[GUB]

I have always found the search function in miscellaneous lenses to be clunky and slow.
I wonder if an index page (like the lens club index) would be possible.
After all there is a lot of lenses in the miscellaneous that could be justifiably on the main page ( Soligor, Chinon Fujinon Yashinon etc)
But hey what a wonderful resource has been created there in the PF reviews.

[Adam]

I'd be happy to add new categories for some of the more popular brands currently bunched up in the misc section. Would you be interested in helping move things around and fix up some of the titles to improve searchability?

[GUB]

Yeah I knew it was a bit of a job. But I suspect this is a back door introducing a lot of people to PF while they are researching lenses. So it is worth having it fluent.
While I am reasonably computer literate I am not at all web / website literate.
Would it be as simple as creating a link to a search result?
ie Chinon

[Adam]

Yeah I knew it was a bit of a job. But I suspect this is a back door introducing a lot of people to PF while they are researching lenses. So it is worth having it fluent.
While I am reasonably computer literate I am not at all web / website literate.
Would it be as simple as creating a link to a search result?
ie Chinon

It's not too complicated- just a bit quirky. You should now have access to make changes to listings database-wide to fix them up. I've also created categories for the lens brands mentioned above. If you think of any others, just let me know!


Now, for the fun part of moving lenses, here's the process:

1. Open the misc zoom category (repeat for misc primes once finished with zooms)
2. Use the category search box to filter by the brand you want to move (such as Chinon)



3. Click into each lens and click the edit link




4. a. Change the category from miscellaneous to the appropriate new category
b. Update the lens title so that the brand name is consistent, and the lens name is in the format 50mm F1.4 ... or 25-50mm F2.8-4 ...




5. The system will move the entry and all photos/reviews. Once complete click on the edit link again.



6. Change the lens mount type to the appropriate value (skip this step if unknown). Note that this must be done after the lens is moved- the system isn't smart enough to transfer this info between categories.



7. Rise and repeat for the next lens!

I've moved a couple lenses as an example:
Chinon Lenses for Pentax: Zoom Lenses - Pentax Lens Review Database

Once you've helped move them all, I will make a pass to ensure that they are correctly sorted by focal length. Please let me know if you run into any issues along the way!

Also, if anyone else is interested in helping, happy to bring you on board as well Thanks!

Adam
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[GUB]

Nice one Adam. I think I can manage that - but it won't be fast - I will have to stock up on midnight oil!
Just to clarify - once it has been shifted it drops out of the miscellaneous lens search - so there is no danger of duplication or wasted repeat actions. Which means other volunteers can chip in without complicating things?

[Adam]

Nice one Adam. I think I can manage that - but it won't be fast - I will have to stock up on midnight oil!
Just to clarify - once it has been shifted it drops out of the miscellaneous lens search - so there is no danger of duplication or wasted repeat actions. Which means other volunteers can chip in without complicating things?

That's right, the listings are moved, not copied.

[GUB]

OK just done the Chinon zooms. Simple enough.
I edited Title and focal length to a consistent state which involved moving things like "(macro)" from FL to title. Is that correct?
Sometimes the mount type shifted - behaviour seemed a little erratic?
And I gather capitalise the "f" for aperture?

[Adam]

The mount type needs to be re-edited after the entry is moved the first time, otherwise it won't stick. I will check on the zooms in a moment.

And yes, we capitalize the F for consistency. Thanks!

[GUB]

I am wondering if there is a drawback to doing certain makes like Soligor this way.
Being a brand rather than a maker they often share a lens with other brands.
So shifting this one " Itoh Higon Kogaku ( Galaxy, soligor, Kaligar ) 400mm f6.3" to a Soligor page is going to deprive a search in the misc lens of "Kaligar" of that lens entry won't it?
Given that the name on the vanity ring of an owner's lens is often the basis of a search then we are going backwards.

[Adam]

I checked the zoom category and it looks great! I've also sorted the lenses by focal length.

Searches are by default run globally, so there shouldn't be any drawbacks as long as all the different variants are in the titles. An alternative would be to create a separate entry for multiple variants and link them to each other.

[GUB]

Searches are by default run globally,

That conflicts with what I asked in #5 ?
I gathered from that the misc lens search box accessed only the misc lens pool.

There is an example in Vivitar Vivitar P and B ( Soligor et al) 135mm 3.5 Preset T-mount Lens Reviews - Vivitar Lenses - Pentax Lens Review Database
That is not represented in a soligor search in the misc search Miscellaneous Lenses for Pentax: Prime Lenses - Pentax Lens Review Database

Won't we get a lot more of these ?

[Adam]

That conflicts with what I asked in #5 ?
I gathered from that the misc lens search box accessed only the misc lens pool.

There is an example in Vivitar Vivitar P and B ( Soligor et al) 135mm 3.5 Preset T-mount Lens Reviews - Vivitar Lenses - Pentax Lens Review Database
That is not represented in a soligor search in the misc search Miscellaneous Lenses for Pentax: Prime Lenses - Pentax Lens Review Database

Won't we get a lot more of these ?

That's correct- but I'd expect most users to type their search in the main search box, rather than the category-specific search.

[GUB]

That's correct- but I'd expect most users to type their search in the main search box, rather than the category-specific search.

Ahaa got it. I have never used that one - only the one in misc lenses.
I will keep at it - the misc search is needed for that but maybe not when it is sorted a bit.
Your "third party" front page lens search is a bit inconspicuous - maybe a box ?

[GUB]

Chinon primes done except for these two Miscellaneous Lenses for Pentax: Prime Lenses - Pentax Lens Review Database
Appear to be only obscurely related to Chinon.
Do I include them ?

[Adam]

Chinon primes done except for these two Miscellaneous Lenses for Pentax: Prime Lenses - Pentax Lens Review Database
Appear to be only obscurely related to Chinon.
Do I include them ?

I would leave these where they are. Primes have now been sorted!