Is there a way to make spoiler tags its own button on posts like quotes are?

[Sir T-Cups]

I, for the life of me, can never ever remember how the manual tags work. Beginning parentheses end parentheses, there's a slash somewhere in there....

Basically what I'm curious about is that spoiler tags are probably the most important thing that need a manual write in...is there an easier way to make them spoilered that I don't know about? Or is there a way for us to put in a spoler button like there is for a link or for quotes?

Thanks a bundle!

Cups

[TubaDiva]

Probably not, sorry.

(Now watch some hotshot come in and tell us how.)

Where did I put that notepad?

[Giraffe]

<hotshot>

1. Go to the AdminCP / Custom BB Codes / BB Code Manager

2. Next to the spoiler tag, click the Edit button.

3. In the Button Image section, add a link to this image. It's a free image I got from the vBulletin site. (Please copy it to the SDMB server, rather than hotlinking it to mine.) Hit save.

Voila!

[Sir T-Cups]

Thanks for the info!

But I gotta be honest....I haven't the faintest idea what you just said....

What's an admin CP? I see my user CP but not my admin one?

Also....everything else

[Giraffe]

Those were instructions for the staff here if they wanted to add such a button. There's nothing a regular poster can do to change what buttons appear.

[Sir T-Cups]

Ohhhh ok.

Cool! Thanks for the info!

It'd be cool if they did it...

[Munch]

If you still get confused, you could just use the quote button, then replace the word "QUOTE" with "SPOILER" in each tag.

[MrDibble]

Can I just chime in and say "Yes, please do this!" I mean, there those nearly useless "Code" and "PHP" buttons in the toolbar, but nothing for the spoiler tag, which must get used at least a couple orders of magnitude more often.

[cochrane]

Yeah, this would be great. I know how to do spoiler tags, but a button for spoilers would eliminate all that typing and simplify things.

[Joey P]

What does the PHP tag even do? I tried it. Made everything blue and green.
I'm going to guess it something to do with coding in PHP (that's a thing, right) and since it's right next to the Code tag button (which, for us at least, does nothing but preserve formatting), that would make sense. On a board that discusses programming, it would be nice to be able to preserve your indents.

[Inner Stickler]

Originally Posted by Joey P

What does the PHP tag even do? I tried it. Made everything blue and green.

The blue and green (and red) are syntax highlighting for php code.

[Sir T-Cups]

I hit the PHP button and my desk started melting, I saw the most beautiful colors in the world, and I started eating my own flesh.


Wait nevermind that was the PCP button....

[AHunter3]

You mean people actually click buttons to insert their codestrings instead of just typing them or using a macro program to do it with a hotkey?

[Inner Stickler]

Yeah, the only tag I use with any regularity that I wouldn't think to just code by hand is probably the [del][/del] tags because everyone calls it strikethrough but the actual code looks like delete. Otherwise, they basically all make sense to me.

[Drunky Smurf]

The blue and green (and red) are syntax highlighting for php code.

Holy crap. I went looking for the PHP code thingy and found there is a quote button that wraps quote tags around highlighted text.

Also now looking at the word "high" I deem it stupid. The g and h do not belong in that word.

[Giraffe]

Originally Posted by Inner Stickler

Yeah, the only tag I use with any regularity that I wouldn't think to just code by hand is probably the [del][/del] tags because everyone calls it strikethrough but the actual code looks like delete. Otherwise, they basically all make sense to me.

Here's a button image for that one as well. And I agree that both of these buttons would be much more useful than the php tag button, which is completely useless on most boards.

[Inner Stickler]

Even the image has an S! What lamebrain decided to make the code del instead of s and can I put a snake in his bed?

[Giraffe]

Originally Posted by Inner Stickler

Even the image has an S! What lamebrain decided to make the code del instead of s and can I put a snake in his bed?

It's the admins that choose the replacement code so...one of them and I guess so, if you have a snake and know where they live. But it's pretty trivial to add a second custom code so that [s]Giraffe is awesome[/s] --> Giraffe is awesome so maybe you should instead put chocolate in their bed?

[Inner Stickler]

Hmmph. I assumed that based on the board's history of not modding anything ever that when they turned on the strikethrough tag, they used whatever default vBulletin has. The one time I give them the benefit of the doubt.

[srzss05]

Originally Posted by Inner Stickler

Hmmph. I assumed that based on the board's history of not modding anything ever that when they turned on the strikethrough tag, they used whatever default vBulletin has. The one time I give them the benefit of the doubt.

Since almost every other board uses "s" rather than "del", that seems a strange assumption. The code in HTML is "s" as well.

[Inner Stickler]

Don't use HTML or post in places that use BB code other than here.

[Irishman]

For explanation, delete is a standard copyediting feature. Strikethrough is used by copyeditors to indicate where they want text deleted. Ergo, the connection of "delete" with a strikethrough.

[BigT]

Hey, don't overwhelm them, guys! Let's see if we can get the spoiler button before asking for everything.

