[jboss-user] [JBoss Portal] - Re: User Input Req for 2.6 Usability and UI enhancements
Ok, here's two major annoyance which I HOPE will be fixed in the future: 1) Login page is never themed... Kinda hard to fit into an organization's common look and feel. 2) The Login/Admin/Pages menu items are HARD CODED in ENGLISH ONLY inside a JBoss class... Didn't I read something about I18N in the features list? I hope to gawd that the JBoss Portal 2.6 final will be truly local-aware and translated/translatable in it's entirety... Here's some nice to haves: 1) Some kind of information on how the Locale is managed... I work in a multilingual organization and users who are logged in or not should be able to switch from one language to another via the click of a button (one that we can preferably style ourselves and put where we need it). 2) Why not eliminate the login page entirely and replace it with a default portlet that performs the login function (like the one that tells you if you are logged in or not)? I love the portal so far... We've got our own theme and it's almost usable in our organization... I hope the final release will have addressed the issues mentioned above and some of the usability stuff mentioned by the others on this thread... Good work! View the original post : http://www.jboss.com/index.html?module=bb&op=viewtopic&p=3988237#3988237 Reply to the post : http://www.jboss.com/index.html?module=bb&op=posting&mode=reply&p=3988237 ___ jboss-user mailing list jboss-user@lists.jboss.org https://lists.jboss.org/mailman/listinfo/jboss-user
[jboss-user] [JBoss Portal] - Re: User Input Req for 2.6 Usability and UI enhancements
Would that be possible to support a "closed" window state. Example of application : on the same page, I have an "order list" portlet + an "Order details" portlet. When I select an order portlet A, I want portlet A to close and portlet B to display order content. View the original post : http://www.jboss.com/index.html?module=bb&op=viewtopic&p=3988164#3988164 Reply to the post : http://www.jboss.com/index.html?module=bb&op=posting&mode=reply&p=3988164 ___ jboss-user mailing list jboss-user@lists.jboss.org https://lists.jboss.org/mailman/listinfo/jboss-user
[jboss-user] [JBoss Portal] - Re: User Input Req for 2.6 Usability and UI enhancements
Would that be possible to support a "closed" window state. Example of application : on the same page, I have an "order list" portlet + an "Order details" portlet. When I select an order portlet A, I want portlet A to close and portlet B to display order content. View the original post : http://www.jboss.com/index.html?module=bb&op=viewtopic&p=3988165#3988165 Reply to the post : http://www.jboss.com/index.html?module=bb&op=posting&mode=reply&p=3988165 ___ jboss-user mailing list jboss-user@lists.jboss.org https://lists.jboss.org/mailman/listinfo/jboss-user
[jboss-user] [JBoss Portal] - Re: User Input Req for 2.6 Usability and UI enhancements
P.P.S. Maybe a lock or something instead of Edit and Cancel? I.e.: Locked lock by default, click, unlocked lock to edit, then click again to relock the changes. View the original post : http://www.jboss.com/index.html?module=bb&op=viewtopic&p=3985102#3985102 Reply to the post : http://www.jboss.com/index.html?module=bb&op=posting&mode=reply&p=3985102 ___ jboss-user mailing list jboss-user@lists.jboss.org https://lists.jboss.org/mailman/listinfo/jboss-user
[jboss-user] [JBoss Portal] - Re: User Input Req for 2.6 Usability and UI enhancements
P.S. I also think Edit should be an icon on the portlets... Text seems to break the theme. It could be something standard like a pencil or something... People would understand that it means altering. View the original post : http://www.jboss.com/index.html?module=bb&op=viewtopic&p=3985101#3985101 Reply to the post : http://www.jboss.com/index.html?module=bb&op=posting&mode=reply&p=3985101 ___ jboss-user mailing list jboss-user@lists.jboss.org https://lists.jboss.org/mailman/listinfo/jboss-user
[jboss-user] [JBoss Portal] - Re: User Input Req for 2.6 Usability and UI enhancements
