The direction of Textpattern 5

net-carver · 2011-08-20 23:09:35

Hello again Sam.

Re-reading your answer, perhaps I misunderstood what you were saying. Does your answer imply that there will be a mechanism for white-listing functions that implement tags in Txp5?

artagesw · 2011-08-21 00:31:46

I guess I should provide a little bit of context for all my “Escher does x” comments. Part of the strategy for Txp5 is to leverage as much Spark/Plug and Escher functionality as possible. Therefore, if Escher has a particular feature, there is a good likelihood that we have discussed/will discuss getting that feature into Txp5. Then, the “how do we implement it” discussion would likely begin with looking to Escher’s implementation because, if it makes sense to use it, that would be the quickest route to getting that feature into Txp5.

With respect to the “functions as tags” implementation in Textpattern, I have never liked it and Escher’s mechanism for defining tags reflects that.

hablablow · 2011-08-21 09:18:51

Dale,

I would like to avoid a user to have up to 10 custom fields every time he is writing something. In the case the 10 custom fields are required just to update a single part of his website. Thus the idea of fully customizable templates or if you prefer keep the write tab for writing, as you suggest, and append, perform all the custom fields magic in other flexible tabs.
A user, to have a full set of write options just to update his date of birth or add a Google Maps link, is not so friendly and adds a noisy experience. I prefer my user to have a clear path.
I can create additional tabs and use custom fields in it but it requires at least two additional plugins and some voodoo. I’ll be glad to see this feature natively inside the next version of Txp.

Last edited by hablablow (2011-08-21 10:20:02)

bornpilot · 2011-08-22 16:33:04

I am looking to create a professional blog and I have narrowed my choices to either wordpress or texpatter however, I don’t know if textpattern is on it’s way out or is there active development for the future. My background is in Textpattern. Any encouragement on active development and a road plan for textpattern?

mrdale · 2011-08-22 17:19:07

hablablow wrote:

I would like to avoid a user to have up to 10 custom fields every time he is writing something.

bot_wtc

hablablow · 2011-08-22 17:57:30

bot_wtc switches fields visibility upon sections, only after a certain section or another, has been choosen by the user in the section dropdown.

Last edited by hablablow (2011-08-22 18:01:36)

renobird · 2011-08-22 18:45:07

Sam,

Thank you for this post above. That clears up a lot and is very good news.

:)

aswihart · 2011-08-22 19:41:01

hablablow wrote:

bot_wtc switches fields visibility upon sections, only after a certain section or another, has been choosen by the user in the section dropdown.

I see what you mean, we are just using JQuery to make it look like we’re editing a different type of content (different section) when really they’re all just Txp articles with different custom field inputs.

If I follow you I think you are just asking for proper custom content types with unique Write tabs for each type. Personally, I think the Write tab as a concept is entirely sensible. Is it the name that bothers you? Whatever you want to call it, it’s just a form for adding / editing various content-types, with inputs for all of that content-type’s fields.

hablablow · 2011-08-22 19:59:55

aswihart wrote:

If I follow you I think you are just asking for proper custom content types with unique Write tabs for each type.

Exactly.

I didn’t say I disliked the write tab, I just said it’s not enough anymore and can become very fuzzy for editing different types of content in various areas of a website when you sometimes just need to edit short values such as: name, date of birth, Facebook link etc… Cases when you do not need to post a full body of text.

In short the write tab is not tailored to edit micro-content.

Last edited by hablablow (2011-08-22 20:13:10)

mrdale · 2011-08-22 20:03:04

aswihart wrote:

bot_wtc switches fields visibility upon sections, only after a certain section or another, has been choosen by the user in the section dropdown.

hablablow wrote:

I see what you mean, we are just using JQuery to make it look like we’re editing a different type of content (different section) when really they’re all just Txp articles with different custom field inputs.

zackly. In the absence of a retooled method of handling custom content types, it does get you some of the way there… Incidentally my desire for full-fledged CCTs for TXP dates back to the early bronze age.

hablablow · 2011-08-22 20:05:20

We talk exactly about the same stuff Dale.

Imagine being able to create images, albums, movies, cars, events, books, products— all as content-types all with their own discreet place in the content tab.

Last edited by hablablow (2011-08-22 20:08:14)

Bloke · 2011-08-22 20:12:49

hablablow wrote:

to have a full set of write options just to update his date of birth or add a Google Maps link, is not so friendly and adds a noisy experience.

Sorry I don’t get it. If you’re storing a date of birth in an article custom field, that implies that an article is used as a profile. From a purist viewpoint isn’t smd_bio / txp_users table a better place for that type of data?

With a Google Maps link, I don’t follow the logic either. If your map is related to an article — which is implied because it’s a custom field attached to an article — why would you want to allow someone to create an article with no CF data then have to save / publish the article, visit another tab, reselect the article from a list (or something) and then assign only the custom field(s) data that is permitted for articles in that section?

Or do you mean ditch the Write tab completely and create a “Google Maps” tab that, behind the scenes, sets up hidden fields ready to create an article in a dedicated section and on the screen only has one or two input fields: Location (URL) (a CF) and Name (Txp’s Title) perhaps. Then another tab for creating other ‘types’ of article that only shows dedicated fields to the user – e.g. no Status options, no Publish date / time, no Excerpt, no Article Image input, etc.

Maybe I just don’t understand your intended workflow.

I can create additional tabs and use custom fields in it but it requires at least two additional plugins and some voodoo.

If you need that level of customisation and you prefer all your users to have it across multiple sites then could it be a write-once, install on many sites experience? Either a dedicated plugin or smd_tabber and some page template trickery plus a single line mod to the theme’s CSS to shut off the Write tab’s CF area. smd_user_manager could remove the Write tab for all users if you don’t see a need for it, and it gives you more detailed control over your users too, which sounds like it might suit your type of ‘power’ sites.

As I say I’m not sure on the workflow you are trying to achieve. Perhaps when I get it and the penny drops I’ll see why it’s a serious limitation in the current Txp.

EDIT: should have waited and read your previous posts. I get it now. But if you’re using the article tab for micro format info then I’d suggest it’s not the right place for it at all. Links work better. And failing that, a custom, plugin dedicated to micro format data (as I alluded to above) is easily¹ achievable. An article is an article is an article. Custom fields blur the line a bit, but an article should not be used for non-article data. It’s a waste of space for starters and a waste of effort for users to be told to ignore certain areas of the screen.

¹ easy, not quick. We can do anything, we just can’t do everything :-)

EDIT2: won’t adi_matrix help?

Last edited by Bloke (2011-08-22 20:19:29)

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#193 2011-08-20 23:09:35

Re: The direction of Textpattern 5

#194 2011-08-21 00:31:46

Re: The direction of Textpattern 5

#195 2011-08-21 09:18:51

Re: The direction of Textpattern 5

#196 2011-08-22 16:33:04

Re: The direction of Textpattern 5

#197 2011-08-22 17:19:07

Re: The direction of Textpattern 5

#198 2011-08-22 17:57:30

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#199 2011-08-22 18:45:07

Re: The direction of Textpattern 5

#200 2011-08-22 19:41:01

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#201 2011-08-22 19:59:55

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#202 2011-08-22 20:03:04

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#203 2011-08-22 20:05:20

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#204 2011-08-22 20:12:49

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