[Hbns]

Originally Posted by Irishman

For explanation, delete is a standard copyediting feature. Strikethrough is used by copyeditors to indicate where they want text deleted. Ergo, the connection of "delete" with a strikethrough.

Since it seems they went all old tyme publishing there, can we get "Preview Post" Changed to "Preview Article" and "Submit Reply" changed to "Start the Presses!"?

[Mewl Dear]

[SPOILER=Munch;15213885]If you still get confused, you could just use the quote button, then replace the word "QUOTE" with "SPOILER" in each tag.[/spoiler]
dont work

[Joey P]

Originally Posted by Mewl Dear

[SPOILER=Munch;15213885]If you still get confused, you could just use the quote button, then replace the word "QUOTE" with "SPOILER" in each tag.[/spoiler]
dont work

Munch meant to use the quote button (or the PHP or Code button) in the advanced reply screen. If you highlight want you want to spoil and hit one of those buttons it'll wrap the code tags around it and you would just change Quote/PHP/Code to Spoiler.
I assume this was the case, since I really can't think of a time when you'd want to quote something someone else said and spoiler it, but if you did , you'd have to also delete everything in the first bracket. (QUOTE=Name######)
But that's a bit complicated. Since TPTB haven't given us a way to do it, it's probably easier to just hand code it.

[Munch]

Originally Posted by Mewl Dear

[SPOILER=Munch;15213885]If you still get confused, you could just use the quote button, then replace the word "QUOTE" with "SPOILER" in each tag.[/spoiler]
dont work

Wrong button. Highlight the text, click the quote function button (the one that looks like a cartoon quote) that hangs out with all the other buttons above the text box, then replace SPOILER with the word in the box. If that confuses you, maybe click the italics, bold or underline button, and replace the I, B or U with the word SPOILER.

[Sir T-Cups]

SPOILER:

So then do it this way?

Yeah that does work, although I gotta say that a tag would still be easier

[Inner Stickler]

No. Like this:

[quote=Munch;15219105]Wrong button. Highlight the text, click the quote function button (the one that looks like a cartoon quote) that hangs out with all the other buttons above the text box, then replace SPOILER with the word in the box. If that confuses you, maybe click the italics, bold or underline button, and replace the I, B or U with the word SPOILER.[/quote]

becomes

[spoiler]Wrong button. Highlight the text, click the quote function button (the one that looks like a cartoon quote) that hangs out with all the other buttons above the text box, then replace SPOILER with the word in the box. If that confuses you, maybe click the italics, bold or underline button, and replace the I, B or U with the word SPOILER.[/spoiler]

becomes

SPOILER:

Wrong button. Highlight the text, click the quote function button (the one that looks like a cartoon quote) that hangs out with all the other buttons above the text box, then replace SPOILER with the word in the box. If that confuses you, maybe click the italics, bold or underline button, and replace the I, B or U with the word SPOILER.

But it's easier to just type [spoiler]random crap[/spoiler]

[srzss05]

Originally Posted by Inner Stickler

But it's easier to just type [spoiler]random crap[/spoiler]

I agree. Do people really think that stopping typing and using a mouse to click a button, then going back to typing is easier? Do people really type with one hand, and a mouse in the other?

[MrDibble]

Originally Posted by srzss05

I agree. Do people really think that stopping typing and using a mouse to click a button, then going back to typing is easier?

Errm, with a button, you can type everything, and then go back and highlight stuff and spoiler them. It's exactly the same as (how I use) quote boxes.

Do people really type with one hand, and a mouse in the other?

That other hand isn't typing...

[Inner Stickler]

The only reason I use the quote button is for the blue context arrow that I could code manually but it would be a legitimately longer process than using the button.

[Dr. Drake]

It would be awesome if Giraffe's method brought us two new buttons. Pretty please with cream and sugar on top.

[Irishman]

A spoiler button makes a lot of sense. A strikethrough button would be somewhat useful as well.

[Sir T-Cups]

Originally Posted by Irishman

A spoiler button makes a lot of sense. A strikethrough button would be somewhat useful as well.

I would be all for this addition as well.

[cochrane]

Originally Posted by Inner Stickler

But it's easier to just type [spoiler]random crap[/spoiler]

No it's not. It's easier to lift your right hand from the keyboard, grip the mouse, click and highlight "random crap," then click a spoiler button than it is to type 19 extra characters.

Originally Posted by srzss05

I agree. Do people really think that stopping typing and using a mouse to click a button, then going back to typing is easier?

I think it's easier.

[srzss05]

Originally Posted by cochrane

No it's not. It's easier to lift your right hand from the keyboard, grip the mouse, click and highlight "random crap," then click a spoiler button than it is to type 19 extra characters.

I think it's easier.

Why are you "highlighting" random crap? 99% of the time you have to type it out rather than copy/paste it. I'm a firm believer in using the mouse as much as possible, and the keyboard as little as possible, but in this case I'm really bemused.