Nice job on the portal... The nicest open source Java implementation I've seen so far! HOWEVER, that is about to change with the open sourced SUN Portal. One of the nice features lacking to the whole AJAXed user experience in JBoss Portal 2.6.0 is AJAXed portlet resizing, closing. It's not like it can't be done... I mean, the resizing bit is happening already when you drag stuff into a wider part of the page. The opening and closing of a portlet window should be easily added too... Maybe even with a nifty sliding animation Apple widget-style to really rub that AJAX goodness in people's faces... Sarcasm aside, I do think AJAX on all window activities is a must. You can't just stop half-way, it breaks the whole user experience, having to post the whole site and come back on a window close or open or resize (full screen) is ridiculous. While you are injecting AJAX everywhere... You may want to consider drag and drop portlets into the WYSIWYG layout or something... Click the add button, pick a portlet and drop it somewhere on the page... M... This portal thing is addictive! Keep up the great work... JBoss is on fire these days it seems... View the original post : http://www.jboss.com/index.html?module=bb&op=viewtopic&p=3985099#3985099 Reply to the post : http://www.jboss.com/index.html?module=bb&op=posting&mode=reply&p=3985099 ___ jboss-user mailing list jboss-user@lists.jboss.org https://lists.jboss.org/mailman/listinfo/jboss-user
[jboss-user] [JBoss Portal] - Re: User Input Req for 2.6 Usability and UI enhancements
These are rather request than requirement : 1. I'm asking for a news ticker portlet, kind like on http://plone.org/ (news, upcoming events, latest release etc). I now its easy to develop, but I think its a common portlet, nice to see JBoss Portal have it. 2. Is it possible for CatalogPortlet to show the full tree (without drill down), or is there any properties I've to change? I think (again) full tree format is more common. Thanks. View the original post : http://www.jboss.com/index.html?module=bb&op=viewtopic&p=3984833#3984833 Reply to the post : http://www.jboss.com/index.html?module=bb&op=posting&mode=reply&p=3984833 ___ jboss-user mailing list jboss-user@lists.jboss.org https://lists.jboss.org/mailman/listinfo/jboss-user
[jboss-user] [JBoss Portal] - Re: User Input Req for 2.6 Usability and UI enhancements
jboss-portal2.6 support ajax or ajax4jsf or g4jsf ? View the original post : http://www.jboss.com/index.html?module=bb&op=viewtopic&p=3982866#3982866 Reply to the post : http://www.jboss.com/index.html?module=bb&op=posting&mode=reply&p=3982866 ___ jboss-user mailing list jboss-user@lists.jboss.org https://lists.jboss.org/mailman/listinfo/jboss-user
[jboss-user] [JBoss Portal] - Re: User Input Req for 2.6 Usability and UI enhancements
I think that you are misinterpreting the spec, see "PLT 8.4. Custom Porlet Modes" Portlet Modes are defined by the *portal vendor*. If Websphere decided to add a portlet mode, that portlet mode would not work in any other portal vendor. request.getPorletMode() returns the correct value, the declared mode has to match a mode known by the porlal vendor. But this is out of scope of the current forum thread. View the original post : http://www.jboss.com/index.html?module=bb&op=viewtopic&p=3982013#3982013 Reply to the post : http://www.jboss.com/index.html?module=bb&op=posting&mode=reply&p=3982013 ___ jboss-user mailing list jboss-user@lists.jboss.org https://lists.jboss.org/mailman/listinfo/jboss-user
[jboss-user] [JBoss Portal] - Re: User Input Req for 2.6 Usability and UI enhancements
