Talk:SDK Docs

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Shortname or longname

Compare this Template:KV_RenderFields and this Template:KV_Shadow and this Template:I_RenderFields. As you can see, sometimes it's "bool"/"int" but sometimes "boolean"/"integer". What will be better to use? --Mehiller 21:54, 2 May 2012 (PDT)

In my opinion, "boolean" and "integer" is friendlier for non-programmers, though I would prefer the shorthand versions. That's just me. —Mattshu 23:11, 11 July 2012 (PDT)

SFM link

The link at the Source page for the Source Filmmaker leads to a Category page. Which isn't supposed to happen. Can you guys fix it? --017Bluefield 23:39, 10 July 2012 (PDT)

I'm thinking that was intentional. —Mattshu 23:56, 10 July 2012 (PDT)

Uh-huh… Did you check the history yet? Any edit—even the vandalism type—gets recorded their, right? --017Bluefield 00:13, 11 July 2012 (PDT)

Yes. You're referring to the link on SDK Docs, right? —Mattshu 00:16, 11 July 2012 (PDT)

Yeah. I remember checking it yesterday, but it must've slipped my mind today. --017Bluefield 12:42, 11 July 2012 (PDT)

Nevermind. It's someone named Dmx6 who did the edit. --017Bluefield 12:45, 11 July 2012 (PDT)

Dmx6 is a regular, trusted contributor to the wiki. It is linked to the category page because it contains many resources for using SMF. Sorry, but I'm not sure where you're seeing the vandalism. —Mattshu 22:42, 11 July 2012 (PDT)

New design

I've been testing the new design in my sandbox. It's not finished as I don't work with VDC very often now, but I still wanted to offer a new look.

Pros

• There is now quick access to Source Engine branches and their SDKs.

Note: Not that it's useful, but when I needed it, I couldn't find the tool I needed quickly because someone didn't even bother to create a redirect from Source SDK Base 2013 to Source SDK 2013 🗿

• Now games don't hide from you. Documentation of their tools is right on the Source SDK page.

Note: The level design page with a link to the games now doesn't always link to the level design (for example, Team Fortress 2/Docs), and you have to do more unnecessary actions to reach the game tools page.

• The colors and larger content size will help you find the right link faster.
• The new design should look better on mobile devices (well, if rewritten).

Cons

• My design offers a larger view of the links, which forces you to scroll down the page to reach certain links.

Note: I don't think it's a problem because it's easier to identify links. Spending time on scrolling is much less than trying to find a certain link among a bunch of other links in a row.

--THE OWL (talk) 22:00, 3 November 2024 (PST)

New design is not needed. The current one works perfectly fine and I don't have to scroll to see all links. One thing from it that would be good to do is adding the links to individual game doc pages but not with such overly huge boxes --Nescius (talk) 07:12, 4 November 2024 (PST)

I'll try to do something about it later.

--THE OWL (talk) 11:29, 6 November 2024 (PST)

About the Brief Description

I added a simple description to make this SDK documentation similar to all the others. Also, I think it helps to find different versions of Source SDK faster.

I'm sure it's useful, and beginners to working with Source in general didn't get a brief description of the here and now before.

I'm leaving this topic here to explain the reason for adding the description and to provide a place to discuss this edit, if any.

--THE OWL (talk) 16:19, 13 May 2025 (PDT)

Another new design

Share your thoughts here so I don't do anything bad 🤗

Removed and added elements:

1. I removed the documentation indexes, as they are planned to be moved to the Main Page. See the discussion about this here.
2. I added Quick Access so that you don't have to scroll the page at lower screen resolution. I think this might be useful.
3. I also added clickable icons for easier navigation.

-- THE OWL (talk) 11:32, 6 July 2026 (PDT)

Adds too much whitespace, imo. The original design is nice and compact, and doesn't require any scrolling.
— SirYodaJedi (talk) 12:28, 6 July 2026 (PDT)

Same with SirYodaJedi; Maybe the images/icons could be added to the compact one, might be helpful when someone needs to go to that page. --N0one (talk) 13:32, 6 July 2026 (PDT)

I don't see a problem with large cards and scrolling. I understand that you probably visit this page often enough to click the link without even looking, but I don't see any benefits in using a table for others (such as beginners) or for myself. If you're using a Full HD screen, all you need to do is scroll down once to instantly find the card you need. It won't take any longer than if you were trying to find a specific word in a table.

Also, if you're using portrait orientation or your screen resolution is too low, the panel on the right will be very close to your cursor. In that case, you still don't have to scroll through the entire page - you can simply select the word you need from that panel, just as you would in a table.

I made some changes, but they're only visible in my sandbox (irrelevant; the draft has been replaced with the first version).

