: I had the option of posting this multiple times in multiple forums, which isn't a Good Thing(tm). Or, I could post it here, where it won't apply to all readers (Beta TDN is only open to Licensed Torque product owners), so I elected to pick the lesser of two evils! I apologize in advance for those that aren't licensed product owners...please drive through!
As avid "search button on GG" users may have noted, TDN is now indexed...but the majority of the answers to questions are still in the forums. Let's fix that!
I don't want this to turn into a discussion/debate about who is "responsible" for getting documentation into TDN, but instead would like to offer the opportunity to anyone and everyone that has found a solution to their problems in the forums: help make TDN the single source for information by spending just a little time in your day moving information from the forums to the wiki.
While it's always nice to write a long and well thought out article in TDN, it is also just as useful to simply create a new wiki page for a topic of interest and dump text (and links to background information/other wiki pages) so that others can not only benefit from the time you spent, but also enhance and extend the information you help to provide with their own insights and knowledge. Wiki's thrive on interaction and participation, and it can be hard to get the ball rolling, but once it does I'm sure that not only will everyone begin to use TDN as their one stop research center, but also will continue to add to the knowledge base.
Here are a few links (again, only for licensed Torque product owners) to help get you started:
TDN Policy
How to Choose a (TDN) Article Title.
How to Write and Format an Article for TDN
and finally,
TDN Syntax Guide
There are plenty more articles about use and care of TDN at the TDN/Meta page.
So...if you've come to the forums to find the answer to a question, and by golly find exactly what you are looking for, please spend just a few minutes to copy over the information to TDN so that others can use and extend that information.
Thanks one and all!
As avid "search button on GG" users may have noted, TDN is now indexed...but the majority of the answers to questions are still in the forums. Let's fix that!
I don't want this to turn into a discussion/debate about who is "responsible" for getting documentation into TDN, but instead would like to offer the opportunity to anyone and everyone that has found a solution to their problems in the forums: help make TDN the single source for information by spending just a little time in your day moving information from the forums to the wiki.
While it's always nice to write a long and well thought out article in TDN, it is also just as useful to simply create a new wiki page for a topic of interest and dump text (and links to background information/other wiki pages) so that others can not only benefit from the time you spent, but also enhance and extend the information you help to provide with their own insights and knowledge. Wiki's thrive on interaction and participation, and it can be hard to get the ball rolling, but once it does I'm sure that not only will everyone begin to use TDN as their one stop research center, but also will continue to add to the knowledge base.
Here are a few links (again, only for licensed Torque product owners) to help get you started:
TDN Policy
How to Choose a (TDN) Article Title.
How to Write and Format an Article for TDN
and finally,
TDN Syntax Guide
There are plenty more articles about use and care of TDN at the TDN/Meta page.
So...if you've come to the forums to find the answer to a question, and by golly find exactly what you are looking for, please spend just a few minutes to copy over the information to TDN so that others can use and extend that information.
Thanks one and all!
#2
10/19/2005 (7:42 pm)
I'm kinda worried about adding.contributeing to TDN, because i donno if the submissions are moderated. I don't want to mess up something, or type something incorrect, or tick someone off. Then be removed from TDN, that sorta thing.
#3
Even WRONG comments and articles can be good in a way, because it triggers someone that may be simply reading recent changes to correct/enhance your information.
In a wiki, unless you are ALWAYS wrong/misleading, there is nothing wrong at all with making mistakes--and unlike resources and forum threads here, those that may have additional information that you didn't can always step right up and comment/correct. In fact, that's probably THE primary reason why we want TDN to be the primary research source, because the information has a much better evolution as people correct, enhance, and expand.
FYI, many of us at GG monitor the Recent Changes page daily, and as the community learns about TDN we take the time to correct, modify, and re-organize information. Once people become more and more familiar with the layout the need for managment will of course decrease.
One final note: there is still a bit of an issue with login cookies, which can occasionally make it so that you will be editing an article, but when you hit submit your cookie has expired. If you are spending more than just a few moments posting something, please make sure to save it off (cut/paste is fine) to notepad or something in case you run into this issue. That way you can simply log back in and recreate the article. Ben is working actively on this issue, and we hope to have it resolved in the very near future.
10/19/2005 (7:48 pm)
@Chris: Won't happen, not at all (unless you are maliciously vandalizing the site!).Even WRONG comments and articles can be good in a way, because it triggers someone that may be simply reading recent changes to correct/enhance your information.
In a wiki, unless you are ALWAYS wrong/misleading, there is nothing wrong at all with making mistakes--and unlike resources and forum threads here, those that may have additional information that you didn't can always step right up and comment/correct. In fact, that's probably THE primary reason why we want TDN to be the primary research source, because the information has a much better evolution as people correct, enhance, and expand.
