Here’s the deal: you want things added to Electronica, and I’d love to add them!
Only problem is, I don’t have as much time to do it as I’d like, juggling a day job and other side projects at night.
So here’s what I am going to do: Over here is a zip file.
Inside that zip file are the image and HTML assets for the USB connector reference, as used inside the current version of Electronica.
Use this as a guide to write your own reference page!
Then, when it’s done, email a zip file with all the assets back to me with your finished page, and if I approve it, I’ll try to work it into the app!
GUIDELINES:
- I don’t mind if it’s obscure information; but it should be electronics, computer, or at least in some way, “DIY”/hobbyist-related. If you’re unsure, just ask .
- Follow the existing design (structure, colors, etc.) as closely as possible. In fact, when I create a new page, I just grab one of the existing reference pages, make a copy, and edit it into a new page. I replace the title, and then modify the tables, buttons, images, anchors, etc. This keeps it all looking uniform, and everything should migrate over smoothly if I update the look, if all the pages depend on the existing CSS stylesheet.
- I use the smallest PNG graphics I can get away with, while keeping it legible and looking acceptable on a 320×480 HVGA display. To be very clear, that means any PNG graphics should be no wider than 320 pixels, and be oriented so it will look readable on a phone being held in portrait orientation.
- That said, I only use graphics when I really need to use them. You have the power of Webkit-based HTML5, CSS3, Javascript, and jQuery at your disposal. For example, I use -webkit-gradient to generate the colored stripes in the Ethernet cable reference.
- I use a ~320 pixel wide Google Chrome window for fast development outside an emulator (as you should, too, when writing these) and the results are almost exactly what you’d see on the Android browser, save the use of different fonts. Be aware, however: the Android browser does not support SVG graphics yet. (Would have been quite useful for this, too, but alas…)
- I’m trying to do my best to keep the size of Electronica down. Originally I was doing everything with small PNG graphics, but I found that I was having much more luck saving space by using HMTL. (I replaced at least one 20k PNG with a 2k HTML file, more or less. That said, do not ‘minify’ or otherwise whitespace compress your HTML or Javascript. Files should be clean, easy to edit HTML.
- Unless it’s really necessary, I prefer you keep your page-specific CSS and JS inside a <style>/<script> block inside the respective HTML file. This may make validation tools cry, but it works, and I’d like to keep things together and minimize external file loading.
- Keep the directory file structure as it is.
THE FINE PRINT:
- All submissions become the property of Hacsoft Developments, limited to HTML, JS, and CSS markup and structure. Textual and graphical content presented by the submission remains the property of it’s original author. (For example: I claim no ownership of the RS-232 specification in and of itself, but I do claim ownership of the HTML I wrote for the application.)
- Submissions may be rejected without comment. (No hard feelings, bub.)
- Authors of accepted submissions will be notified of their inclusion.
- Authors of accepted submissions will receive complete credit in the submitted reference, and also on the website. (If you’d like me to link to a particular page when giving credit, let me know in the submission email.)
- Submissions may be modified from the version received, or possibly changed entirely. (I’m obnoxious like that.)
- Submissions may be removed, or replaced by newer, condensed alternate submissions in the future. (You never know!)
