Last modified: 2011-07-31 18:56:42 UTC
Wikipedia's "Toolbox -> Print/export -> Printable version" works extremely well. However, no distinction appears to be given been the template used for the composition of a page returned via browser request, and employed after the user has requested return of a 'Printable version' of page content; only. This 'issue' involves inclusion of the 'Content' section in the 'Printable version' of pages that get returned. As the 'Content' section provides page navigation in the browser returned pages, the utility of the section is self evident. However, inclusion of the 'Content' section in the 'Printable version's is redundant; the URIs in it can NOT be used to interactively navigate a printed document. Moreover, larger documents tend to include larger number of sections, thus the size of the 'Content' section increases, consequently. Placement of the 'Content' section in the 'Printable version's inserts large gaps in the documents that are to be printed on printers, and ends up wasting large amounts of printed document page space. Inclusion of redundant content in the 'Printable version' 'Content' section should either be done away with, or an option for inclusion should exist for the user to control whether the 'Content' section gets included into the pages that Wikipedia returns after selecting Wikipedia's "Toolbox -> Print/export -> Printable version".
Hi! I've clarified the title of this bug, please correct me if I have misinterpreted you. Note that there is a separate stylesheet for printable versions, so if a user wanted to set the table of contents to display:none;, they could do that on their own wiki, and possibly also on wikipedia through user style sheets. I'm tempted to wontfix this, since tables of contents are certainly useful in printed media. See, for example, every book ever. In fact, especially for long articles, I would appreciate a way to see where in the article each section is without leafing through a 30 page printout. There are certainly style improvements that could be made, such as converting it to use multiple columns, thereby saving space on a printed version.
Errata It would appear that I had previously made this request (Bug 290430). Also, among the responses to 'Bug 290430' provided an interim workaround, also. > If you don't want to print the table of contents then klick on [hide] and the > whole box with the table of contents gets hidden in the print version. However, without a means which which to affiliate this desired ability with all 'Printable version' documents, the user must explicitly collapse the content of the 'Content' box, for every document sent to the printer. A workaround, but still a pain in the *ss. Please excuse a re-submit.
*** This bug has been marked as a duplicate of bug 29043 ***
While clicking the 'Content' section [hide] button collapses the 'Content' section section in the interactive version, it does not carry this desire thru after selection of "Print/export -> Printable version". The content is included in the 'Printable version', as always. So, this 'feature' is still, only half working.
