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Re: Improving TXP Image Management
Another feature I would find useful under the image tab is to have the size of the image displayed (and maybe category).
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Re: Improving TXP Image Management
Skubidu wrote:
- There should be a possibility to upload more than one image – see aba_image_import or plogger
I have been using WEBGUI at work (a plainblack product). It uses a feature where you use a typcial “choose” button, find your image on your machine, and as soon as you click “yes, or open” it automatically generates the next field for you to do the same thing. This might be nice to do multiple uploads that don’t require FTP?
On the other hand, that might not work with PHP’s file size limit?
- It would be nice, if exif statements could be imported (and be accessible with txp tags
<txp:image_exif show="date" />)
Agreed. I think this is a necessary feature if TXP is to encourage more image friendliness, as more and more folks are getting serious about photoblogging.
- It should be possible to narrow the display of images down to certain categories, years, months (“virtual folders”). …* The images list should be sortable (name/category: a-z <> z-a)
Absolutely, a basic MUST. Even a search function like that found in the article tab would be helpful.
- It would be nice to have sidebar with all the image categories so you could easily drop an image in a new category (AJAX, script.aculo.us)
While AJAX is great, I wonder how much the devs will be “into” implementing it, as there has been little move in that direction thus far (but I may just be naive there?) What say you peeps? Otherwise, you could have a “apply checked images to “xxxx” category? or something like that? I also have these questions about Bastian’s img wizard . I personally LOVE it, but I wonder what it feels like overall to have only one part of the install that uses AJAX driven functionality? Just thinking out loud here?
- It would be a real improvement not to be limited to 1 category.
agreed. The possibilities of having a more robust image tag (set) which likens it to article tags would help in sorting and displaying to have multiple categories, or to choose to apply the images to categories available in the “article categories” menu?
- improvement of the basic image manipulation – see glx_admin_image
Also agreed. I think there are some basic image manipulation programs like pxn8 (I just ran across it, though, I’ve never used it) that can do a lot of that via a browser, although that might be WAY to fancy, its probably good to go overboard and then backoff before the final proposal is written?
It would be nice to have the possibility to view the last added images (if you have many images it can be very annoying having to browse through long list or category menus just to get to the latest image you added
Could this be a sorting option?
I would like to see a preview of the article image on the write tab.
WEBGUI does this too. It has decent functionality, and helps to see how things will look, but it doesn’t show padding or element styles, it only shows alignment, and you can drag and drop throughout the body field.
Like others I feel that bulk upload is extremely important. What are the thoughts on the use of FTP? Does that discourage users? Are most of the bulk uploading type of users going to know how to FTP anyway?
One HUGE request and hope I have for the image tab (if it indeed belongs there) is the option for the ADMIN to set a max width or height that scales the image proportionately, so that if I were to design a site for a customer whose web skills are as good as my knitting skills that they can place images without breaking the site. Another method for this might be to have several possible image sizes, which could be set as image types? Image 1: 300px max width: Image 2: 200px max width, Image 3: 100 max width, etc. and they could be named so that they could be related to certain parts of the site.
So that when one goes to place an image in the article, they can either choose one of “x” number of sizes/dimensions for the image, or they can place constraints on that image right there? (ultimately with an option to turn that kind of functionality off for less than savvy users – but that is a rights and permissions workgroup issue
Perhaps there could be a link next to the images which offers to place that image in the body field on the write page, or the article_image field, and takes you to that page directly, with the image placed, as you have asked it to be?
James Lomax wrote:
bq. One minor but important factor that should be considered, if relevant: the one column image display in txp is very bad design: lots of unused white space, and you have to scroll far too much. Multiple columns would improve it.
I totally agree. lets see better use of space. Any suggestions about how this layout might look? Perhaps you can come up with a mockup for this one James? Anybody? Has anybody ever seen the way that photobucket does this? maybe it could be similar?
Okay, my fingers are tired.
This is fun, we are getting somewhere. Patrick, Hope your having a good time bro.
- I am Squared Eye and I
am launchinghave launched Pattern Tap
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Re: Improving TXP Image Management
I want to add something, which for me was a bit of a ‘brainstorm’. It was obvious all the time, but no one was saying it:
what’s the big deal with the ‘write’ tab?
