I say we should make a technical / DIY sticky and then do independent posts on each topic and link to them via the sticky thread.

 

What exactly are you guys looking to do. I may be able to help organize it

 

I Have been posting little titbit's of technical info just so we all know a bit more about the 4c. I am quite happy to keep posting but it seems silly not to organise the info so it is easy to reference. I have all the tech info for the 4c which I dont mind adding. It's a question of how we do it. Has anyone been on other sites that post technical info where this works well if so can you give me a link to follow please

 

I am more than happy to have a look through diy threads and just check them over, I also regularly post diy guides on my own web site and would be happy to post them here as well that is not an issue

 

If you go to say Alfa owner and the technical section it is very difficult to navigate and virtually impossible to find any useful info even though there is some really good stuff there it is lost

 

I think we need to open this up to the group for ideas on how we would like to do this. If it's possible. Foley, any ideas since you've been so gracious to put other info together for us?

 

We could start a technical section and instead of where on Alfa owner they have models we could have sections like, engine, gearbox, suspension etc etc and may be with the help of administration get a further level under certain subjects like under engine you could have camshafts, pistons, diy guides and then we could post under the relevant section. I would suggest that this is either edited so that we don't duplicate things or we post in engine and technical and the best info is transferred here by the moderator.

Please feel free to shoot me down and give reasons or just add to the idea, the better we do this the more useful it will be!!!!!!

 

Or we could organise as above and the moderators could put links in to the relevant post, so it becomes the index?????

 

I think this might work well as it would be quite concise the mods could quickly add links and there would be little noise from other posts and anyone following the link would see the post in context

 

That would be a little difficult as I'm the only moderator at the moment Love to help but easy on the workload!

 

If everyone would be interested in sub folders under each topic ( if I can get them to do it) ,I would need to know everyone. Continually adding I'd imagine wouldn't be of interest to the site designers.

 

I am happy to post documents, photos, etc., to the various folders and sub folders where The List resides, and add any new ones that people would like, but it's static. If there are enough threads then a separate section on the Forum might work, but since we have subject-specific Forum sections already that would be confusing. If threads began with DIY (insert subject) then they would all pop on a search for DIY in a relevant Forum folder, which is perhaps the way to go?

 

What about starting an index so we set up a technical section, we then sub divide that into sections say engine, gbox, electrics,etc,etc

Then the moderators set up posts for example under engine we could have camshafts, pistons, crankshaft

Then under each post the moderators organise links alphabeticaly to the relevant post so they are easy to find

 

We have five sections now. I don't know if the forum software allows sub forum sections, but knowledge management best practice is to use searches for keywords or other metadata to narrow search results within the main sections. I know the moderator, there's only one these days, doesn't need any extra work, so it has to be user controlled. I doubt we would get too many posts as you drill down on some of them, but a search for camshafts, for example, will produce everything in a section, or the whole forum, where that word appears. It doesn't provide a list of all those words, but there might be a sticky way to make a list of all the relevant words that are hyperlinks to the searches. This I could do with some help from everyone in assembling the lists of words? I will provide an example later this evening here for you to see and test.

 

I agree with foley. Keep it simple and let searches and smart thread titles handle it.

 

So, below is an example of a list of the main five forum folders for technical threads let's say, and I've put in some clickable links to search results for threads that contain some relevant terms under the Engine and Technical section.

Appearance & Body

Electronics

Engine and Technical

• Camshaft
• Clone
• Crankshaft
• Engine Block
• Exhaust
• Gearbox / Transmission
• Pistons
• Rods
• Turbo

Tires, Wheels, and Suspension

Interior

The search results when you click on them show that the search has been conducted in the Engine and Technical forum and child forums, which makes me think the forum software does allow for at least one additional level for subforums, and perhaps more. So it appears we probably could create additional subfolders under the five categories, but I'm not sure about whether that really makes sense for this forum.

Also, the search result embedded links are using the "show threads" and not "show posts" option for where the keyword appears, but this could be modified.

Lastly, it's pretty time consuming to do this, because the search function converts the search words into a seven digit number, which means every search has to be run, the number determined, and then the link copied and pasted into text as an embedded hyperlink. That's kind of a show stopper. If the search result hyperlink showed the search word, I could create and embed a thousand links in a few seconds, but if each one has to be done manually and handjammed in, it would take forever to do a lot of these.

