Reader's Rides Help

"Tom McParland" (tommcparland)
10/14/2013 at 17:32 • Filed to: HALP, reader's rides, oppositelock, oppo tools.

As most of you know, I created the !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! on Google Drive. I have made it open access to all so that anyone could go in add/edit their rides as they see fit. The other day some noob messed it all up, luckily Google Drive's settings allow easy auto restore to any previous version. Thank you to whoever put those directions in at the top. I really do not have time to constantly monitor the spreadsheet but I think it is a good resource. This leaves me with two options. 1. Leave things as is, and hope that no one messes it up and if they do one of you will fix it or 2. Make it view-able to everyone but only editable by a few. This means I have to assign editors to monitor it and will most likely mean that it will be updated/changed less. I prefer option 1. But since this is really Oppo's spreadsheet and not mine, I wanted your input.

DISCUSSION (27)

ddavidn > Tom McParland
10/14/2013 at 17:35

I am pretty good at editing Google spreadsheets, and would be happy to help out. I'm not sure which of the two options I prefer. How often does it get messed up?

Edit: Also, are you familiar with how the forms work? If you let people submit with a form, they wouldn't be able to mess up the rest of the sheet...

JustWaitingForAMate > Tom McParland
10/14/2013 at 17:35

Keep it editable by a few but make a second copy specifically for new uploads that the editors can check every few days and wipe clear after copying across. That way if someone nukes it, you only lose a few cars. If the new uploader doesn't see their car in the main list after a few days, they can just add it to the upload sheet again.

POD > Tom McParland
10/14/2013 at 17:38

I didn't know we had a reader's rides list.

I think you covered the pros and cons to both options. I think that as oppo grows having it open to all will become more problematic.

Patrick Frawley > Tom McParland
10/14/2013 at 17:38

1. I wasn't the one who messed it up. Seriously. Although I had to reenter my stuff a few times because it kept reverting to pre-Geisty status.

2. Keep it as is right now. Most clumsiness comes with initial setup and rollout. Now that it's up and mostly established it should be pretty ok. Having an admin or two takes a lot of the fun and spontaneity out of it.

3. Didn't we have this earlier? https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/cc…

Sparf > JustWaitingForAMate
10/14/2013 at 17:40

This sounds like a good idea.

Tom McParland > Patrick Frawley
10/14/2013 at 17:41

I don't know who messed it up and Google doesn't say either and it doesn't matter. That was the old one but it has a lot of out-dated info. We had an informal vote a while back and decided to move to this version.

Tom McParland > ddavidn
10/14/2013 at 17:43

I didn't know that about the forms, that sounds cool can you give me more details.

ddavidn > Tom McParland
10/14/2013 at 17:44

I'd be happy to when I go on break or get home, but until then maybe this video and article will give you an intro: https://support.google.com/drive/answer/8…

04sneaky - Boxers. Blowers. Bikes. And bitches. > Tom McParland
10/14/2013 at 17:46

How recent was this? Because I definitely filled out my information on a form that looked NOTHING like either one of these......now I'm worried lol. There were other people on there though.

Tom McParland > ddavidn
10/14/2013 at 17:46

Thanks, if I decide to go the multiple editor route I think I may use your services.

ddavidn > JustWaitingForAMate
10/14/2013 at 17:46

Sounds like you and I had similar thoughts, what do you think about using a form to do that? It would submit responses to a blank sheet, ideally.

Tom McParland > 04sneaky - Boxers. Blowers. Bikes. And bitches.
10/14/2013 at 17:47

My spreadsheet has been operational for some time and is linked to the Welcome post and the Oppo Tools.

Klaus Schmoll > Tom McParland
10/14/2013 at 17:47

We had an informal vote? Might have missed that.

What is an informal vote anyway?

04sneaky - Boxers. Blowers. Bikes. And bitches. > Tom McParland
10/14/2013 at 17:47

Actually, it looked like the one in the original post, but there was only about 10-20 people on it. Maybe that was after someone messed it up?

Tom McParland > Klaus Schmoll
10/14/2013 at 17:49

It worked like this...I made the new one people liked it. Someone posted the old one. I said we can use mine or update the old one, whichever is fine. Someone mentioned the old one was outdated and folks started posting on mine. I really don't care either way, I just wanted to provide a helpful tool for all.

JustWaitingForAMate > ddavidn
10/14/2013 at 17:49

I didn't realize google drive could do forms. The collected values in the response sheet should be write protected unless you're using a form to input, so no need for the 2 sheet solution I suggested.

Tom McParland > 04sneaky - Boxers. Blowers. Bikes. And bitches.
10/14/2013 at 17:49

Possibly...

ddavidn > Tom McParland
10/14/2013 at 17:52

I use the forms at work to keep my own co-workers in line when submitting change requests for our website and other miscellaneous things. Would be happy to set one up for this sheet. Just let me know. You know where to find me.

04sneaky - Boxers. Blowers. Bikes. And bitches. > Tom McParland
10/14/2013 at 17:53

Because I originally got it from the welcome post where I confessed my love for wagons (lol), and I use google docs for work all day so I'm fairly certain on my skills of use. But it definitely only had a few people on it. Oh well, I will add it once again I suppose. No worries!

I'm also in if you need any help managing, or redesigning it!

GRawesome > Tom McParland
10/14/2013 at 17:55

I went in today to enter my cars and locked the first 2 rows so that when you are entering data towards the bottom you can see the column headers and instructions at the top. Hope that is ok with you.

Tom McParland > GRawesome
10/14/2013 at 17:57

That is cool, thanks for your help

Klaus Schmoll > Tom McParland
10/14/2013 at 17:57

I'm cool with that.

Tom McParland > 04sneaky - Boxers. Blowers. Bikes. And bitches.
10/14/2013 at 17:58

Yeah same one, but you probably saw a messed up version at the time.

ultimatum127 > Tom McParland
10/14/2013 at 18:02

I'm the only Acura TL....

Tom McParland > ultimatum127
10/14/2013 at 18:04

It also appears you are not an author here on Oppo. But that is all fixed now, welcome aboard. :)

4muddyfeet - bare knuckle with an EZ30 > Tom McParland
10/14/2013 at 18:26

I didn't even know this existed. I have stuck my shit in there, I swear trying to keep up with some of you lot I'd have to sell some body organs.

DocWalt > Tom McParland
10/14/2013 at 18:35

Weird. My info that I entered a few months back is inexplicably gone.