Craft Grid System

[angrybrad]

Created by: Nathan Doyle (natetronn@gmail.com) on 2015/03/11 04:20:14 +0000 Votes at time of UserVoice import: 97

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I'd like to request a Grid System for all our content modeling and or layout needs. Such a thing will really complete the content modeling within Craft.

Please see the following Gist for an in depth proposal which includes ideas, general brain storming and a very early stage mockup etc:

https://gist.github.com/Natetronn/7ee8ee1f8788702d06cb

Please keep comments here on the feedback site since this, I assume, is where P&T will get notifications about said feedback (or at least include a link to comment here as well.)

Note: I'm adding this as a core FR. Not because there isn't any interest in building it from the plugin dev community, rather, because the amount of UI/UX which would be required to go into something like this, the amount of use it would get (I'm sure a ton!) and the fact that any change in UI/CP on the part of P&T would surely require updates to such a plugin on a constant basis making it ripe for UI bugs and general outcry ;-)

I also realize everyone wants all the things in core and I don't suggest doing such a thing lightly of course, especially something of this size but, I think this is one of those that would at the very least need P&T input from the start. That way who ever was to build was not going it alone, blindly. Building on a strong base etc.

Thanks for you consideration!

[angrybrad]

Posted by Nathan Doyle (natetronn@gmail.com) on 2015/03/11 04:20:14 +0000

This is interesting: http://gridster.net

[angrybrad]

Posted by Nathan Doyle (natetronn@gmail.com) on 2015/03/11 04:20:14 +0000

@PlutoMars I promoted this a few times it's true! And I definitely added a ton of "promotional materials" to get my ideas and points across to everyone the best I could.

I'm not sure it's a distorted view I created myself, however. I don't hold a gun to people's heads and make them vote. Such a thing being said kind of bothers me in fact because it implies people around her don't think for themselves and that of course is so very far from the truth.

I am also in favor of seeing Matrix within Matrix by the way.

[angrybrad]

Posted by PlutoMars (Limey.pluto@gmail.com) on 2015/03/20 09:37:19 +0000

@Nathan, let's also not forget you advertised this plugin as well too alot :), none of the other feature requests got promoted like that. so writing that it's more popular then "matrix in matrix" is a distorted view you created yourself...

[angrybrad]

Posted by Nathan Doyle (natetronn@gmail.com) on 2015/03/11 04:20:14 +0000

@K Moens. Thanks for the feedback!

You might see it most of the time in WP because there are many similar options that exist for it today. And of course WP's popularity etc. In fact, I listed a few in the gist as context. I was worried the association would taint said context, however.

I listed only a few but, there are probably 20+ others which I didn't list for WP alone.

Something for layout exists either natively or via plugins in almost all the major CMS these days. That includes Drupal, Joomla, WP, Concrete5, and even Statamic is releasing something soon as well.

This is a very popular CMS feature to say the least.

With that said, I'm all for working on a solution which is better than anything which currently exists. Something that is mobile friendly, that is inline with the Craft paradigm and takes Grid Layouts, as well as Long Form Content, into consideration; all while being user friendly for both content editors and developers alike!

This idea is more popular than Matrix within Matrix and is currently resting in at the 7th place out of the top 10 requests. That's allot of interest if you ask me and I'm really hoping, if this does get approved, that there is more feedback on how to do it right should P&T require it.

Then again, this isn't a democracy and it's up to P&T to decide what gets included or not so this could all be for not ;-)

[angrybrad]

Posted by K Moens (kurtmoens@gmail.com) on 2015/05/18 18:34:40 +0000

Personally don't need this... too wordpressy. Certainly not as 1st party product.

[angrybrad]

Posted by Nathan Doyle (natetronn@gmail.com) on 2015/03/11 04:20:14 +0000

Concept two of the Craft Grid System is now known as the "Layout Manager":

https://gist.github.com/Natetronn/7ee8ee1f8788702d06cb#comment-1453780

This is very rough but, I hope the idea comes across just the same. Feedback always welcome!

[angrybrad]

Posted by Nathan Doyle (natetronn@gmail.com) on 2015/03/11 04:20:14 +0000

@sean you're right I did! I said in the gist either "core or plugin" but, only because I didn't know what would be possible or not. This is just an idea of course. The more I gave it thought the more I thought it would work as a plugin, however. You know, similar to how Matrix or Lightswitch is part of core in that they are included with Craft itself but, at the same time exist as plugins. In other words, first party.

Does that make sense?

And by the way, since beggars can't be choosers, I'm all for 3rd party devs tackling this if they feel the urge to do so and or if P&T doesn't add it to their list. I will say that I've seen a pretty good 3rd party solution for the Matrix within Matrix request via SuperTable within Matrix but, people still were asking for a 1st party solution instead so I felt it best to start with the source first.

@Narration SD yes, that's an idea. Similar to how plugins can tie itself to the system? I'm all for discussing such a thing in a separate request. In fact, I had even grander ideas for Craft Grid System but, I held back in fears that we'd end up with nada versus algo ;-)

[angrybrad]

Posted by Narration SD (narrationsd@gmail.com) on 2015/04/14 16:07:09 +0000

After hoping this will stay out of the #announcements on Slack now (!) found a thought coming about it.

It seems it could be very helpful to turn this topic into what would be a kind of CP Abstraction Layer.

This would allow and encourage building any specialist UI like this on top of the very well thought out general capabilities of Craft -- letting them then provide the end user targeting simplifications for given scenarios that actually could use the help.

This would include rectangular boxes of boxes as well as interesting challenges like the matrix driven auto-layout articles at the heart of Craft's initiating intentions. That interview yesterday with Brandon underlined a lot.

I would think such a layer could bring those article tools full circle, letting the resulting fully visible article be front and center, with a toolpad on the side to compactly add elements -- and let me say no more.

I can imagine the CP Abstraction Layer giving us tools for quickly arranging all manner of custom CP blocks as well, keeping Craft in control while allowing all the simplifying things for customers.

One particular matter that it would answer for me personally is how neat and effective we can appreciate the auto layout Matrix articles are, and how much capable agency customers are vocal about liking this, but knowing they are at moment nearly a bridge too far still for more individual and cms-naive clients: the art galleries, doctors offices, institutions, etc..

Two centavos, anyway...

( I'm near a border, and enjoying the conversations around the house)

[angrybrad]

Posted by Sean O'Grady (sean@miralize.com) on 2015/03/19 11:14:36 +0000

If thats you mean then yep I agree! But above you say "I'm adding this as a core FR. "

[angrybrad]

Posted by Nathan Doyle (natetronn@gmail.com) on 2015/03/11 04:20:14 +0000

@sean and just to be clear, the idea, in theory, is actually for it to live as a plugin (or three maybe - Section, Row, Column which each require the other)

I just put it into the content modeling section because it seemed to fit there best.