 

Got this wrong. The number is actually the number the forum gives a specific search, and it remembers it, and apparently the result. It's not clear if new posts made after the original search will show in the results when the search is run again later, but I suspect not.

 

I have an idea, it is quite simple but it needs the ability to permanently edit posts can anyone do that?

 

I'm going to have the admins jump in here. It may take a minute.

 

Hey there

I'm here to help (add the subforums and permissions in).

Whatever you need, just give me a clear description of what folder to make, where to put it and a description (if necessary) under the title. If there are permissions that you want to add to the folders (like posting and locks), please include that as well.

Once you have all agreed on one thing, I'll make it asap.

Lee, community.


PS: I'm moving it to the site help section so I'll be notified whenever there's a post response.

 

OK gents here is how I think it will work

We set up a technical section.

Next we have the usual folders, engine, gearbox, body etc etc

Then we create a number of blank posts at the front of the section which we allow an editor/editors to go in and add just a reference like gearbox-torques or how to remove a door card then a link to the post on the forum or to an external site, much as you would edit your own post now. The editors then can arrange it in alphabetical order so it is easy to reference and I would suggest we split it into two sections, technical info and how to guides.

Then after the first page or two we allow people to post as they would do normally and we index it on the first pages as and when people post

All we would need to do this is a number of sub folders and the ability to edit the first few pages at will. To make things a bit more future proof it might be wise to be able to add pages between the index and the body of the thread if that is possible?

What do you think and is it possible?

See below for an idea of the index page at the front of the section

 

Technical info:-

Air filter-size link
Engine-cam timing link
Gear box-torque settings link
Tailgate glass-specification link

How to guides:-

Door card removal guide link
Engine removal guide link

 

^^

Are these the forum titles and subforums that you want?

Lee

 

OK what about this?

Start a new forum:-

Workshop manual or Technical centre

then have sub folders:-

Axle
Auxiliary units
Brakes
Diagnostics
Clutch unit
Diagnostics
Electrical equipment
Engine
Fittings
Maintenance
Panels and frame
Press reports
Steering
Suspension and wheels

Then under each folder do 5 posts with the titles

DIY guides
Technical information
Specifications and settings
Common issues
Blank

In each post there is then the index:-

Air filter-size link
Engine-cam timing link
Gear box-torque settings link
Tailgate glass-specification link


So you would follow the flow as highlighted in green to find the engine cam timing

I would suggest using a name like Alfaworkshop-manual as the member name and under his profile give instructions how to post things. We could then give a number of senior members the password so they can index posts and useful external links on other sites. I also thought it might be a good idea to index press articles so I have added that in!

Do we think that this is a good idea, is it possible and can we make it work?

Technically we would need to be able to edit all of Alfaworkshop-manuals's posts at all times

Finally do we encourage people to post here or let them post anywhere and just use this as an index?

 

Moving this back up to the top. Opinions wanted as we may changing the layout of the site

 

We might also need a couple of new mods to help around the moving or do you think you can handle moving the threads yourself Meishka1?

Lee

 

Do we bother to move them why not just put a link to them rather than move stuff about, like this:-

Adjusting headlamps, chris@eurocompulsion http://4c-forums.com/386250-post5.html
Brake pre-fill, jamiealfa http://4c-forums.com/386706-post1.html
DNA system, jamiealfa http://4c-forums.com/380106-post1.html


All i would need is the folders and the ability to edit will under my alfaworkshop-manual persona

 

On alfa owner you have this area (see thumbnail) under forums what I need is the same as this but instead of the model list they have I would need this list:-

Axle
Auxiliary units
Brakes
Diagnostics
Clutch unit
Diagnostics
Electrical equipment
Engine
Fittings
Maintenance
Panels and frame
Press reports
Steering
Suspension and wheels

Then I would have 5 posts

DIY guides
Technical information
Specifications and settings
Common issues
Blank

Which I could edit at will

And in the posts I would put this

Adjusting headlamps, chris@eurocompulsion http://4c-forums.com/386250-post5.html
Brake pre-fill, jamiealfa http://4c-forums.com/386706-post1.html
Clutch, jamiealfa http://4c-forums.com/378890-post1.html
DNA system, jamiealfa http://4c-forums.com/380106-post1.html
Starting Problems, Racerz http://4c-forums.com/386890-post34.html

as and when a new item was added i would insert it in the correct position

 

I think it would serve as a great resource, I suspect it could modified as seen fit, once the prototype is up and running, has my vote, Great idea! Fran