Anyone curious as to what the new control panel will have? If so, you can see a screenshot of what I've got done so far. This is just to let everyone know the direction I'm working on for the next release.
Thread reminders can be used when you see a thread that you need to comment on, but don't have the time to do it at that very moment. You can set a reminder so you won't forget to make a reply later. Once you reply to the thread then the reminder will go away.
I do have a request for the new Control Panel that has to do with Private Messages. It was a request by one of our staff and the moment he mentioned it I immediately loved the idea. Here is it verbatum:
In reply to:
It's just a minor detail, but it'd be much easier if the "delete message" checkbox (in the Private Messages section) was on the left, between the message status (N, R, blank) and the Message title. Having it to the right makes it harder to be sure the right message is being deleted, and I'd hate to delete an important thing by mistake.
I really like this idea, because when you averge 20+ PMs a day, it is very easy to accidently delete the wrong thread because the delete button is far to the right from the topic. This keeps them close together and easy on the eyes.
I really like the looks of the Control Panel Scream, what are the odds of the following options being considered as well:
1. Allow the user to choose whether or not the Control Panel should be his or her start page. Give them an option to choose a specific forum as their start page.
2. Allow the user to create a list of "Favorite Forums" as well as threads. This way they can jump right into their forum of choice.
All of those sound like great ideas. I can see no reason why they can't be done. I was going to add the option of choosing the control panel or the main forum listing as your startpage, because several people have hacked theirs to do that, but allowing them to choose an individual forum sounds like a great idea.
Yes, currently when you choose to send a private message there is an option there to delete the selected entry.
However, I think I'll improve that a bit. I'll probably make a script to show/edit your address book maybe add comments to each entry, delete entries, etc.
this looks amazing!!! just one question...what happens if you have a lot of favorites? will they all be on one page? also..is therea a way to know what specific category your favorites belong to? a lot of people use the same names and they may have an ebtire different menaing depneding on the forum...
I guess this one will be one of the most important additions to wwwthreads in a long time. It's great.
How about start using icons for easier identification and easing our eyes? Here is a test I made (layout is different but its not that I am suggesting this layout, just the use of icons...)
That looks really nice! I think also, by having things in their own table row will give more room for displaying more info, like the forum the threads are from, etc. Let's get some more feedback from others and see what they think.
Speaking of Icons. There are several new links that will be placed in some of the scripts and Icons might be nice for these as well, If anyone has some ideas go ahead and post them. Here are the links:
Add to Favorites Add Reminder Print Thread Email Thread to Friend Add Forum to Favorites Subscribe/Unsubscribe to Forum
I think we will limit the display of favorites on the main control panel to the 10 most recently active or something and then have a link to display all favorites. Also, if we go with something like what MTO has displayed we will have more room to display the Forum or Cat the thread is in.
I agree about the sample MTO created, that's a very nice layout. Nicely done!
And Scream...
In reply to:
Add to Favorites Add Reminder Print Thread Email Thread to Friend Add Forum to Favorites Subscribe/Unsubscribe to Forum
These look very cool! I've no icons at the moment, but that is very encouraging to see you will be adding those features! I still need that Dateslip Toggle and then I think we're there. hehehe...
I do agree... icons will be a MUST considering all of the nice options that will be displayed. We're nearing that already with existing buttons.
I was kinda thinking it would be nice to allow the user to select the types of icons to use for the forums and maybe the number of recently active threads in the favs section.
Maybe a set of blue icons or green or large and small icons for the forums....of cource many of these could be generic for different styles selected by the user.
An image for "Edit" would probably be nice as well, to replace the "Edit" text in the control panel so it all matches up[]/w3timages/icons/wink.gif[/].
i think that a favorites.php that displays all your favorites would be nice also. cause i don't really want to go to my control panel to just see my fav threads. or maybe i do, cause while i am ther i can check up on my reminders. either way i suppose that it can be modified.
More changes at the same page with new icons... cant think of one for the "Add reminder" though... what should it be? a brain? a brain with a lightbulb? Hum...
Cool, make sure all icons have the align="absmiddle" so that they are perfectly aligned with the text. Actually this is something that needs to be done to all the other icons as well (speaking of the posts icons), both makrup ones and the rest.
Using the icons MTO created (thanks![]/w3timages/icons/wink.gif[/]), I've made anothe screenshot so everyone can see where the new things will be located. I'd like to remove the text next to the icons, but that might cause confusion, but I'll wait to hear from all of you on that. Here is the shot:
I think the print icon and the send to friend might not need the text since they are both the ones that will be less used and very self explanatory by themselves (at least the printer). There again... it does look good... will have to come back in some hours to take a second look as the first one can be missleading.
