Changes between Version 17 and Version 18 of TracProject/UiGuidelines
- Timestamp:
- Dec 15, 2015, 9:43:00 PM (8 years ago)
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TracProject/UiGuidelines
v17 v18 1 [[PageOutline(2-5,Contents,pullout)]] 2 1 3 = Trac User Interface Guidelines 2 4 3 5 == Navigation 4 6 5 ''These aren't real guidelines yet, but they could eventually emerge from this document. This document is an analysis and a proposal initially written by ChristopherLenz, and is open to comments and suggestions from the community.''7 ''These guidelines aren't official. This document is an analysis and a proposal initially written by ChristopherLenz, and is open to comments and suggestions from the community.'' 6 8 7 9 === Current Situation … … 22 24 1. '''Footer links''': Links to Edgewall and Trac. 23 25 24 Of this list, items 1, 2, 3, 4 and 9 can together be referred to as the ''Global Navigation''. The global navigation obviously should never change between different modules. Technically, it is generated by the templates [source:tags/trac-0.10/templates/header.cs header.cs] and [source:tags/trac-0.10/templates/footer.cs footer.cs], which are included at the top and bottom of every module template, respectively. 26 [[Image(Trac_navigational_elements.png)]] 25 27 26 The module- and/or page-specific navigation elements (5. and 6.) can together be referred to as "Context Navigation". However, they are currently not clearly defined and their use is not consistent throughout the different modules. Let's look at a couple of examples: 28 Of this list, items 1, 2, 3, 4 and 9 can together be referred to as the '''Global Navigation'''. The global navigation obviously should never change between different modules. Technically, it is generated by the templates [source:tags/trac-0.10/templates/header.cs header.cs] and [source:tags/trac-0.10/templates/footer.cs footer.cs], which are included at the top and bottom of every module template, respectively. 29 30 The module- and/or page-specific navigation elements (5. and 6.) can together be referred to as '''Context Navigation'''. However, they are currently not clearly defined and their use is not consistent throughout the different modules. Let's look at a couple of examples: 27 31 28 32 '''Wiki''': … … 40 44 When viewing the list of available reports, two module navigation links are available: ''Available Reports'' and ''Custom Query''. Both remain available when opening a specific report. However, when viewing the report list or the custom query, only the ''alternative'' view remains selectable. 41 45 42 There used to be ''action-type links'' in the report module. AFAICT, there's no such links anymore, everything that triggers an ''action'' in Trac is presented as a button in the interface.43 44 46 ==== Conclusion 45 47 … … 48 50 === Possible Solutions 49 51 50 It is obvious (I hope) that there is a need to fix the inconsistencies in the navigation. Apart from layout details (such as the different look of local navigation links in the browser than in the reports module), there are a basically two drastically different options:52 For usability purposes there is a need to fix these inconsistencies in the navigation. Apart from layout details, such as the different look of local navigation links in the browser than in the reports module, there are a basically two drastically different options: 51 53 52 54 1. '''Draw a strong line between module-level and page-level navigation links'''. Develop a layout that helps the user understand the conceptual difference, so that she can learn to automatically look at the right place when searching for a specific link. 53 1. '''Merge module-level and page-level navigation''', as the conceptual difference may not be clear to the occas sional user. More places to look at searching for navigational elements means more confusion/frustration with using Trac.55 1. '''Merge module-level and page-level navigation''', as the conceptual difference may not be clear to the occasional user. More places to look at searching for navigational elements means more confusion and frustration with using Trac. 54 56 55 57 I'm tending towards the first approach, because the recent emergence of visually distinct local navigation elements probably did happen for a reason. In addition, I'd like to see us merging the action triggers with the local navigation, as well as moving all alternate format links into the corresponding navigation element. … … 86 88 * '''Page Mode Options''', for actions that depend on the current page '''mode''', such as ''View'', ''Modify'', ... these actions are acting on this same page, and therefore should appear as appropriate. All actions should also be rendered as buttons (as active or disabled), as this implies more clearly their nature (''that latter point is "fixed" now'' -- cboos). Also, you may want in some cases to be able to display these multiple times on the same page, for convenience... such as the "Save Changes", "Cancel" options when editing a wiki page could be in 2 places, below the main textarea as well as below the previewed content (''this is the case for e.g. ''View Differences...'' buttons'' -- cboos). --mario 87 89 88 To follow-up on the '''Page Mode Options''' idea, I think that there should be an easy way to switch between different "aspects" of the same resource, maybe using "tabs" a la Wiki Pedia.90 To follow-up on the '''Page Mode Options''' idea, I think that there should be an easy way to switch between different "aspects" of the same resource, maybe using "tabs" a la Wikipedia. 89 91 90 92 - For Wiki pages, in addition to the default ''article'', there could be an ''History'' mode and 91 93 a ''Discussion'' page (comments for wiki pages, similar to the ones we currently have for tickets). 92 Improving upon Wiki Pedia, the ''article'' tab could even show the actual WikiPageName, which would94 Improving upon Wikipedia, the ''article'' tab could even show the actual WikiPageName, which would 93 95 answer to the feature request expressed [#wiki-page-title above]. 94 96 - For Ticket pages, we could as well have a ''View'', ''History'' and eventually a ''SubTickets'' page.
