Talk:Admin Dashboard FAQ

Make this a blog
Please make this a blog so we can comment on it. -- Fandyllic (talk &middot; contr) 11 Aug 2011 2:06 PM Pacific
 * Last time I remember, we're still allowed to use talkpages. --  Random Time  21:07, August 11, 2011 (UTC)
 * Randomtime, lol 21:10, August 11, 2011 (UTC)
 * Charitwo, lol --  Random Time  21:19, August 11, 2011 (UTC)
 * yeah, lol. --TheBen10Mazter (Talk -Blog -Contribs) 21:17, August 11, 2011 (UTC
 * Hi Fandyllic, I want to keep all feedback and input in one place. This is mainly so no feedback gets lost. I am documenting everything so I have data. Also the engineers know to check the blog post -- they don't necessarily know to look around Community to find feedback. If there is something I am missing as why this should be a blog post, I'm open to talk about it. --Meighan http://images2.wikia.nocookie.net/__cb32675/wikia/images/e/e9/WikiaStaff.png (help forum | blog) 21:29, August 11, 2011 (UTC)
 * Inexperienced admins and users barely know talk pages exist, but comments are obvious. I also made Admin Forum:Admin Dashboard FAQ feedback and suggestions, so feedback could be given at the Admin Central forums. -- Fandyllic (talk &middot; contr) 12 Aug 2011 9:02 AM Pacific

On the colour scheme
This is the one thing that looks horrible, RecentChanges looks bad on any wiki that's had any themes whatsoever, particularly so on a dark skin. There are a couple of problems with this "consistency" argument that I see: Hopefully future changes will import the background colour, (as well as link colours), and so this will come as a non-issue, but as it stands at the moment, I don't buy the "consistency" argument for a second. --  Random Time  21:14, August 11, 2011 (UTC)
 * Non sysops see styled special pages.
 * People are used to seeing pages in their wiki skin, I fail to see how making it "default white" will help people distuingiush tools from content, especially as non-sysops see these "tools" in the default skin (see above).


 * Randometime, all good points. As I mentioned in my latest blog post we're aware of the themeing issues. I've added this feedback to my page where I am documenting everything you guys report back. Also, I would envourage you to leave this feedback on the blog post -- as the engineers who are following the blog will see it. It's really important that we try & keep feedback all oin one place so it does not get lost. Any questions you have hit me up via chat. --Meighan http://images2.wikia.nocookie.net/__cb32675/wikia/images/e/e9/WikiaStaff.png (help forum | blog) 21:24, August 11, 2011 (UTC)
 * Ok, done --  Random Time  21:33, August 11, 2011 (UTC)

Where Is The Admin Dashboard Located?
I have spent an hour researching how to locate the admin dashboard so that, as an Adminstrator on the Matchbox Cars Wiki, I can make some changes. All I find is that it tells me it can be accessed from the toolbar at the bottom of each page. But, there is no toolbar at the bottom of the page. How else can it be accessed? HaarFager 14:20, June 27, 2012 (UTC)


 * On all wikis here at Wikia, if you use the Oasis skin (default), there is a customizable toolbar at the bottom of the screen. On those wikis on which you are an admin, you will see the word, Admin, at the far right of that toolbar. If you are not signed in, you will not see a toolbar. The other way to access the AdminDashboard is by typing Special:AdminDashboard in the search box. Hope this helps! — Spike  Toronto  02:37, June 28, 2012 (UTC)


 * Thanks, it does help me find the Dashboard. But, once there, the feature I'm looking for only brings up a blank page.  There's no way for me to be able to customize the wiki.  Here's the link in case you'd like to see what I'm seeing:  http://matchbox.wikia.com/wiki/Special:AdminDashboard  HaarFager 03:07, June 28, 2012 (UTC)


 * I am not an admin on that wiki, so cannot see the AdminDashboard. What feature are you looking for? Which one only brought up a blank page? Thanks! — Spike  Toronto  03:39, June 28, 2012 (UTC)


 * Oddly enough, the only one that came up blank was the one entitled "Theme designer." Although another one, the link for "Wiki Features," gave me this message:  "Wiki Features is not available in Monobook. If you would like to use this feature please switch your preference to the Wikia skin."  Does this mean, that before Monobook was replaced, Administrators could not customize their wikis?  Or does it mean that after the new Wiki skin was added, they took out Administrators ability to do anything like customization?  HaarFager 03:47, June 28, 2012 (UTC)


 * Well, that explains everything. ThemeDesigner, WikiFeatures, etc., only apply to Oasis. Also, the toolbar is visible only in Oasis. You need to go to Special:Preferences and change to the Oasis (NewLook) skin. And what this all means is that, with Monobook, all customizations were, and are, done by CSS. The ThemeDesigner makes it easier for users who are not experienced to that degree. Frankly, I did not know that there even was an AdminDashboard in the Monobook skin. — Spike  Toronto  04:24, June 28, 2012 (UTC)


 * Well, that explains everything. Oasis sucks for my wiki, so I'll just leave it as it is.  But, thanks for getting to the bottom of everything!  HaarFager 11:18, June 28, 2012 (UTC)

{ri} Your wiki looks fine in Oasis! And, remember: Virtually all of the visitors to your site use the default skin. And it is with their experience that you should be most concerned, with all due respect. So, why not switch to Oasis for a bit, and take the ThemeDesigner for a spin? You might be surprised by the results! — Spike  Toronto  17:40, June 28, 2012 (UTC)
 * http://matchbox.wikia.com/wiki/Special:WikiFeatures?useskin=wikia allows one to override their preferences temporarily. 17:42, June 28, 2012 (UTC)