FYI, many of us at GG monitor the Recent Changes page daily, and as the community learns about TDN we take the time to correct, modify, and re-organize information. Once people become more and more familiar with the layout the need for managment will of course decrease.
One final note: there is still a bit of an issue with login cookies, which can occasionally make it so that you will be editing an article, but when you hit submit your cookie has expired. If you are spending more than just a few moments posting something, please make sure to save it off (cut/paste is fine) to notepad or something in case you run into this issue. That way you can simply log back in and recreate the article. Ben is working actively on this issue, and we hope to have it resolved in the very near future.
#4
10/19/2005 (8:03 pm)
In other words, don't be shy...you can touch it if you want.
#5
10/19/2005 (8:19 pm)
@Jeff, If you put it that way... ewww
#6
10/19/2005 (9:28 pm)
Put a link to it on the main GG page.
#7
10/19/2005 (10:51 pm)
It's in beta at the moment, and therefore isn't ready for fully public presentation. Trust me, when all of the bugs are fleshed out, and the content meter has pegged, it will get all sorts of publicity ;) 
#8
Only Torque 2D owners can access this content.
Which wouldn't be a problem except that I am a T2D owner, and I'm logged into GG too. :/
10/19/2005 (11:52 pm)
Not sure if it's my browser (Firefox, latest version) but I keep getting :Only Torque 2D owners can access this content.
Which wouldn't be a problem except that I am a T2D owner, and I'm logged into GG too. :/
#9
http://tdn.garagegames.com/wiki/Torque/Materials/Making_a_Texture_from_a_Image
:S i cant seem to find it...
10/19/2005 (11:54 pm)
Hmm...ok im trying to write a new article...but i cant find this magic "Edit" button... were is it on this page??http://tdn.garagegames.com/wiki/Torque/Materials/Making_a_Texture_from_a_Image
:S i cant seem to find it...
#10
I know this is a frustration and an impediment to creating quality content, but Ben is working on it! It's quite hard to duplicate on demand, as it only seems to hit certain users at certain times. As I also mentioned above, if you are spending a large amount of time writing something out, save it to a clipboard somewhere in case this bug hits you during the posting/editing process.
Awesome to see the content just today, as well as the additional interest in contributing--thanks all!
10/20/2005 (12:07 am)
As I mentioned, there are a few bugs yet with our authentication module. To fix both of the above problems, simply hit the Logout button, and then Login again, and your cookie should be reset.I know this is a frustration and an impediment to creating quality content, but Ben is working on it! It's quite hard to duplicate on demand, as it only seems to hit certain users at certain times. As I also mentioned above, if you are spending a large amount of time writing something out, save it to a clipboard somewhere in case this bug hits you during the posting/editing process.
Awesome to see the content just today, as well as the additional interest in contributing--thanks all!
#11
10/20/2005 (12:08 am)
Joe, this happens to me quite a lot. Just click the logout button on the TDN page, and then login again. You details should still be cached locally so you won't actually have to reenter your login details, but the site will then start to work properly.
#12
if the above problem has occured ( bad cookie ). To reset it, logout and login. Then go to the page agian... the edit link should be there.
10/20/2005 (10:57 am)
@kc_0045: the edit link should be in the red bar under "Torque Developer Network" in the upper right part of the screen. if the above problem has occured ( bad cookie ). To reset it, logout and login. Then go to the page agian... the edit link should be there.
#13
10/20/2005 (11:00 am)
Ohh yeah, Lets get TDN full of awesome docs :)
#14
10/20/2005 (9:47 pm)
OK thanks guys, I'm in now.
#15
10/20/2005 (10:28 pm)
Got some going already. It's not much, but it's a start.
#16
10/21/2005 (2:31 am)
I, too, was being hit by the "Only XXX owners can access this content" message. Then, I realized I was only seeing it when I clicked the icons on the TDN Home page. If I clicked on the links in the navigation list, I was properly able to access the pages. 
#17
Is TDN built on a Wiki "package" or was it custom developed?
10/21/2005 (4:21 am)
Probably a better question for Ben than Stephen, but since you're already here Stephen:Is TDN built on a Wiki "package" or was it custom developed?
#18
10/21/2005 (4:54 am)
Its built on MediaWiki (Wikipedia... etc) 
#19
10/21/2005 (5:17 am)
Perhaps someone could add a doc that details exactly how to submit stuff ?
#20
10/21/2005 (5:23 am)
I linked to two of those articles in the first thread Chris.
Torque Owner Jeffrey Bakker
I'll be sure to fill it with a lot of wiki pages of my learnings between when my game development is in full motion and the time my game gets done. I noticed all the DTS tutorials are only for Maya and Max, I hope we can get some experienced Blender-Torque users to change this.