Suggestions for future C5 changes
Permalink
I just installed 5.5 a couple weeks ago. Here are some of my suggestions, as someone who has built and set up C5 sites for quite a few "not so computer savvy" clients:
- A "Quick Links" section in the Toolbar.
On all of my C5 sites, I use js to put a link to the Composer right on top of the toolbar that says "New Post". Although I like the new Dashboard setup as a Developer, from my clients point of view, the less clicks the better.
So if there could be a section in the Toolbar (or elsewhere?) for some Quick Links for my clients, I think that would make the "front-end" editors job a lot quicker--and cut down on my training time!
- Make the "Edit" button an actual link
I seem to remember there only being one click to put a page into Edit mode. Now I have to tell my clients to hover the mouse over the edit button, then click on the Edit Page button. I think it would be nice if when the Edit button was clicked, the page went straight into Edit mode (but the dropdown is still there if you hover)
I'm actually considering forcing another link over the toolbar that will go straight to Edit mode...just not sure HOW to do that!
- Add/Move the Toolbar breadcrumb to the "popup windows"
Not sure if that made any sense, but I'm referring to a. The breadcrumb that shows when you hover over the Toolbar (oh, and please keep working on the hover delay, that breadcrumb dropdown is bugging me! maybe just make an option to keep the breadcrumb visible always???) and b. The windows that pop up everytime you click an option in the new Dashboard menu--I'm not sure what exactly to call these windows yet.
Anyways, I think the windows would make more sense if each one had a link to go back to where you were. You know, in the actual window, not just the Toolbar (although you can leave the Toolbar one there).
- Create a Dashboard "window"
I've noticed a lot of people are confused about the new "windowed" Dashboard. Here is my suggestion for bringing it all together:
When you click on the Dashboard icon, you get a Dashboard window, which is essentially the same as the dropdown menu, but follows the windowed theme of the rest of the back-end.
When you click on one of the Dashboard links, the Dashboard window closes and the new window opens. In this new window, however, is a link to take you back to the Dashboard "main window". This could be a button or a breadcrumb like mentioned above.
I really think implementing the Dashboard like this would make more sense and cut down on some of the confusion.
Well, there's my 2 cents. If I think of anything else, I'll add to this post.
What does everybody think? Any decent ideas?
- A "Quick Links" section in the Toolbar.
On all of my C5 sites, I use js to put a link to the Composer right on top of the toolbar that says "New Post". Although I like the new Dashboard setup as a Developer, from my clients point of view, the less clicks the better.
So if there could be a section in the Toolbar (or elsewhere?) for some Quick Links for my clients, I think that would make the "front-end" editors job a lot quicker--and cut down on my training time!
- Make the "Edit" button an actual link
I seem to remember there only being one click to put a page into Edit mode. Now I have to tell my clients to hover the mouse over the edit button, then click on the Edit Page button. I think it would be nice if when the Edit button was clicked, the page went straight into Edit mode (but the dropdown is still there if you hover)
I'm actually considering forcing another link over the toolbar that will go straight to Edit mode...just not sure HOW to do that!
- Add/Move the Toolbar breadcrumb to the "popup windows"
Not sure if that made any sense, but I'm referring to a. The breadcrumb that shows when you hover over the Toolbar (oh, and please keep working on the hover delay, that breadcrumb dropdown is bugging me! maybe just make an option to keep the breadcrumb visible always???) and b. The windows that pop up everytime you click an option in the new Dashboard menu--I'm not sure what exactly to call these windows yet.
Anyways, I think the windows would make more sense if each one had a link to go back to where you were. You know, in the actual window, not just the Toolbar (although you can leave the Toolbar one there).
- Create a Dashboard "window"
I've noticed a lot of people are confused about the new "windowed" Dashboard. Here is my suggestion for bringing it all together:
When you click on the Dashboard icon, you get a Dashboard window, which is essentially the same as the dropdown menu, but follows the windowed theme of the rest of the back-end.
When you click on one of the Dashboard links, the Dashboard window closes and the new window opens. In this new window, however, is a link to take you back to the Dashboard "main window". This could be a button or a breadcrumb like mentioned above.
I really think implementing the Dashboard like this would make more sense and cut down on some of the confusion.
Well, there's my 2 cents. If I think of anything else, I'll add to this post.
What does everybody think? Any decent ideas?
First and foremost: It's awesome that you guys are actively scanning the forums for suggestions and comments. I was actually really excited to see a response so quick!
To clarify on the last two items:
In 5.5, there is a Dashboard button that has a dropdown menu containing all the back-end links. When you click any of these links, a window pops up containing, well, the "back-end stuff". If you close one of these windows, you get a blank screen (or a background-image, by default)
My suggestion would be to make the Dashboard button an actual link that brings up a window containing all the back-end links in the dropdown menu. Basically, a "Dashboard Home" window for all the back-end links.
Then, when you click a link in the suggested "Dashboard Home" window, a new window pops up with all the back-end stuff (like it does now). In each different window would be a link back to the Dashboard Home window--or a breadcrumb. And if you close the window, the Dashboard Home window pops up.
To summarize: Currently in 5.5, each option/link in the Dashboard dropdown menu brings up a new window when clicked. My suggestion is to make a Dashboard Home window that contains all the links.
Basically, if your only gonna use the dropdown menu, then maybe you should drop the idea of "windows" for everything else and just have a regular page for the dashboard (like 4.x).
Or, make the Dashboard itself a window, and therefore everything is "window-based". Follow me? You could still keep the dropdown menu for accessibility reasons.
[EDIT] P.S. Downloading the 5.5.1 beta now, plan on giving it a good run through in the next few days. I wasn't aware of c5's github until, well, 5 mintues ago!
To clarify on the last two items:
In 5.5, there is a Dashboard button that has a dropdown menu containing all the back-end links. When you click any of these links, a window pops up containing, well, the "back-end stuff". If you close one of these windows, you get a blank screen (or a background-image, by default)
My suggestion would be to make the Dashboard button an actual link that brings up a window containing all the back-end links in the dropdown menu. Basically, a "Dashboard Home" window for all the back-end links.
Then, when you click a link in the suggested "Dashboard Home" window, a new window pops up with all the back-end stuff (like it does now). In each different window would be a link back to the Dashboard Home window--or a breadcrumb. And if you close the window, the Dashboard Home window pops up.
To summarize: Currently in 5.5, each option/link in the Dashboard dropdown menu brings up a new window when clicked. My suggestion is to make a Dashboard Home window that contains all the links.
Basically, if your only gonna use the dropdown menu, then maybe you should drop the idea of "windows" for everything else and just have a regular page for the dashboard (like 4.x).
Or, make the Dashboard itself a window, and therefore everything is "window-based". Follow me? You could still keep the dropdown menu for accessibility reasons.
[EDIT] P.S. Downloading the 5.5.1 beta now, plan on giving it a good run through in the next few days. I wasn't aware of c5's github until, well, 5 mintues ago!
- You can add Composer to the quick nav by clicking the star on the drafts page in the dashboard. In 5.5.1 you can change the quick nav behavior to always be visible, so you don't have to hover.
- The edit button in 5.5.1 can be clicked to put a page in edit mode. The rest of the behavior is unchanged.
- We have put a lot of effort into tweaking the hover activity on the dashboard, edit, quick nav areas, to make them a bit less touchy.
I'm not totally clear on the rest of the items in your post, but they seem pretty well thought out. I know that we have kicked around the idea of making "Return to Website" in the dashboard take you back to the last page in the front-end site you were on. I think this could be pretty compelling for minimizing the pain of "jumping to the dashboard" operations.
Thanks for the suggestions!