The current layout only respects the default modes view, help and edit. If an application defined an additional mode like "config" the portal should offer a new button beside the other buttons for "edit" and "help". Some generic icons would do, or just the name of the mode. Use case: Websphere knows a mode called config that overwrites default preferences ofthe portlet.xml and is only accessible by administrators. Settings changed in config mode are default values for users in edit mode, but can be changed by users. To implement this behavior on jboss we had (among other things) to add a button in the jsp for the edit mode to get to the config mode. If jboss respected the declared mode and request.getPortletMode() returned the correct value we would not have to do that. View the original post : http://www.jboss.com/index.html?module=bb&op=viewtopic&p=3982007#3982007 Reply to the post : http://www.jboss.com/index.html?module=bb&op=posting&mode=reply&p=3982007 ___ jboss-user mailing list jboss-user@lists.jboss.org https://lists.jboss.org/mailman/listinfo/jboss-user
[jboss-user] [JBoss Portal] - Re: User Input Req for 2.6 Usability and UI enhancements
Cool, thanks Roy. I'm very new to portal but am having fun with it at the moment trying it out for a home project with seam and hopefully ajax/seam remoting support in time. I'm really impressed so far and the 2.6 feature list is looking pretty impressive as well. Andy. View the original post : http://www.jboss.com/index.html?module=bb&op=viewtopic&p=3976449#3976449 Reply to the post : http://www.jboss.com/index.html?module=bb&op=posting&mode=reply&p=3976449 ___ jboss-user mailing list jboss-user@lists.jboss.org https://lists.jboss.org/mailman/listinfo/jboss-user
[jboss-user] [JBoss Portal] - Re: User Input Req for 2.6 Usability and UI enhancements
Its something to consider. I'll see if its possible, given the time-frame. View the original post : http://www.jboss.com/index.html?module=bb&op=viewtopic&p=3975784#3975784 Reply to the post : http://www.jboss.com/index.html?module=bb&op=posting&mode=reply&p=3975784 ___ jboss-user mailing list jboss-user@lists.jboss.org https://lists.jboss.org/mailman/listinfo/jboss-user
[jboss-user] [JBoss Portal] - Re: User Input Req for 2.6 Usability and UI enhancements
Hi, Is it possible to specify images for the names of pages on the page tabs, currently (2.4)? If not, it would be good to be able to specify a number of images with support formhover, etc. Andy. View the original post : http://www.jboss.com/index.html?module=bb&op=viewtopic&p=3975377#3975377 Reply to the post : http://www.jboss.com/index.html?module=bb&op=posting&mode=reply&p=3975377 ___ jboss-user mailing list jboss-user@lists.jboss.org https://lists.jboss.org/mailman/listinfo/jboss-user
[jboss-user] [JBoss Portal] - Re: User Input Req for 2.6 Usability and UI enhancements
Yes, I think Chris was speaking in the context of the code I checked in to 2.6. It currently uses the word "Edit" for editMode and "Cancel" to return to viewMode. This is managed via the css, so you can use icons if you still want to. Just know that the default theme will have text for edit/view modes. View the original post : http://www.jboss.com/index.html?module=bb&op=viewtopic&p=3970808#3970808 Reply to the post : http://www.jboss.com/index.html?module=bb&op=posting&mode=reply&p=3970808 ___ jboss-user mailing list jboss-user@lists.jboss.org https://lists.jboss.org/mailman/listinfo/jboss-user
[jboss-user] [JBoss Portal] - Re: User Input Req for 2.6 Usability and UI enhancements
anonymous wrote : | - edit mode should use icon, not text: using text is not consistent, takes too much space and can cause problems with respect to internalization | | No. When we had icon, users were confused. | Icons would work well, once users understood what the icon meant (i.e. internationalized hover-tags). View the original post : http://www.jboss.com/index.html?module=bb&op=viewtopic&p=3970800#3970800 Reply to the post : http://www.jboss.com/index.html?module=bb&op=posting&mode=reply&p=3970800 ___ jboss-user mailing list jboss-user@lists.jboss.org https://lists.jboss.org/mailman/listinfo/jboss-user
[jboss-user] [JBoss Portal] - Re: User Input Req for 2.6 Usability and UI enhancements
