Date   : Mon, 19 Mar 2001 02:50:16 +0000
From   : jgh@... (Jonathan Graham Harston)
Subject: Re: 8BS Website Index

"Chris Richardson" <chris@...> wrote:
> I am considering whether it would be worth the effort required to index the
> 8BS pool of more than 1000 discs and would appreciate it if you have any
> thoughts on it if you could share them with me.
 
I've used various methods on websites I've set up or maintained.
 
FileIndexer:
JGH Disk 012 contains the fileindexer package which can be used to index
disks.  I used this to index my server and created navigable HTML files
from it.  It gives lists of all the files on the site in alphabetical oder
of the final filenames, viz:
<a href="/Apps/DiskTools/DOSCopy/QDCopy">QDCopy</a><br>
<a href="/Apps/Archivers/InfoZip/zip22/qdos">qdos</a><br>
<a href="/Docs/SciFi/Quantum">Quantum</a><br>
 
An out-of-date example of this can be seen at:
http://www.mdfsnet.f9.co.uk/System/FileDBs/MDFSFiles/
 
 
SiteMap:
An HTML-ified version of the output from ETree. This gives a single
navigable page listing all the files on the site in the order that the
files are on the site.  This is effectively alphabetically sorted on the
full pathname, viz:
<a href="/Apps/Archivers/">Apps/Archivers</a></br>
<a href="/Apps/Archivers/Archive.CH">Apps/Archivers.Archive.CH</a><br>
<a href="/Apps/Archivers/Archive.zip">Apps/Archivers.Archive.zip</a><br>
 
The current sitemap of my website can be seen at:
http://www.mdfsnet.f9.co.uk/Docs/Web/SiteMap/
 
 
SiteIndex:
This is an alphabetical index of the *words* that appear on each page, so 
you get a list of words linked to the pages those words appear on, viz:
<DL>
<DT>Jonathan
<DD><a href="/User/JGH/index.htm">Home Page</a>
<DD><a href="/User/JGH/Docs/Me/index.htm">Personal Info</a>
<DD><a href="/User/JGH/Docs/CVs/Long1.htm">My CV</a>
 
A not-particularly working example can be seen at:
http://www.mdfsnet.f9.co.uk/Mirror/WebSite/LibDem/site/
 
 
All three of these methods require regular updating.  I have a little
program that I run each weekend to update my SiteMap files.
 
> The first question that I would appreciate your thoughts on is: Would you be
> interested in an index of the 8BS pool on the 8BS website? If no one is
 
Yes, I would.
 
> The job is a particularly huge one and would have to be done in sections.
> Probably starting with the 8BS section. It would involve examining each disc
> and noting everything on it. The 8BS discs have many messages on them that
> contain useful information, indexing the messages alone would be a mammoth
> task.
 
I've already got a FileIndex database of every 8BS issue disk, as well as,
of course, my JGH disks.
 
> I am trying to end up with something simple such as a main page listing the
> categories linking to pages which would then contain the index for that
> particular category with a link to download the relevant disc image.
 
-- 
J.G.Harston (JGH BBC PD Library) 70 Camm Street, Walkley, SHEFFIELD S6 3TR
jgh@...                - Running on BBCs & Masters with SJ MDFS FileServer
Z80+6502/CoPro+Tubes/Econet+SJ - - - - - - - http://www.mdfs.net/User/JGH/
                             Et In Arcadia Ego