[cochrane]

Originally Posted by srzss05

Why are you "highlighting" random crap? 99% of the time you have to type it out rather than copy/paste it. I'm a firm believer in using the mouse as much as possible, and the keyboard as little as possible, but in this case I'm really bemused.

I'm bemused by your reply. I really don't understand it. Can you explain it better, please?

It's not copying and pasting. It's highlighting something you already typed and clicking a button to wrap tags around it.

Unless you're saying you can hit the spoiler button, then type the text you want to put in the box in between the tags that appear, which works also. Which is still much easier than manually typing the tags.

[srzss05]

Originally Posted by cochrane

I'm bemused by your reply. I really don't understand it. Can you explain it better, please?

It's not copying and pasting. It's highlighting something you already typed and clicking a button to wrap tags around it.

I was being facetious. It seemed like people were "typing" messages like kidnappers send ransom notes in movies.

Unless you're saying you can hit the spoiler button, then type the text you want to put in the box in between the tags that appear, which works also. Which is still much easier than manually typing the tags.

Why can't you type {spoiler} then type what you want, then {/spoiler}? You have to stop typing and pick up the mouse your way.

I really don't care, as it doesn't hurt or help me, but I fail to see how it is "easier". The only time I ever use the buttons is to send an attachement.

[cochrane]

Originally Posted by srzss05

Why can't you type {spoiler} then type what you want, then {/spoiler}? You have to stop typing and pick up the mouse your way.

Dont you stop typing and pick up the mouse to navigate to new threads? Don't you pick up the mouse to click in the Reply box? Or do you navigate the forums using only your keyboard?

It seems like a lot of effort to type two seven-letter words, two sets of brackets, and a slash. Unless you really enjoy the extra typing. Having a button automates that. It's really no effort to pick up the mouse and click a button. Unless you're afraid you'll sprain your wrist.

[Inner Stickler]

Originally Posted by cochrane

No it's not. It's easier to lift your right hand from the keyboard, grip the mouse, click and highlight "random crap," then click a spoiler button than it is to type 19 extra characters.

I'm sorry you suck at typing.

[Dr. Drake]

There's a difference between a need and a want. We all know this is not a NEED—we can all communicate without spoiler boxes and strikeout; if we do want them there are work arounds; the work arounds aren't incredibly burdensome at ¹/₇ of a tweet.

It is, however, a want. It's cool, and it would be slightly more convenient for many if not most of the people who post here.

There don't seem to be any disadvantages other than (1) someone has to learn to do it (although Giraffe's directions seem pretty good), and (2) someone has to sit down and do this, out of the goodness of their heart and taking time away from other projects. There's room in the grey space, little icons exist, the software supports it, it wouldn't change the look or functionality of the boards.

[cochrane]

Originally Posted by Inner Stickler

I'm sorry you suck at typing.

I'm sorry you're afraid of making changes to the board.

[levdrakon]

Ooh, ooh! I vote strongly for getting rid of the buttons we don't need/use and getting spoiler tag and del/strikethrough buttons.

Otherwise I use the code tag and replace the text. That's so last century though!

[Inner Stickler]

Originally Posted by cochrane

I'm sorry you're afraid of making changes to the board.

Yeah, if there's one thing I think most posters know about me, it's that I hate changes to the board.

[Ludovic]

I'd vote for a strikethrough button also but only because I can never remember what the code is! Del, st, s, I sometimes try other ones as well.

[Sir T-Cups]

Originally Posted by Inner Stickler

Yeah, if there's one thing I think most posters know about me, it's that I hate changes to the board.

Well you are a stickler...

[ZenBeam]

Originally Posted by Ludovic

I'd vote for a strikethrough button also but only because I can never remember what the code is! Del, st, s, I sometimes try other ones as well.

This.

I can never remember if it's spoil or spoiler, either.

[srzss05]

Originally Posted by cochrane

Dont you stop typing and pick up the mouse to navigate to new threads?

Not if I'm typing. Who in the world would do that other than someone extremely absent-minded?

Don't you pick up the mouse to click in the Reply box? Or do you navigate the forums using only your keyboard?

Again, I'm not typing and then I stop typing and pick up a mouse, and then start typing again. I'm not typing while reading, so yes if I reply to someone I use the mouse first. Since I rarely reply at all, I use the mouse exclusively 99% of the time. As I said above, I'm the last one to recommend a KB over a mouse, but doing both at the same time is downright silly to me.

[Irishman]

I type the codes manually. I use ctrl-I and ctrl-B as much or more than highlight and buttons. But I do use the buttons. I manually quote tag sometimes, sometimes I highlight and quote tag. Depends on what is going on.

I would manually spoiler tag or use a button as the situation warranted.

But for a board that has a fairly strong spoiler policy, it seems stupid that we don't have a simple spoiler button when it is easy to be implemented. Especially when we have two different ways to insert emoticons (besides manually typing them).