"[EMAIL PROTECTED]" wrote : | - add content and collapse all should be within pages, probably in a reserved area at the top since it is confusing to find it outside of a page. | Point taken: All utility functions (add page, add content, edit page) should be defined as a region, so you can place wherever you want. "[EMAIL PROTECTED]" wrote : | - edit mode should use icon, not text: using text is not consistent, takes too much space and can cause problems with respect to internalization | No. When we had icon, users were confused. View the original post : http://www.jboss.com/index.html?module=bb&op=viewtopic&p=3970755#3970755 Reply to the post : http://www.jboss.com/index.html?module=bb&op=posting&mode=reply&p=3970755 ___ jboss-user mailing list jboss-user@lists.jboss.org https://lists.jboss.org/mailman/listinfo/jboss-user
[jboss-user] [JBoss Portal] - Re: User Input Req for 2.6 Usability and UI enhancements
Comments on the UI mockup: - add content and collapse all should be within pages, probably in a reserved area at the top since it is confusing to find it outside of a page. - edit mode should use icon, not text: using text is not consistent, takes too much space and can cause problems with respect to internalization - edit page icon (triangle) does not make any sense, should use same icon as edit mode icon - add page and login links should be put more in evidence - do not assume that portals with use the navigation portlet with a tab metaphor: maybe the edit page command should be within the page? The add page command makes less sense when the tab metaphor is not used... - allowing addition of content to any page is confusing in the tab interface and doesn't make that much sense when not using the tab interface (since the concept of page is not as visible) View the original post : http://www.jboss.com/index.html?module=bb&op=viewtopic&p=3970649#3970649 Reply to the post : http://www.jboss.com/index.html?module=bb&op=posting&mode=reply&p=3970649 ___ jboss-user mailing list jboss-user@lists.jboss.org https://lists.jboss.org/mailman/listinfo/jboss-user
[jboss-user] [JBoss Portal] - Re: User Input Req for 2.6 Usability and UI enhancements
"zerrt1" wrote : I agree with the above post that being able to order the navigation tabs is a very useful addition. Actually I think it is almost essential. There are two open reqs wrt navigationportlet that I am working on currently. 1. ordering (partners at AEM submitted something here) 2. stretching - small resolutions cause the tabs to wrap and look like a mess. View the original post : http://www.jboss.com/index.html?module=bb&op=viewtopic&p=3968108#3968108 Reply to the post : http://www.jboss.com/index.html?module=bb&op=posting&mode=reply&p=3968108 ___ jboss-user mailing list jboss-user@lists.jboss.org https://lists.jboss.org/mailman/listinfo/jboss-user
[jboss-user] [JBoss Portal] - Re: User Input Req for 2.6 Usability and UI enhancements
"dhartford" wrote : | If there is a list of 20 portlets for a user to select, will they be able to see/understand the preferred-width size of the portlets so that user can choose the best column to add the portlet to? | | -D Currently, no. I'm not sure of a workaround, as a portlet developer would have to say "this portlet's main table is a fixed 300px" and the portal would have to know this. Of course, with the current testing underway of the ajax window mover, its as simple as a user dropping a portlet on to a spot and seeing it does not fit. A good example, is the CMSPortlet, as its too wide for the left column, with the default data. So I simply move it back when it appears strange. View the original post : http://www.jboss.com/index.html?module=bb&op=viewtopic&p=3968105#3968105 Reply to the post : http://www.jboss.com/index.html?module=bb&op=posting&mode=reply&p=3968105 ___ jboss-user mailing list jboss-user@lists.jboss.org https://lists.jboss.org/mailman/listinfo/jboss-user
[jboss-user] [JBoss Portal] - Re: User Input Req for 2.6 Usability and UI enhancements
I agree with the above post that being able to order the navigation tabs is a very useful addition. Actually I think it is almost essential. View the original post : http://www.jboss.com/index.html?module=bb&op=viewtopic&p=3967971#3967971 Reply to the post : http://www.jboss.com/index.html?module=bb&op=posting&mode=reply&p=3967971 ___ jboss-user mailing list jboss-user@lists.jboss.org https://lists.jboss.org/mailman/listinfo/jboss-user
