Draggable Interface

variaas · 2008-08-07 07:43:48

I’m working on yet another plugin that allows you to create custom tabs under the Content tab. Each tab is a duplicate of the “Write” tab with one difference; each tab can be customized (via drag/drop and css) to meet your needs. I started building this after creating several fields with glz_custom_fields. You could potentially setup a custom tab for each of your sections and customize the layout depending on the section.

I’m wondering if there’s a wider need for a plugin like this, and if so, any functionality you’d like. Here’s what I got so far:

Manage panels through a single tab
Access tabs from under the content tab
Table-less design (plugins won’t work, but simpler design for arranging elements)
CSS customizable through styles

Stuff I’d like to get in 1.0:

Set default values for items like sections and cateogories
Pluggable – allow other people to create “widgets” to extend the custom panels
Integration with glz_custom_fields

Here’s a really rough screen shot of the working version:

Last edited by variaas (2008-08-07 07:48:49)

jakob · 2008-08-07 08:45:30

I’m wondering if there’s a wider need for a plugin like this,

Absolutely! This was one of the motivators behind the xpattern fork so there would be plenty of interested people. This would be sooo good.

Drag and drop and show/hide is certainly a comfortable way of working to design a content entry pane but I imagine it will be admins who set the layout (if it proves complex a pane definable in a form would be sufficient too).

Features?

Access privs for panel/tab
Ability to place panel/tab at a position between the existing one’s
Alongside default section/category, also ability to limit sections/categories available. Very often certain categories are really only relevant in a certain section or a particular kind of content applies only to some sections.
Ability to remove section choice altogether when content entry panel applies only to a single section.

Of secondary importance:

*Ability to clone/duplicate panel layouts and then adapt them

I’m sure there are others but can’t think of them off hand.

candyman · 2008-08-07 09:11:36

Simply amazing.

OT: I’m not a programmer so I often asked myself the reasons of plenty of plugins/solutions for a relatively little community like the TXP one. WHich is the reason? The structure of this CMS makes the developing easier or we are simply lucky?

redbot · 2008-08-07 11:11:13

That’s great!
The only thing I’m worried is the fact a lot of plugins will not work… but maybe they will not be so useful with this plugin.
For example now I always install sed_section_fields and ied_hide_in_admin which I think are essential in any site. Will this plugins still work? And – above all – will them still be needed?
I think for sure this will mess with the MLP. That’s a pity, though I understand that making it compatible would imply a lot of work for you and Steve/net-carver.
Anyway, thanks for your work, it looks very promising!

P.S. I agree with all the features jakob suggested.

variaas · 2008-08-07 14:22:15

candyman wrote:

I’m not a programmer so I often asked myself the reasons of plenty of plugins/solutions for a relatively little community like the TXP one. WHich is the reason? The structure of this CMS makes the developing easier or we are simply lucky?

It’s both. TXP offers an amazing plugin platform, and the devs love developing on it.

jakob wrote:

Features?
1. Access privs for panel/tab
2. Ability to place panel/tab at a position between the existing one’s
3. Alongside default section/category, also ability to limit sections/categories available. Very often certain categories are really only relevant in a certain section or a particular kind of content applies only to some sections.
4. Ability to remove section choice altogether when content entry panel applies only to a single section.

1. Seems reasonable
2. I’ll have to research how this can be done
3. I could loop this into #4
4. This is a use case I’m already developing for

The thing with #3 and #4 is that I’m not sure if v1 will provide hardened security around sections and categories. Meaning I can limit the choice in the UI of the tab but the user could still change the section/category through the “Articles” tab. This feature will act more as a convenience to the writer, than a security method for the admin.

If you’re interested in playing with the current version, drop me an email. It’s just my user name at amitvaria dot com.

Last edited by variaas (2008-08-07 14:22:34)

variaas · 2008-08-07 15:13:00

redbot wrote:

For example now I always install sed_section_fields and ied_hide_in_admin which I think are essential in any site. Will this plugins still work? And – above all – will them still be needed?

So neither of those two will be necessary any more. Additionaly I’m trying to maintain the same ids and classes as much as possible. So while some plugins will break, the effort to port them to this plugin shouldn’t be too much of an effort.

redbot wrote:

I think for sure this will mess with the MLP

Can you provide more information on how this will mess with MLP? My code is based off the original Write tab, so if MLP could translate that page (which I assume is based off the gTxt method), then these tabs should be fine.

redbot · 2008-08-07 17:19:41

Amit, this are really good news!
For what concerns the MLP, my assumptions were based on the fact that it’s something more than a simple plugin and it modifies quite heavily the standard txp behaviour (I’m not a programmer so I can’t give you more precise technical informations).
So I must admit it was just an impression due to my optimistic nature ;)
I’ll be more than happy if I’m proven wrong.
Keep up the good work!

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#1 2008-08-07 07:43:48

Draggable Interface

#2 2008-08-07 08:45:30

Re: Draggable Interface

#3 2008-08-07 09:11:36

Re: Draggable Interface

#4 2008-08-07 11:11:13

Re: Draggable Interface

#5 2008-08-07 14:22:15

Re: Draggable Interface

#6 2008-08-07 15:13:00

Re: Draggable Interface

#7 2008-08-07 17:19:41

Re: Draggable Interface

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