Template to format lists into columns?

Question

Hello all,

My question today is in regards to the formatting of columns (in my specific instance, on a Free-Space page). I feel that when a bulleted list becomes too long, people will simply skim over it looking for something specific (or just skip it altogether) as opposed to reading through it. I know that on websites such as Wikipedia, you are able to use a div col template in order to turn the list into columns after it reaches a certain length or size. Is this possible on WikiTree?

Comments

Edit Tips > Tables has a link to [this website], which is what I use to get me started with a table.

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Lots of examples out there ... here's one:

https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Space:Premiers_of_Alberta

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Bob Jewett, That is an AMAZING table.  Kudos to you.

Answer 1

Amy - I've pieced together some code that might work for you.

{|class="wikitable" width="100%" colspan="3"
| • Addison||• Vermont||• USA
|-
| • Bridport||• Vermont||• USA
|-
| • Bristol||• Vermont||• USA
|-
|}

You can resize and arrange it to your liking.  Maybe this will work?  (And thanks for sending me hunting for new knowledge!)

Karen

Comments

I'm so sorry I've only seen this now, but for some reason the email notification disappeared into the depths of my inbox.

Karen, this is absolutely perfect! It exactly what I was looking for (and I see you found the reason why, ha ha) and I couldn't be more thankful.

Thanks again!

Answer 2

Amy - hi.  There is a code on WikiTree that will put in columns.

{| borderwidth="1" cellspacing="6"

|First Column || Second Column|| Third Column||

|-

|John Smith||Head||34

|-

|}

{{Clear}}

There are examples of this in use on https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Scarborough-470

Hope this helps!

Karen

Comments

Karen,

I consider myself an advanced table maven but had completely forgotten about {{Clear}} because I usually do not need it, but there are some cases where I can use it and I want to thank you for jogging my memory!

Cheers, Thom

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Does the {{Clear}} make a line space below the table?

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Hi, Lucy.  No, a new line isn't created.  But try it out for yourself and see.

Karen

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I know that Wiki has a template for tables, but I'm specifically looking to be able to shorten down bulleted lists, like you can see here under the communities section. Wikipedia has a template which divides lists after they reach a certain point, and I was wondering whether WikiTree had a similar template or not.

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As far as I've found, you cannot include bullet points in WikiTree tables.

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You could always use • instead of the asterisk.  The visual end result is the same.  (It may not be what you want, though.)

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Amy, I don't recall ever having tried it, but I don't see any reason why you can't use bullets in a table cell.  Looking at your example that displays lists in multiple columns, I have done that on THIS WikiTree page, although I did not use bullets.

Melanie said "the visual end result is the same" but that is only true if the text fits on one line.  

When a bullet tag (it seems soooo weird to call something not contained by angle brackets a tag, but such is the aberration of wiki code) is used, if text wraps then it will be indented to where the text starts on the first line.  

If you use the entity code (starting with "&" and ending with ";"), if text wraps then all subsequent lines will start at the left cell margin under the bullet character.  Also, if you want the bullet character indented from the normal cell margin, you need to use the space entity a few times to force spaces before the bullet character, as:

   •

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Sure you can, just start them at the start of the line not behind the exclamation or vertical bar:

{| border=4

|

* this

|

* That

* Other

|}

Answer 3

Amy, to my knowledge, WikiTree does not have a template or other means of displaying long lists of short items in columns.

It sounds like a very good thing to have, though - great idea!!!

Why don't you post a proposal for improvement to add this capability, either by template or otherwise?  I'd be the first to vote for it.

Answer 4

Amy,

Are you referring to newspaper style or flowing columns, where a list will spread horizontally across a page?  On Lucy Selvaggio-Diaz's Wikitree Templates page is an example of Multiple Columns.  Using that example, I cobbled together some basic code:

<span style="display:block;width:500px;text-align:justify;columns:100px 3;-moz-columns:100px 3;-webkit-columns:100 px 3;column-gap:40px;-moz-column-gap:40px;-webkit-column-gap:40px;">

&#8226; Entry 1<br/>

&#8226; Entry 2<br/>

&#8226; Entry 3 <br/>

&#8226; Entry 4<br/>

&#8226; Entry 5<br/>

&#8226; Entry 6<br/>

&#8226; Entry 7<br/>

&#8226; Entry 8<br/>

</span>

The output can be viewed at https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Space:Testing.  One problem is that entries in the list that are too long will break the formatting.

Comments

Kerry, use of the <span> tag is on the "not recommended" list with only one exception, permitting its use for internal links.  

Although it is a total no-no to use it on profile pages, it is not expressly forbidden on space pages, however it is strongly discouraged and there is no guarantee that WikiTree will continue to support it in the future (meaning that someday it may suddenly stop working, creating a horrible mess anywhere it is used).

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Amy expressly said that this was for a Free-Space page.  Help:Style FAQ says, "Style rules may not be enforced on private and free-space profiles, and those who want to experiment may do so here. This experimentation is done at the editor's risk."  As she's a Leader, I assumed she's familiar with this policy.