Bugzilla – Bug 9702
hide "advanced" settings in Web UI
Last modified: 2009-10-04 16:17:02 UTC
Some settings pages show a daunting array of options & should default to fewer options, especially for novices. There should be a simple way to indicate that portions of settings pages are for advanced users/uses. Default should be to only show "common" settings. This could be done pretty easily with CSS & JS, e.g. <!-- in the common settings header? --> <a href="#" onClick="SC7_toggleSettings();" id="SC7_toggleSettingsAnchor"></a> <span class="SC7_advancedSettings"> <!-- advanced settings' HTML --> </span> CSS could define the SC7_advancedSettings class as invisible by default. An onLoad() handler could change that visibility if the browser presented a cookie indicating a preference for full/advanced settings. JS would populate the innerHtml of the SC7_toggleSettingsAnchor anchor to show the current status, and the SC7_toggleSettings() JS function would change the style attributes of the advanced settings' spans and update the cookie. This would require no changes to Perl code, only - localized strings for the two options for SC7_toggleSettingsAnchor - additions to JS and CSS files - HTML added to template files
i think i am for this, but i just want to understand exactly your intent: there should be two modes that SC operates in, "normal" and "advanced" correct? first, do you pick which mode you'll start off in in the setup wizard? secondly, once its installed, how do you know which mode you are in, and how would you switch between them?
Mike, this is not about the wizard, but the normal settings pages.
I like this suggestion. Brian/Matt - could you consider this for some UI overhaul?
ok, i just thought it was related since that was the thread he posted in. i'm still for it regardless. this next comment may not be germane to this bug, BUT this would be something i'd like to pick during setup on new installs as well.
Liberace is beyond 7.3
"how do you know which mode you are in, and how would you switch between them?" I imagine something on each web settings page, hyperlinked (the content inside the SC7_toggleSettingsAnchor element), that says either "Show all available settings" or "Show only common settings". Default would be only to show common settings. (Well, if the user had Javascript disabled, he'd see all/advanced settings; that's probably a 0.1% scenario, and good to show everything so those folks can tweak everything, too.) It'd be good to carefully choose language to describe the full vs. common settings display. The web UI already uses the term "advanced", so that might not be the best option. That's what Brian & Matt are paid to wrestle with, right? :-)
This is coming up for 8.0, but on steroids. A full audit of SC, SN and Player features will give us a chance to achieve the intent of this "bug" - presenting a far simpler feature set to most users. I think it's safe to say that the upcoming work is beyond the scope of this bug (though I appreciate that it was filed) - recommend shelving/targeting this for 8.0 release.
in response to comment 6 i assume, one won't have to, over and over again, choose advanced mode. the default should obviously be simple mode, i agree, but once advanced more is picked one, it would be global and persistent, yes?
sorry, this: "but once advanced more is picked one, it would be global and persistent, yes?" should have said this: but once advanced MODE is picked ONCE, it would be global and persistent, yes?
Right, the user's choice should be persistent. Either way -- the toggle function should (re)set a persistent cookie with a lifespan of 10 years or so. Failing to note/remember the user's choice could make the UI wacky -- open a settings page, request advanced mode, click the Save or Apply button and then all the advanced options would seem to disappear if the interface didn't try to note/remember that you'd requested advanced mode. Default (meaning SC/JS doesn't see any cookie, as for the first time in the app, but with Javascript enabled) should be common/simple (not advanced). But definitely try to remember the user's choice when the user clicks on the toggle link, yes.
sorta fixed via new pref pane in 8.0. redesign pending for 8.1
closing for now. The 7.4 pref pane was essentially the short-term solution for this bug.