GoogleCodeExporter
commented
9 years ago Thanks for raising this. It comes under the banner of 'hmmmm'. I can see valid
reasons for adding both a name and title option, but equally, it could create
usability issues unless something else changes with it. The question is going
to be how to address it sensibly.
For example, before you can create a new Section, you need to click the 'Add
Section' button, which then displays the input fields. On the Categories panel
the 'new' fields are inline. Adding a third input box at the top of each column
pushes the category list further down the screen, which introduces extra
scrolling.
Arguably, there a few ways out of this. Perhaps remove the inline 'New
category' elements altogether and put them in a separate step, like they are on
the Sections panel. That adds one extra click to the category creation and
hurts the 'rapid category' system that allows you to add multiple categories
under the same parent without having to reselect the parent each time.
Alternatively, add the new 'name' element and allow the block of 'New category'
input elements to be collapsible to save screen real estate. Debate can rage
over whether this behaviour should be per category type or a single control
that shows/hides all input elements at once across all four types. Or both.
Clouding these issues are items such as:
* Should the new element be mandatory.
* Could the workflow be improved via AJAX or drag/drop.
* Could the entire Categories panel be rethought with better UX (probably!)
while still retaining the ability to see the at-a-glance hierarchies.
I've no doubt that the panel needs to be improved. Multi-edit and multi-click
checkboxes work, but there's no filtering ability (search), no way to just show
descendents of one or more ancestors, nor is there a way to collapse branches
of the tree. Having the ability to switch to displaying a category list in some
tabular format -- akin to the Sections panel -- would be a boon for sorting and
filtering, and maybe some multi-edit actions, but a table-based layout isn't
conducive to seeing the hierarchy. Both have their place.
Creating the same category in two or more groups is also something that
sometimes crops up (to tie an image gallery to an article, for example) and
requires the user to create the category many times. Maybe a single 'create
category' control panel with a multi-select list/checkbox set of which groups
to create the category can be implemented instead, with the selection being
remembered after submission. Though that does complicate the 'parent' aspect of
things, so might not be viable.
With regards making the 'name' mandatory, if it is then it's a chore to have to
enter the same info, almost identically, twice for each category. That's a
weakness of the Sections panel in my view and where the Category panel is
better: you can just enter "Oranges" in the cat panel and it'll create your
category with an "oranges/Oranges" name/title. But on the Sections panel, if
you omit the 'name' field you get an error. And, worse, you're dumped back to
the Section List view and have to then click 'New Section' again and re-enter
all the info. Grrrrr.
I'd much prefer if the Section Title was offered first, with the name
automatically taking on the dumbed-down version of the Title (either by some
jQuery script filling in the Section name as you type, or being dumbed down
upon form submission if the name is empty). That same idea could be extended to
the Category panel so the auto-naming behaves as it does now, but with the
option to override it manually if you wish.
And some way to stay on the edit step if there's a name clash would be better
UX imho. Or at least some kind of warning that there's going to be a problem if
you do click Save. Or even, upon submission, trying to create the category
name, but if it fails, attempt to automatically prepend the parent to the name
and try again. Though making such assumptions on a user's behalf is not
particularly good design practice.
Lots to think about. Yes, not being able to specify the Category name could be
a deficiency in some cases, but in maybe 90% of other cases the Category panel
works, if just a little clunky. So if we're going to add such features we need
to tread carefully to improve the overall power of the Category panel without
introducing too many extra clicks or obstacles that impair rapid category
creation.
How's that?!Original comment by stefdawson on 29 Aug 2013 at 11:40
Original issue reported on code.google.com by
gaek...@gmail.comon 26 Aug 2013 at 8:45