[Tools-discuss] Request for HTML View on Datatracker

[Justin Richer <[e-mail]>]

One thing that I find myself doing a lot while working on a draft, or referencing a draft in progress, is checking to make sure I’m on the right version of the draft. In the old system, and in the current "HTMLized" version, there is a panel that allows me fairly quick access to that information.

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Now, I love the newer HTML native view. It’s so much better for reading and navigation. However, when looking at the same document in native HTML format, I don’t get any of that information in the panel.

[PastedGraphic-2.png]

It’s impossible for me to see if the version I’m looking at is the latest one, or if it’s been replaced by a new draft, unless I go to the data tracker URL for the document or edit the URL with the next number up until I hit a 404, then back off to the previous version.

I do realize that the render process for the HTML and HTMLized version are completely different, and that the HTMLized version goes through substantial templating on its way out, which allows it to have the additional information added to it.

What I would find useful is augmenting the HTML version with the type of data tracker panel that the HTMLized version features today. I don’t have a deep understanding of how the HTML version is created and served, but I understand that the current system outputs the HTML version directly from what’s output by the xml2rfc system (or, something close to it). These features wouldn’t be needed in the RFCEditor archival copy, and wouldn’t be needed for an offline download or printout of the page. As such, it might be most appropriate to have the panel generated using a JavaScript program that calls the data tracker APIs to get the document’s revision history and renders the panel as needed when served from data tracker URLs.

— Justin