Technical Support Link
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#1170 Technical Support Link
This is regarding the "For technical support contact xxx" mailto link on the bottom of each page.
Some administrators would prefer that their relatives needing technical support first try the PHPGedView wiki or other online support rather than mailing them. Could the Technical Support options allow for a link?
btw, I'm a programmer & can submit a patch for this if it might be accepted.
You can always submit patches, on the Patches page here (under "Tracker"). Thats useful for anyone who wants it, whether its added to core code or not. You should also check out the svn code (for ver 4.2.3) as that is to be released very soon (this month I believe) and includes a LOT of fundamental changes. Wouldn't want your patch to be unusable the moment anyone upgrades.
Just a personal opinion, but I would not want to use it (so any patch should ensure it is configurable). Its too impersonal, and in any case, there is already a link to the WIKI on the Help menu.
This could be fairly easy to implement. We have a number of contact methods (e.g. mailto: link, PGV messaging, etc.). We could add another one for "url", which simply opens a window for that url. This could be a webmail form, a help page, etc.
Probably just an extra case statement in user_contact_link() and an extra config option. Might need some extra checks to ensure that only an admin can use this setting. We wouldn't want individual users changing their setting to this - they could redirect contacts to all sorts of unsavoury addresses!
@kiwi_pgv: This is for someone new to PGV, and who did not install it themselves. This is not my or your use case, but it occurs.
@fisharebest: Thanks for your encouragement. I'll look into the code and submit a patch as kiwi_pgv suggested.
Hi
I do have about 80 users on my system who did not install it themselves, and I wouldn't want any of them going to the WIKI as their first place to try and understand how to use the site. Thats my job as Admin. I want / need to know if my users are having problems.
My Help process, in terms of priority, is :
1 - The FAQs I have developed to explain not just how to do things, But how I WANT them done (there are many different ways to do the same thing in PGV)
2 - If thats not enough ask me.
3 - If (heaven forbid!) I don't answer, then perhaps look on the WIKI - although to be frank I would expect very few users would find what they need there either easily, or any many cases at all. It is full of useful information, but not, in my view, very user-friendly.
After looking at the code and considering kiwi_pgv's comments I have submitted a patch that allows omitting the technical contact. As kiwi_pgv points out, it is not quite proper to indicate a website as a contact. On the other hand, I have someone administering a PGV site who is new to PGV and uncomfortable with handling technical questions. There is no one else available to answer technical questions for this site. Simply omitting the technical contact is simple and matches the actual situation, As kiwi_pgv points out, there is an existing link to the PGV Wiki under the help tab.
After submitting the patch (tested on the trunk) I successfully patched a version 4.2.0 instance.
Thank you all for your prompt consideration. It is a testament to the strength of the PGV community.