I think you're on the wrong page. The current docs wiki for Timeline is at http://www.simile-widgets.org/wiki/Timeline. Unfortunately the app home page at http://www.simile-widgets.org/timeline/ has incorrect links to two older docs wikis (old http://code.google.com/p/simile-widgets/wiki/Timelineand older still http://simile.mit.edu/wiki/Timeline) and needs updating. The 'app' home page isn't a wiki so it need a SIMILE team member to make the edit.
I'd agree with the OP's premise that it's a bit intimidating to get going. This page (http://www.simile-widgets.org/wiki/Timeline_Releases_and_Access) has incorrect links for downloading the bundled/full libraries. For instance, to get the full set of libraries you are linked to page http://code.google.com/p/simile-widgets/source/browse/timeline/tags/2.3.0/timeline_source.zipbut that page has no download. The page you need is http://code.google.com/p/simile-widgets/downloads/list but the average user might not guess that. Better IMO if the docs page just linked to the correct download page in the first place. I also note that the v2.3.0 version of timeline-api-js file has what I believe is now incorrect info at lines #8-12 * To run from the MIT copy of Timeline: * Include this file in your HTML file as follows: * * <script src="http://static.simile.mit.edu /timeline/api-2.3.0/timeline-api.js" * type="text/javascript"></script> I think that server address should now be 'api.simile-widgets.org'? Another confusing area is finding where the various JS objects are that you may need to replace.alter in order to customise aspects of the app. For instance, a common request here is how to suppress the wiki links in the pop-up event bubbles. Anyway, if there were a 'map' of the primary timeline JS objects and in which (non-bundled) script they lived it would help. To get the latter individual scripts you need to get the timeline_source_v2.3.0.zip, unpack it and then look in /timeline_2.3.0/src/webapp/api/scripts/ Not throwing rocks here - I genuinely appreciate what the SIMILE team have given us. However, for the new starter it's a tad confusing! HTH Mark On Thursday, August 23, 2012 11:25:04 PM UTC+1, jroehl wrote: > > >> Of course, the documentation is in a wiki, so anyone inclined to help > out, please do so! > > Ok, I am on the first page of the documentation: > > http://code.google.com/p/simile-widgets/wiki/Timeline > > I will help out. > > How do I edit this? > > Thanks > Jeff Roehl > [email protected] <javascript:> > (818) 912-7530 > > ------------------------------ > *From:* David Karger <[email protected] <javascript:>> > *To:* [email protected] <javascript:> > *Cc:* Jeff Roehl <[email protected] <javascript:>> > *Sent:* Thursday, August 23, 2012 3:18 PM > *Subject:* Re: [Simile-Widgets] One of the big problems with timelines is > getting started > > Well, you if you click on that relative pathname while looking at the > source, it will resolve it and load the absolute url in your browser. But > I agree, the documentation could do with some updating. Of course, the > documentation is in a wiki, so anyone inclined to help out, please do so! > > On 8/23/2012 6:15 PM, Jeff Roehl wrote: > > Because this: > > http://simile-widgets.org/timeline/api/timeline-api.js?bundle=true > > The <script> link to the source is so hard to find. > > I cant find this in the documentation (I am not saying it isn't there). > > And not finding it there, I look into the example timelines, but their > location of the JavaScript is ambiguous as they all link to > it using relative paths, like this: > > > api/timeline-api.js?bundle=true<http://simile-widgets.org/timeline/api/timeline-api.js?bundle=true> > > So this isn't helpful. > > So, now I am thinking, lets look at timelines "in the wild" to get the > link. And guess what, the site you look at has downloaded the > timeline JavaScript and installed it on their own server. So that's not > going to work. > > In my opinion the location of the file, the name of the file and the > parameter passed to the file should be easy to find. Really easy to find. > > This is so bad that I was using the wrong server and thus the > wrong source-code for timeline for A FULL YEAR! > > The single most important piece of information that you need to use > timeline is the hardest piece of information to find. > > I wonder how many people wanted to use timelines and gave up because > they couldn't figure this out. > > This is not good news for our team. > > Thanks > Jeff Roehl > [email protected] <javascript:> > (818) 912-7530 > -- > You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups > "SIMILE Widgets" group. > To post to this group, send email to [email protected]<javascript:> > . > To unsubscribe from this group, send email to > [email protected] <javascript:>. > For more options, visit this group at > http://groups.google.com/group/simile-widgets?hl=en. > > > -- > You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups > "SIMILE Widgets" group. > To post to this group, send email to [email protected]<javascript:> > . > To unsubscribe from this group, send email to > [email protected] <javascript:>. > For more options, visit this group at > http://groups.google.com/group/simile-widgets?hl=en. > > > -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "SIMILE Widgets" group. 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