[jboss-user] [JBoss Portal] - Re: User Input Req for 2.6 Usability and UI enhancements
If the layout column widths are to be CSS-driven/themed, that sounds fine. If there is a list of 20 portlets for a user to select, will they be able to see/understand the preferred-width size of the portlets so that user can choose the best column to add the portlet to? -D View the original post : http://www.jboss.com/index.html?module=bb&op=viewtopic&p=3966074#3966074 Reply to the post : http://www.jboss.com/index.html?module=bb&op=posting&mode=reply&p=3966074 ___ jboss-user mailing list jboss-user@lists.jboss.org https://lists.jboss.org/mailman/listinfo/jboss-user
[jboss-user] [JBoss Portal] - Re: User Input Req for 2.6 Usability and UI enhancements
First of all: the layout mockups posted by you guys are awesome. Cannot wait to see "jboss portal 2.6 released today" flickering across some news ticker It would be a nice feature if it was possible to define page layouts that go beyond the classical column based layouts. I imagine to have a page layout designer whose widgets resemble java layout manager. E.g flow layout but especially a border layout and absolute layouts which stay an an absolute screen position. Each region of a layout manager can be assigned a name and then the complete layout template could be saved. Then, to wire portlet instances to a page layout, they only would have to be assigned a region name. I know that the wiring by region-name is already present but don't know whether what I have described above would be possible. Especiially, a page layout designer UI would be breathtaking because I would like to see that portal frameworks go beyond the classical choices of two column or three column layouts. What I'd like to be able to do is for example to have a column layout at the center of the page. At the top I'd reserve two regions for a drop down navigation menu and tabs. At the bottom I would maybe like to have an absolute region which doesn't move with vertiical scrolls into which I could add a task-bar, for example using the Tomahawk Fsheye navigation menu. It would be cool to show people that JBoss portal goes beyond the classical portal metaphors. With this in mind I think that I would rather not use a dhtml foldout for layout selection but rather to grant a full page region to this dialog. The complexity of such a dialog can expand and a foldout might start to look a little overloaded in the end, if people start adding their own customized layout schemes. View the original post : http://www.jboss.com/index.html?module=bb&op=viewtopic&p=3965972#3965972 Reply to the post : http://www.jboss.com/index.html?module=bb&op=posting&mode=reply&p=3965972 ___ jboss-user mailing list jboss-user@lists.jboss.org https://lists.jboss.org/mailman/listinfo/jboss-user
[jboss-user] [JBoss Portal] - Re: User Input Req for 2.6 Usability and UI enhancements
"dhartford" wrote : So, to summarize: Column width identifers for layout managers and allowing portlet designers to pre-define their portlet's intended width. | This is all currently defined in the theme CSS. So you can do region1=150px width, etc... View the original post : http://www.jboss.com/index.html?module=bb&op=viewtopic&p=3965904#3965904 Reply to the post : http://www.jboss.com/index.html?module=bb&op=posting&mode=reply&p=3965904 ___ jboss-user mailing list jboss-user@lists.jboss.org https://lists.jboss.org/mailman/listinfo/jboss-user
[jboss-user] [JBoss Portal] - Re: User Input Req for 2.6 Usability and UI enhancements