--THE OWL (talk) 06:26, 7 July 2026 (PDT)

I could have made everything more compact for lower resolutions, but @media doesn't work in Firefox when used with style="" ;(

--THE OWL (talk) 06:31, 7 July 2026 (PDT)

Please take a look at the SDK Docs now. I've made Quick Access a single line while keeping the card layout.

--THE OWL (talk) 07:53, 7 July 2026 (PDT)

Large cards are intended for phone apps, not desktop websites. A major thing I dislike about cards is that I have to scan my vision horizontally instead of only vertically (making it messier). The sections can be added without cards (the proposed divisions make sense). I like the icons; see SirYodaJedi/SDK_Docs.
— SirYodaJedi (talk) 08:47, 7 July 2026 (PDT)

I think the new design will stay here until the end of the week. If the discussion doesn't move forward during that time, I'll return to the table and try to include icons in it.

I won't lie - I'm just waiting for the moment when the majority shares my opinion. If that doesn't happen, I won't insist on the new design.

Anyway, here's my opinion:

1. Cards aren't just for mobile apps. I called them large, but if you compare them, they're no different from any modern wiki. Cards are the standard now, and I've wanted to see them here since 2019. I find tables uncomfortable in any form. They're not suitable for hubs.
2. I don't understand the issue with horizontal reading at all. I really want to keep the cards because of my personal preference, so if we can make that happen, I'd like to reach a compromise here as well. I understand how strong habits can be sometimes, so it wouldn't be right to make things less convenient for you either. Unfortunately, my idea with "Quick Access" hasn't achieved the desired result yet.

I really like many modern solutions, so I'd like to see them used here, at least for my own convenience. But as I said earlier, if we can't find a compromise, I don't mind reverting to the table. For now, I'm just asking that we don't remove the new design until the end of the week.

--THE OWL (talk) 12:30, 7 July 2026 (PDT)

After seeing some tweaks with the page, it looks good overall. I don't think the cards or the extra scrolling are a problem. On mobile, the layout feels fine as it is. On desktop, though, it feels like something is missing. I'm not entirely sure what it is but I don't think the card layout itself is the issue. --N0one (talk) 03:33, 10 July 2026 (PDT)

Looks pretty good to me. It's simple, and works great on both desktop and mobile. Though, it takes a bit more time to scroll, but the Quick Access idea is cool. --Mr. System Error^{(T - C)} 05:07, 10 July 2026 (PDT)

I generally like how this looks more than the previous design, but I feel like the little icons could be placed on the same line as the category names to reduce vertical size, if that's possible. But, all in all, it looks good. --MarvinG (talk) 07:22, 10 July 2026 (PDT)

It does look very good, I like the design better, it can be added to other documentation pages; Also looked at the CS2 doc page, it fits really good with it. --N0one (talk) 07:54, 10 July 2026 (PDT)

Colleagues. A fresh sight. Not as strict and compact as a table. The rest is a matter of taste. The idea of ​​quick access is similar to Abstract Mapping and is quite convenient. I see optimizing the empty space on cards by placing the icon, name, and duplicate button on a single line, floating them across two lines for mobile devices. As a translator, I'm all for any effort, except a lousy translation. Clash (talk) 08:42, 10 July 2026 (PDT)

I often only use VDC on PC, and less on mobile, but on both platforms, it requires bit of scrolling to see everything. And for the icon, it's fine (the old one doesn't had icon, but was perfectly usable). The rest of my opinion are almost pretty much the same as SirYodaJedi, as the old design is just simple & compact (also easier for the eyes to look at aswell), and it just works. --leonidakarlach (talk) 12:13, 10 July 2026 (PDT)

It's pointlessly spread out. Don't like the new design at all. Don't see what is wrong with the old design that it would need a change --Nescius (talk) 16:47, 10 July 2026 (PDT)

I'll share my plans on Tuesday or Wednesday. Thanks to everyone for your feedback.

--THE OWL (talk) 12:03, 13 July 2026 (PDT)

With the new layout, how should we present Documentation Index Pages?

Love the new design, clean, sleak, and modern!

Does anyone have an idea how we should show old fashioned Index Pages so if people are looking for game specific knowledge they can reach it easier on the page rather then using the category bar at the bottom?

I don't dare touch this page since I'm a newcomer and primarily focused on Mann Vs Machine Documentation at the moment, but putting this out there in case.

--TeamReshape (talk) 13:19, 10 July 2026 (PDT)

If I understand correctly, you're talking about the list of documentation indexes that was previously above the Navigation section.

It will be moved to the Main Page soon, if it's approved. You can find it in my sandbox, and you'll see what I mean.

--THE OWL (talk) 21:18, 10 July 2026 (PDT)

Yep nail on the head, and that sandbox page is looking great!

--TeamReshape (talk) 21:24, 10 July 2026 (PDT)