Collex

New code repository for Collex

If you are interested in an anonymous checkout of Collex, the new repository can be found at

svn://nines.performantsoftware.com/collex/trunk/web

We have worked to generalize the tool so that you can install a more generic version, without NINES-specific information. Please direct questions to technologies at nines dot org.

Add comment July 22nd, 2010

The Collex Name Browser

NINES has been investigating new ways to facilitate browsing in the Collex interface, resulting in a new, experimental feature, the name browser, as a way to target authors, editors and publishers associated with a set of results.

Once a user has begun a search, the new browser will be offered below the constraints table. Opening this feature sends another query to the NINES index, returning names as they were contributed by the NINES partner sites in their metadata.

Clicking on any one of the names in this list will add a new facet to your search, allowing you to target the more relevant items. And since name contributions to NINES are not rigorously standardized, the new name browser exposes variations to users, allowing them to consider objects that are similar, but differ in terms of markup.

Since the majority of searches within NINES will return large numbers of objects, a full name browser dialog can be opened from this screen, in case the user prefers an exhaustive name search.

Since this feature is very new, and still under development, we would appreciate any and all feedback from our users!

3 comments December 8th, 2009

New feature: footnotes

After the most recent wave of Exhibit Builder development in Collex, the NINES development team experimented with a number of exhibit types, including annotated bibliographies, essays, presentations, and thematic tours of our partner sites. In doing so, we determined that footnotes were a crucial feature of academic argument, and required even outside the confines of the codex.

Hyperlinks often serve the purpose of footnotes in online publishing, precisely because they allow an author to direct the reader to a full resource instead of a mere citation. However useful, links cannot fully supplant the discursive footnote or endnote, in which the author is able to cite a reference and also provide additional information about those sources outside of the main body of the text. Collex now allows users to add footnotes to their documents in Exhibit Builder, which can be read precisely where they are placed in the text (by pop-up dialogs) or as endnotes.

From the text editor, simply choose the the icon with the asterix under ‘Insert Item’ to create a footnote. Once you’ve finished, you’ll be taken back to your original section. Only after you submit the changes to that section will Exhibit Builder number the notes for you. This way, wherever you insert a note, the software will re-number the list for you.

Once you’ve added a note, your document will automatically add an endnotes page, seen here as a diamond. If you decide to print out your exhibit, the notes will be printed on the final page, along with a comprehensive list of links used in your work as well.

As always your feedback is greatly appreciated!

Add comment August 18th, 2009

New and improved exhibit setup

The development team at NINES has been investigating ways to make the Collex exhibit building process easier and more streamlined. We’ve come up with a new Exhibit Wizard to guide each user through the creation of a new exhibit.

From your My 9s page, just click the link to “Create a New Exhibit” from the column on the right. Collex will then ask you for the title of the new exhibit.

The next step is to choose your resources from a list of your collected objects. Gone are the days when you had to toggle back to the ‘Search’ and ‘My 9s’ page before you could associate objects with a new exhibit!

Once you’ve personalized your exhibit with your own durable URL or thumbnail, you’ll be taken to the exhibit editing page which has gotten a facelift of its own.

Editing mode looks more like the Preview mode, to give users a better sense of the finished product as they author their exhibits. Hovering over a section will bring up the editing toolbar, where you’ll find all the options you’ll need to polish your presentation.

As always, we appreciate your feedback! Please contact us at inquiries [at] nines [dot] org or join the Collex dev list to let us know what you think!

1 comment April 24th, 2009

Collex Redesign Preview

As the NINES R&D team scrambles to complete as many last-minute bug-fixes and refinements as possible before our December 18th launch date, I thought it would be a good time for a preview of what’s to come. For those of you who are regular users of the NINES Collex interface, things are going to change a good deal over the next month.

On the new homepage, we’ve made the search blank more prominent so that Collex is easier to access. Tabs make navigation a cinch: with one click you can jump to the advanced search page, browse the NINES tag cloud, or read exhibits shared by your peers.

You’ll also notice a new tab: the My 9s page.

If you’ve set up a free account you’ll have full access to this page, which serves as your personal workspace within NINES. Your saved searches will be listed here, as well as your recently collected objects and a tag cloud showing your tags only. Currently, the profile will be visible only to you, but if you provide a link to your web page or CV, we’ll make sure that it’s listed with your shared exhibits.

The My 9s page is also the gateway to the Collex Exhibit Builder, which has been refined and re-designed based on your feedback.

In editing mode, you have the option of three section templates to arrange your text and illustrations. An outline pop-up helps you stay organized, even when your exhibit spans several pages, and the new resource palette makes linking to material outside of NINES much easier. I recommend that anyone interested in making an exhibit browse those available with the new release to get a sense of the range of the software.

It’s a busy and exciting time for us, and we welcome your comments!

Add comment December 8th, 2008