I think one of the advantages of Wordpress is the interface isn’t rigidly confined to tabs at the top of the page. Its a nice, balanced layout making use of all the white space. Seems to me, txp is badly designed with those tabs and sub-tabs, leaving unused white space around the screen.
what about having an image function built into the page below the text box?
– if this becomes a really great txp development, then it deserves having some fundamental ‘space’ in the interface, like you see in Wordpress. So, not squeeze it into a sidebar, or whatever, but build it as a more fundamental component. If you want to faciliate great image usage, then that will be much better than squeezing it into the write tab (or a sidebar), when txp is already too tab-centric.Last edited by jameslomax (2006-03-18 01:22:18)
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Re: Improving TXP Image Management
James,
While I feel you there, I’m not sure that’s a direction I would go. I think one thing I like about the TXP install as it is now, is that things are extremely simple. I loathe wordpress, I feel like it is TOO clunky and too much going on in so many pages. KISS : Keep It Simple Stupid (the method I grew up learning, and have to constantly remind myself).
From looking at a TON of different CMS’s, and especially many at higher levels, I feel like keeping image management as robust as possible and in its own “tab” or shell or something is the most appropriate use and suits the widest audience possible. Ultimately one would like to have customization of those types of things to suit there personal or client needs, but TXP is not that, for the time being, and I wonder if it ever will be. There is a markedly different feel to TXP over WP or other systems, and I realized myself not long ago that not all CMS’s are heading toward the same goal, or are going to be used for, or in, the same way. Duh, you’re saying, I’m probably just reminding myself. Anyhow, Those are my feelings on it, but thanks for keeping the dialog going. What do others think?
Matthew
- I am Squared Eye and I
am launchinghave launched Pattern Tap
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Re: Improving TXP Image Management
While AJAX is great, I wonder how much the devs will be “into” implementing it, as there has been little move in that direction thus far (but I may just be naive there?) What say you peeps? Otherwise, you could have a “apply checked images to “xxxx” category? or something like that? I also have these questions about Bastian’s img wizard . I personally LOVE it, but I wonder what it feels like overall to have only one part of the install that uses AJAX driven functionality?
I dont know how much it will take to implement the img wizard. But all main functions will be driven by AJAX, so it should take long, because there are not many changes on client-side of the write-screen and all the AJAX stuff can be seperated in one additional file.
But i think before thinking about implement into core it should be well tested, because it would be the only [or the first] part of txp driven by AJAX.
And if make it part of txp img wizard should make use of Prototype -> Rico or whatever. Just to make sure that it still works in two years. One of the big open source JS libaries will probaly updated while the next years, nobody knows who updates my handcoded ajax functions.
So i think lets first code it as plugin, test it and test it and test it and then start thinking about implement it into core.
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Re: Improving TXP Image Management
write tab versus image tab:
I think it is very important to keep the main article and image management separated, so we should keep the image tab. In my opinion the admin interface will stay more clear this way. As an addition for the write tab I would like to see something like Bastian’s image wizard – but that is a typical plugin for me.
Let’s keep the write tab simple, let’s keep the image tab simple but let’s improve both. If we have got a good image management on the image tab, it will be easy to create additional plugins for the write tab which interact between the articles and the images.
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Re: Improving TXP Image Management
I respect the ‘coder’s viewpoint’ on this, because even though I don’t really understand txp and can’t use it very well, I can sense intuitively that its a very lean, mean, and efficient CMS – more so than Wordpress.
As a general observation though, I’d say it lacks aesthetics and use-ability for non-coder people – and a balanced use of white space is fundamental. So txp also looks very lean, mean, and efficient – not much to see, because its hidden away in the tabs and sub-tabs – which is clever from the point of view of ‘information design’, but not always clever for use-ability. If I have a favourite book I read every day, I’ll leave it on my couch where I can reach it with my arm – I don’t want to keep standing up and walking into another room to my book case.
I think it comes down to how much you use something. If you need image-management every time you use txp, then you need it as much as you need the text-entry box, and you don’t want to go clicking around the tabs to open it. From my point of view, as a photo site txp user, I would love to have a constantly available image-management method – like that book I leave on my couch.
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Re: Improving TXP Image Management
As a general observation though, I’d say it lacks aesthetics and use-ability for non-coder people – and a balanced use of white space is fundamental. So txp also looks very lean, mean, and efficient – not much to see, because its hidden away in the tabs and sub-tabs – which is clever from the point of view of ‘information design’, but not always clever for use-ability.