The column layouts are great and used in many portals. Some implementations that I recall also had the concept of 'wide' and 'narrow' column widths and allowing a portlet to pre-define itself as a 'wide' portlet or a 'narrow' portlet to coincide with the layout. By allowing the layout identifers like column width and allowing portlet designers to pre-define the expected size/scale of their portlet will allow users to auto-render their own page much quicker, simpler, and more effectively (with probably better results). I would even borrow from some of the desktop UI's the 'docklet' idea of small, square portlets with just minimal graphical or textual information (i.e. CPU usage, mem, have-new-mail, network latency, etc). So, to summarize: Column width identifers for layout managers and allowing portlet designers to pre-define their portlet's intended width. ---narrow--- --wide--- -docklet- View the original post : http://www.jboss.com/index.html?module=bb&op=viewtopic&p=3965852#3965852 Reply to the post : http://www.jboss.com/index.html?module=bb&op=posting&mode=reply&p=3965852 ___ jboss-user mailing list jboss-user@lists.jboss.org https://lists.jboss.org/mailman/listinfo/jboss-user
[jboss-user] [JBoss Portal] - Re: User Input Req for 2.6 Usability and UI enhancements
"733nb" wrote : Just one last note on sorting the pages. It would be nice if we could set the sort order by the user role. So the navigation tabs sort order would look something like this: | | | | | <01-unckecked> <02-user> <03-user> <04-superUser> <05-admin> | | | | This way, we could always have our admin stuff at the end of the list. | Hope this helps... The Navigation portlet will need some work, as it seems to come up often here. Can you please add any navigation portlet feature requests to jira in 2.6. View the original post : http://www.jboss.com/index.html?module=bb&op=viewtopic&p=3965740#3965740 Reply to the post : http://www.jboss.com/index.html?module=bb&op=posting&mode=reply&p=3965740 ___ jboss-user mailing list jboss-user@lists.jboss.org https://lists.jboss.org/mailman/listinfo/jboss-user
[jboss-user] [JBoss Portal] - Re: User Input Req for 2.6 Usability and UI enhancements
"[EMAIL PROTECTED]" wrote : "Frozen4Time" wrote : | | Google, actually had something like this (drag-n-drop wysiwyg layout builder) in their first versions of their portal. For some reason, I can't find it anymore, but it was a killer feature. | | | | Try http://www.google.com/ig you might have to log in. Click on a portlet to move with a drag and drop. | | Google's wysiwyg is way cool. View the original post : http://www.jboss.com/index.html?module=bb&op=viewtopic&p=3965349#3965349 Reply to the post : http://www.jboss.com/index.html?module=bb&op=posting&mode=reply&p=3965349 ___ jboss-user mailing list jboss-user@lists.jboss.org https://lists.jboss.org/mailman/listinfo/jboss-user
[jboss-user] [JBoss Portal] - Re: User Input Req for 2.6 Usability and UI enhancements
Just one last note on sorting the pages. It would be nice if we could set the sort order by the user role. So the navigation tabs sort order would look something like this: | <01-unckecked> <02-user> <03-user> <04-superUser> <05-admin> | This way, we could always have our admin stuff at the end of the list. Hope this helps... View the original post : http://www.jboss.com/index.html?module=bb&op=viewtopic&p=3964796#3964796 Reply to the post : http://www.jboss.com/index.html?module=bb&op=posting&mode=reply&p=3964796 ___ jboss-user mailing list jboss-user@lists.jboss.org https://lists.jboss.org/mailman/listinfo/jboss-user
[jboss-user] [JBoss Portal] - Re: User Input Req for 2.6 Usability and UI enhancements
Thanks for the pointer on changing the security on the portlet istnace. That almost works. However, I now get a message "Access Denied". Is there a why to just hide the window without the error message? View the original post : http://www.jboss.com/index.html?module=bb&op=viewtopic&p=3964791#3964791 Reply to the post : http://www.jboss.com/index.html?module=bb&op=posting&mode=reply&p=3964791 ___ jboss-user mailing list jboss-user@lists.jboss.org https://lists.jboss.org/mailman/listinfo/jboss-user
[jboss-user] [JBoss Portal] - Re: User Input Req for 2.6 Usability and UI enhancements