Hey Scream... you telling me you code in that thing you had in the background?! Wow. I dont think I could ever do that []/w3timages/icons/laugh.gif[/]
Updated with a new reminder icon. Not sure it looks like a brain (hard to make one), but does it look like a "reminder"? I hope so! []/w3timages/icons/wink.gif[/]
By the way... not all these icons are entirely created by me. I took snapshots at the IE and other system icons that everyone has learned to recognize. The gray icons are the most original ones (except for "add to favorites" and the printer).
Since I am into it... hahah... here is another suggestion, a "no picture" picture for those who dont have it... to encourage them to get their picture in... []http://www.wwwthreads.com/files/10-32682-nopicture.gif[/] Maybe it could show in profile and control panel. Obviouslly not in the posts... but maybe being in the profile would encourage them to upload their pics...
Regarding the new feature screenie of the forums......(Not the home page)
Could you put links to the main index page at the bottom?
It would make it a bit easier to get to the main page, with long pages, if the same link bar that is at the top of the page were also at the bottom of the pages.
I tend to agree witht he Brewmeister there. It is a little confusing. I am referring to both the wording and the icons. I would think the icons should all be totally unique so there is no mistaking them. As for the wording, how about something like, "Favorite!" and "Remind Me!" or "Highlight Thread". Also, the Print option I assume removes all color formatting to make a printer friendly view. That might be reworded to "Print View" or somethnig along those lines. Some people might (no, they defniitely will) think it actually will send the page to their printer. hehe... trust me, they will. LOL
It is really looking sharp though. Great work! The nice thing about using icons as it allows for a customization. But I really do they should al be unique and not resemble one another so closely.
I like the icons (great work) but IMO you should not remove the text (maybe make it an option?). I believe the icons help identify the features at a quick glance but they don't replace (no matter how good they are) the word.
Also, the Print option I assume removes all color formatting to make a printer friendly view. That might be reworded to "Print View" or somethnig along those lines. Some people might (no, they defniitely will) think it actually will send the page to their printer. hehe... trust me, they will. LOL
Oh... you saying it wont print? Hum... it will! []/w3timages/icons/wink.gif[/] At least if you include this in the body tag: [:blue] onload="window.print()"
Yes, I think I agree on this as well... though maybe it doesnt need an option, I think just deleting the text in the language file should do the job... just make sure that if you need the same wording somewhere else you grab the text from some other place than the ones intended for buttonlinks. Also, dont give it width and height (I think I have it in my test page) so that we can change icons without hacking in... though this is done everywhere else so I guess I doubt you were going to do it anyway... the align variable should still be there though.
Ok, at this point the only place that I'm using Duplicate icons for the new tools is for Add Thread to Favorites and Add Board to Favorites. What's a good way to differentiate these 2 types of icons?
I like the Favorite! and Remind Me! stuff, it's shorter and to the point.
Maybe the Print one should be changed to "Printer Friendly" or something like that. Whatever everyone thinks.
1. The e-mail this thread to a friend is necessary to help build community--the sooner the better. I think perhaps it might be better if "to a friend" were in the text, or at least in a hover text--it might be confusing to some people if it just says "e-mail."
2. I would like to see it long like MTO's rather than wide like yours so that we only have to use one scroll bar.
I don't think it's a big deal about the print option. When I hit "print" on my browser, I'll take what I can get, as long as it prints. Regarding the color removal, I have thousands and thousands (and THOUSANDS) of dollars in equipment, and I still don't have a color printer (although my wife wants a color printer and says I shouldn't be so cheap), and I'll bet many others don't use color either. Just make it print, that would be great! []/w3timages/icons/cool.gif[/]. So as far as the icon, what's wrong with the standard Netscape or IE type and the simple word "Print"? It's highly intuitive and after they print one or two pages, they'll know what to expect after that.
I assumed it was like the print hack that was listed in the PHP Hack forum. I had no idea you actually meant for the REALLY PRINT. hehe... < shrugs > Personally, I'd rather have it just give a printer friendly view. Then you click on Print on your browser.
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It is a little confusing. I am referring to both the wording and the icons. I would think the icons should all be totally unique so there is no mistaking them. As for the wording, how about something like, "Favorite!" and "Remind Me!" or "Highlight Thread". Also, the Print option I assume removes all color formatting to make a printer friendly view. That might be reworded to "Print View" or somethnig along those lines. Some people might (no, they defniitely will) think it actually will send the page to their printer. hehe... trust me, they will. LOL