I totaly agree on that, if you are talking of the “advanced options” and that stuff by saying “tabs”.
From my point of view, as a photo site txp user, I would love to have a constantly available image-management method – like that book I leave on my couch.
James, you are right with your book metaphor. You are right that there should be image management methods on the right tab and you are also right that they should not be hidden (as the article image is by now, for example).
I would like to distinguish between two things: There are article related image management methods (like inserting images in articles) and there are other methods that are article independent (image categories etc.). I just want to warn to completely combine the article and the image tab. It would be nice to have a short cut for image uploads etc. on the write tab, but we should not integrate all the image stuff in the article tab – I think it simply would be to complex.
In my opinion the task is to create an easy and usable image inserting method on the article tab – it has to be an understandable system, without this crazy “tab hopping” you need today to find an image, get the image id, return to the write tab an insert the id to get an article image. But nevertheless I’m convinced that the article and the image management should stay separated.
If you need image-management every time you use txp, then you need it as much as you need the text-entry box, and you don’t want to go clicking around the tabs to open it.
I understand that. But I think if we drop the separation of images and articles, other people who are creating download or link sites would say “hey! I want the same for links/downloads”. This would end up in one big article tab with everything on it – well, that’s at least what I fear.
Please correct my if I misunderstood anything… English is not my native language and perhaps I’m not getting all the details and we’re talking about the same things already :)
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Re: Improving TXP Image Management
Bastian Wrote:
And if make it part of txp img wizard should make use of Prototype -> Rico or whatever. Just to make sure that it still works in two years. One of the big open source JS libaries will probaly updated while the next years, nobody knows who updates my handcoded ajax functions.
I would definitely recommend this. Plus prototype is such a joy to use. The Yahoo UI Library is looking pretty nice too. The ajax connectors look a lot like prototype.
Skubidu Wrote:
But I think if we drop the separation of images and articles, other people who are creating download or link sites would say “hey! I want the same for links/downloads”.
We could of course go through a similar process for files. Remember files where not part of TXP originally. That was all developed as a hack that got added to the core (this was before admin side plugins if I remeber correctly). ‘Upm_file_packets”:http://www.upm-plugins.com/upm-file-packets has demonstrated that there is a desire for the ability to attach files to articles too. That’s another project though :)
I can see an argument for moving some of these article association tools (like article_image) to teh area under the write tab. since its is kind of dead space, which could be used for a “associated objects” section or something. Although I do think something like Bastian’s plugin could handle most of teh functionality for inserting/attaching images.
Shoving is the answer – pusher robot
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#94 2006-03-22 15:12:26
- igner
- Plugin Author
- Registered: 2004-06-03
- Posts: 337
Re: Improving TXP Image Management
Just a quick note – for anything that is ultimately intended as CORE functionality, hacks / patches are preferable to plugins, as a plugin code is far enough different from core code that it frequently / generally requires complete rewriting to take a plugin concept and incorporate it in the core.
I’d chime in for keeping the image management separate from the write tab. While I can see a lot of value in adding a quick upload option (that prototype interface Bastian is a nice start), I’d rather not have to contend with full management functionality on the write tab.
And then my dog ate my badger, and the love was lost.
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Re: Improving TXP Image Management
igner wrote:
While I can see a lot of value in adding a quick upload option (that prototype interface Bastian is a nice start), I’d rather not have to contend with full management functionality on the write tab.
Love the <a href=“http://textpattern.net/wiki/index.php?title=Img_Wizard”>interface</a> too. What I would also like to see in there is an edit image option too. ie crop, thumbnail, rotate, resize
Yiannis
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I do my best editing after I click on the submit button.
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Re: Improving TXP Image Management
I want to emphasise the difference between efficient ‘information management’, and use-ability. Having everything hidden away in the tabs is efficient, and elegant. However, use-ability is a different matter.
If this development is for people like myself – using images every time I use txp – then there needs to be the option to have image management as a permanent part of the interface, like you see in Wordpress. There’s really no way round this. If this is for serious image management it’s just as important as the text entry box, so it shouldn’t be hidden away in the tabs. So for example, something like Bastian’s interface, but permanently open, underneath the text entry box…..
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