Txp Admin Facelift

Destry · 2005-09-07 11:53:58

Good idea, a move to simplify the interface is always good. Sometimes people like to customize the admin page by adding a company logo or something in for simple identification. With that thinking, the “View Site” link should be easily modifiable (or removable).

I also like the connection between the toplevel active tab and its subtabs with clearer use of color, which is an issue brought up many times in this thread.

As for the disfavor for vertical text and icons, what about diagonal text for the three different article view tabs. For example an active tab might have text running from top-left to bottom-right, while an inactive tab shows it running from bottom-left to top-right. Then as a person hovers/clicks the tabs, the text angles change accordingly. I was going to do a mock of this, but I can’t seem to get around to it.

Mary · 2005-09-08 02:28:30

That’s a neat idea Destry. Wouldn’t that mean having to use an image?

phiw13 · 2005-09-08 03:07:17

> Destry wrote:

Good idea, a move to simplify the interface is always good. Sometimes people like to customize the admin page by adding a company logo or something in for simple identification. With that thinking, the “View Site” link should be easily modifiable (or removable).

I had been thinking along the same lines: the possibility to have some corporate branding in the topbar (logo, colors) is appealing.
In the same wave, the ‘textpattern’ logo in the top bar is presently hardcoded with a yellow background. It might become a transparent image.

As for the disfavor for vertical text and icons, what about diagonal text for the three different article view tabs. For example an active tab might have text running from top-left to bottom-right, while an inactive tab shows it running from bottom-left to top-right. Then as a person hovers/clicks the tabs, the text angles change accordingly. I was going to do a mock of this, but I can’t seem to get around to it.

Wouldn’t that be very hard to read ? And if I picture it correctly, I think it wouldn’t very comfortable, imo.

Destry · 2005-09-08 06:30:36

@mary: Yes, it would probably require an image, but at least a text image, and anyway, aren’t they images as it is with the vertical (I never really looked into it)?

@phiw13: Certainly not as easy to read as a completely horizontal line, but then again, easier to read than a completely vertical line. The diagonal approach is somewhat of a middle-road, between not using completely vertical (that a lot of griping has been made about), and not actually having to move the tabs (or take up as much space on the side). Also, the ease of reading can be adjusted rather significantly by changing the angle of the diagonal, just need to play around with it (though I think a 45 angle would give the best effect visually).

On the other hand, someone did mention a while back to move the the tabs to the top of the text frame. I think putting them under the title box with a little top space would be just fine; shouldn’t be that confusing to people. Then you could have horizontal text.

phiw13 · 2005-09-08 07:45:06

> Destry wrote:

On the other hand, someone did mention a while back to move the the tabs to the top of the text frame. I think putting them under the title box with a little top space would be just fine; shouldn’t be that confusing to people. Then you could have horizontal text.

I played a litte bit in photoshop, at the top of the textarea attracts me more.
A quick comp.

I just took the existing minitabs here. Shape can be refined a bit (less round, more like Mary’s latest attempt in the first post of this thread).

I also tried putting them at the bottom, between the body and the excerpt textarea, put that didn’t have the correct feel.

Destry · 2005-09-08 11:35:07

I played a litte bit in photoshop, at the top of the textarea attracts me more.
A quick comp.

Now we’re talking. I don’t think the tabs interfere with the title box at all, and it really gives the right column a cleaner look.

hakjoon · 2005-09-08 14:43:18

> Destry wrote:
Now we’re talking. I don’t think the tabs interfere with the title box at all, and it really gives the right column a cleaner look.

Only problem I see with this is it could interfere with input toolbars like upm_quicktags which I can’t do without.

Destry · 2005-09-09 05:49:09

Oh, right. Well that is a legitimate problem, which could be another reason to consider the diagonal text tabs idea.

Or, here’s another idea: How many plugins use space along the top like that, besides upm_quicktags? If that is the only plugin, maybe the plugin could be adjusted so that all of its buttons run down the right side of the text frame (keeping the current order, but making them go top to bottom), which would allow the default tabs to be put above the text frame…essentially switching the position of the two. Then to ensure no conflicts in the future, plugin authors should just not design plugins to use the top area. (I mean how much really needs to go there at this point anyway.) If there’s more than one plugin currently using that area, then it’s probably not going to fly.

icubyx · 2005-09-09 06:47:09

> jonhicks wrote:

> I was thinking about this myself, was about to start a thread and saw that this one had been started. Wasn’t sure whether to start a new thread or join this one.]

>My main contribution (apologies if this has been mentioned before) is that I think the ‘view site’ shouldn’t be a tab, but should the name of the site as a largish link at the top. I’ve done a mockup to show this.

I second Jon on the “view site” button. It should be a button or a link.

Niconemo · 2005-09-09 07:44:19

I do agree

kemie · 2005-09-09 12:39:08

jon that’s a lovely interface. love those tabs, very bold and clear, with a very good differentiation of both sets of tabs.
I vote for it ;) .

Mary · 2005-09-09 23:02:27

I quite like the gradient (fixes the “which orange?” problem) and I’m coming around to the dropping the second row of tabs. I’m totally ‘stealing’ those from you, Jon.

So when I get asked, “Where are my tabs? what have you done with my beautiful tabs?!” when I post my next comp, I’m pointing them at you, Philippe, and the others who’ve suggested they go away:

“It’s not me, I totally wanted to keep them, it was their idea…” ^{shifty eyes}

j/k ;p

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Textpattern CMS support forum

#61 2005-09-07 11:53:58

Re: Txp Admin Facelift

#62 2005-09-08 02:28:30

Re: Txp Admin Facelift

#63 2005-09-08 03:07:17

Re: Txp Admin Facelift

#64 2005-09-08 06:30:36

Re: Txp Admin Facelift

#65 2005-09-08 07:45:06

Re: Txp Admin Facelift

#66 2005-09-08 11:35:07

Re: Txp Admin Facelift

#67 2005-09-08 14:43:18

Re: Txp Admin Facelift

#68 2005-09-09 05:49:09

Re: Txp Admin Facelift

#69 2005-09-09 06:47:09

Re: Txp Admin Facelift

#70 2005-09-09 07:44:19

Re: Txp Admin Facelift

#71 2005-09-09 12:39:08

Re: Txp Admin Facelift

#72 2005-09-09 23:02:27

Re: Txp Admin Facelift

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