History: Regrouping the General Admin page

At the AdminUIRevamp meeting on 12/11/2007, we discussed going for "low-hanging fruit" -- making ''small'' changes that will have large impact.


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!!Updated: Feb 4, 2009
Been playing with Tiki 3.x. Basically, I replaced the tables with DIVs and moved the options to the ''left'' of the label. IMHO, this presents a much nicer/cleaner UI. 

You can [tiki-download_wiki_attachment.php?attId=24&page=Regrouping%20the%20General%20Admin%20page|download my attempted TPL, here].

__Feb 18, 2009 [http://tikiwiki.svn.sf.net/viewvc/tikiwiki?view=rev&revision=16823|merged and commited to trunk|shadowbox;], thank you :)__ -- luci
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!!!General Preferences
Basically I grouped similar options into 3 blocks. Sub-items (such as the "Log SQL queries longer than XXX seconds" are hidden until the parent is enabled. Likewise, if the "Use URL as home page" option is enabled, the "Use TikiWiki feature as home page" option becomes hidden.
{img src="img/wiki_up/rework_admin_general_prefs_3x.png" }


!!!General Settings
Can anyone explain the difference between the General ''Preferences'' and ''Settings''? The __Contact user__ should be a droplist of current (validated) users.

Here, too, I grouped the items into fieldset blocks. 
{img src="img/wiki_up/rework_admin_general_settings_3x.png" }

!!!Release Check
Prehaps this should really be named __Check for Updates__?
{img src="img/wiki_up/rework_admin_general_updates_3x.png" }


!!!Date and Time Formats
I added a sample of what the entered code will produce.
{img src="img/wiki_up/rework_admin_general_datetime_3x.png" }


!!!Other
I think these options should really be moved to either the Preferences or Settings tabs.
{img src="img/wiki_up/rework_admin_general_other_3x.png" }


!!!Password
Made it clearer that you are changing the __Admin__ password.
{img src="img/wiki_up/rework_admin_general_password_3x.png" }





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!!Updated: July 18
This is probably too late for 2.0, but I've [tiki-download_wiki_attachment.php?attId=16&page=Regrouping%20the%20General%20Admin%20page|attached a new version] that includes some of the new 2.0 items. It is simpler (doesn't use any tabs), but does include some (IMHO) better organization
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One idea was to reorganize the options on the General Admin page to make it easier for a new Admin to see ''exactly'' what needs to be done first.
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!!Updated: Dec. 19
I've [tiki-download_wiki_attachment.php?attId=5&page=Regrouping%20the%20General%20Admin%20page|attached a new version] of my proposed General: Admin page (based on my completely unscientific usability study with my 11-year-old daughter).
*It now uses tabs to separate the sections.
*The Admin password is now it own tab (rather than always visible on the page. page).
*Better alignment of the options in the tabs
*The time/date options now show a sample, based on your current selection
*Error checking (for example, if you select to use a proxy but don't enter a port or URL).
Please tell me what you think. Next is the ((Regrouping the Wiki Admin page|Wiki Admin page)).....
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!!!Required
Here's my attempt at the __Required__ tab:
{img src="img/wiki_up/rework_admin_general_required.gif" }
Some cool things:
*Includes a link/reminder to check for updates.
*The URL Field for the home page is hidden (since the __Use URI...__ option is not selected.
*Fields that are required (such as __Sender email__) that are blank, have an alert icon.

!!!Recommended
And here's the __Recommended__ tab:
{img src="img/wiki_up/rework_admin_general_recommended.gif" }
Some items of note:
*As before, the alert icon for missing/required information.
*As before, hidden fields for items not selected (Disallow access....).
*Shows how your selected date/time options will appear.

!!!!Optional
And here's the __Recommended__ tab:
{img src="img/wiki_up/rework_admin_general_optional.gif" }

!!!Password
I decided to move the Admin Password to a separate tab:
{img src="img/wiki_up/rework_admin_general_password.gif" }
And it includes a note about setting your admin email address (so the REMIND PASSWORD will work for admins).

What do you think?


!!!Required vs. Recommended vs. Optional
It may be helpful to re-organize the General: Admin page, based on:
*__Required__: Tiki won't work (or won't work as expected) if these are not completed
*__Recommended__: Not required, but recommended to make your Tiki as usable as possible.
*__Optional__: Probably not necessary unless you have a specialized purpose.

My (ricks99) first stab at reorganizing all the __General Admin__ options:

*I have [tiki-download_wiki_attachment.php?attId=4&page=Regrouping%20the%20General%20Admin%20page|attached a new TPL file] to this page.  It features:
**Reorged options, as listed below.
**"Hide-able" secondary options (using JS, although Ajax might be better)
Please let me know what you think. Should this approach be carried to the other admin pages?


!!!!Required
*Home
**Tiki feature or URI
*Browser Title
*Temporary Directory 
+Add note that it must be writable
*Email
**Sender Email
+Add note that it will be used for all out-going Tiki-generated messages
**Default Character set
**Mail end-of-line
*OS 
*Default timezone
*Favicon
**Filename
**Type


!!!!Recommended
*Authentication Method
+Block method forms that are not used
** ''Where is this option? I don't see it in my 1.10.'' (ricks99)
*Contact Us
+Add note if feature is currently disabled
**Contact User
**Allow anonymous access
*Close site when sever load exceeds threshold
+Note that users with permission can still access
**Max threshold
**Message to display
*Cache
**Use cache for external pages
**Use cache for external images
*Use gzipped output
*Use Tiki Help System
**Help URL
+Add note about using non-doc.tw.o sites
*Time format
**Long date
**Short date
**Long time
**Short time
**Display order
*Separators
**Locations
**Choices
*Display menus as folders


!!!!Optional
*Show user's real name instead of login (when possible)
*Use direct pagination
+Instead of next/prev links
*Close site
+Note that users with permissions can still access
**Message to display
*Group Home
**Go to Group Home only if...
*Error Reporting
**Visible to Admin only
**Include Smarty Notices
*Log SQL
+Add note, where does this get logged?
*Use Proxy
** Proxy Host
** Proxy Port
*Session
**Store session data in database
**Session lifetime in minutes
+Add note, what does __0__ mean?
*Count Admin page views
*Preference Syntax
+Add note that useful for backwards compatibility