This is something I've been working on for a long time, and I'm glad to announce a complete revamp of the ideas feature management area. Here's what's new:

1) When you submit a new idea, it's a LOT easier than before. You'll see how easy it is next time you go to submit a new idea.

2) The system now requires that an image must be included in your idea before you can submit it for approval. If you don't have an image to be included, just go into the Plant Database and look for a pretty photo and then copy the db_photo tag for that image into your idea.

3) You now get notified at every step of the way. When your idea is approved for publication, you get a system message. When we give your idea a date on which to run, you get another system message. Basically, there is no more guessing or wondering what the status of the idea is. But, keep in mind, often ideas will sit in the "Approved" queue without a date assignment up until days (or sometimes minutes) before it actually runs on the site.

4) Most importantly of all, you can now edit ideas even after you submit it for approval. In fact, you can now edit ideas even after they appear on the site. So if you are looking at a past idea and you see something you'd like to change, or if you want to add to it, you can. Just open the idea up and at the bottom you'll find a link to edit the item. Your edits don't immediately appear but will go into a moderation queue where I will review and approve the proposed edits.

I think these changes will go a long way toward making this feature more user friendly for all of us. If anybody has any suggested changes or if they have trouble with it, please let me know.

Have an idea and you want to try out the new features? Just click on Ideas in the bar on the left and then you'll see the link to post a new idea on the top of that page.

Thanks @dave
Anything that make life easier is appreciated. I will now go off into a corner and think deep thoughts hoping for a new idea.

Maybe there is no such thing as a 'bad idea', but one question please; has there ever been a situation where the submitted idea was so bad that it was rejected? If that happens, do you notify the person or do you just allow the idea to sit indefinitely and never publish it?

It's rare, but occasionally people post things there that really just belong as a thread in a forum. In cases like that we decline it and tree-mail them suggesting they post to the forums instead.

I don't think we've ever silently declined an idea without letting the person know.

No, I've never declined/deleted an idea without letting the person know. There are times when I have ideas in the queue that I'm not really sure what to do with, so they continue to sit until I have time to really dig into that project and sort through all of it. That's coming soon, BTW!

Anyone can feel free to contact me at any time to ask about their article. My tree-mail door is wide open!

This is wonderful Dave!!!!!! (And Trish) I just love that we can change it after it has been published or after it's been approved but not yet published. I just noticed a spelling error in 1 that was just approved this morning & it was going to be very if It went on the home page of ATP that way. Yes, I know I could treemail either of you to fix it but now I won't have to bother you with that.

Wooooooooo Hoooooooooooo!!!!!!!!!!! I've just done 3 of them! Quick as a wink & easy as pie.

I have an Ideas question... hope it's OK to put it here. If I want the cool photo boxes (the ones that link to the database) in my Idea, how do I code that?

Example: http://garden.org/ideas/view/a...

And nice to know we can edit published ideas! Once I figure this out, I can add the links to my Broccoli idea, rather than just naming cultivars.

It's a bb code. When you are looking at the full size image in the database, then you see the "[db_photo]" tag in the list up top. Just copy and paste that bb code into your Idea and you're all set.

Feel free to test it here.

Like this?



Edit: worked like a charm, and so easy! Thanks @dave!

Great changes! I like being able to go back in after the fact to make corrections. Thank you!

Question: Is it possible to make it where it takes us to a printable copy? Sometimes it helps to make a copy to edit plus it would be nice to have the option to print an idea for keeping.

Okay, I just looked and I see that there is a printer friendly version available to the published ideas!