thanks for the feedback. You can hide a window by securing the portlet instance. View the original post : http://www.jboss.com/index.html?module=bb&op=viewtopic&p=3964746#3964746 Reply to the post : http://www.jboss.com/index.html?module=bb&op=posting&mode=reply&p=3964746 ___ jboss-user mailing list jboss-user@lists.jboss.org https://lists.jboss.org/mailman/listinfo/jboss-user
[jboss-user] [JBoss Portal] - Re: User Input Req for 2.6 Usability and UI enhancements
I'm currently a newbe to the Jboss portal code and have been evaluating the bundled 2.4 CR-3 code base. I reviewed the mockups and wow, you guys are on the right track! When did you say your targeting the release of 2.6? In the mockup's, I couldn't tell if you are able to order the pages. This would be a great feature. Also, I noticed that you can "hide" pages based upon a users role, however this doesn't seem to be true at the portlet (window) leave. I would like to "hide" a window on a page, based upon the users role. Case in point, I added a portlet "Hello World" to the default page which has the role "unchecked" with permission of view. I changed the portlet "Hello World" role to "user" with permission of view, however, when I bring up the page, the window "Hello World" is still being displayed. But yet, I had not logged in, much less logged in as "user". Is this the way it was desgined to work or is this a bug? View the original post : http://www.jboss.com/index.html?module=bb&op=viewtopic&p=3964726#3964726 Reply to the post : http://www.jboss.com/index.html?module=bb&op=posting&mode=reply&p=3964726 ___ jboss-user mailing list jboss-user@lists.jboss.org https://lists.jboss.org/mailman/listinfo/jboss-user
[jboss-user] [JBoss Portal] - Re: User Input Req for 2.6 Usability and UI enhancements
One recommendation is please have internationalization in mind when you design the UI. I see that the edit icon on portlet title bar is replaced by word. This may have impact for users that do not understand English. I would prefer an image icon, with popup message (internationalize if possible). In this case even if internationalization of the popup message is not done, at least the user can guess what it means from the image icon. View the original post : http://www.jboss.com/index.html?module=bb&op=viewtopic&p=3964384#3964384 Reply to the post : http://www.jboss.com/index.html?module=bb&op=posting&mode=reply&p=3964384 ___ jboss-user mailing list jboss-user@lists.jboss.org https://lists.jboss.org/mailman/listinfo/jboss-user
[jboss-user] [JBoss Portal] - Re: User Input Req for 2.6 Usability and UI enhancements
In response to many of the ideas proposed in this thread, we have created some mockups for the community to view/digest on what we have planned, regarding usability and user-level personalization of the portal. You can view the wiki page here: http://wiki.jboss.org/wiki/Wiki.jsp?page=Portal_UI Feel free to continue commentin on this thread about these issues. We want your feedback! Note: Usability issues for the bundled admin portlets are still being addressed. Expect a similar wiki page soon, that addresses these. We will also be redoing all bundled portlets with a consistent look and feel. View the original post : http://www.jboss.com/index.html?module=bb&op=viewtopic&p=3964109#3964109 Reply to the post : http://www.jboss.com/index.html?module=bb&op=posting&mode=reply&p=3964109 ___ jboss-user mailing list jboss-user@lists.jboss.org https://lists.jboss.org/mailman/listinfo/jboss-user
[jboss-user] [JBoss Portal] - Re: User Input Req for 2.6 Usability and UI enhancements
It will be nice if there is a feature in the management portlet that can force the portal to re-read all the portlet configurations. Right now if there is a new deployment, I have to configure all the changes manually even though the configuration files have the correct information. I have to do it again for every environment (test, stage, production). We have 5 pages, and each has 4-9 portlets. It can be a lot of work and is prone to human errors. If I want the portal to read the configurations, I have to deploy the portal/portlets with overwrite, then deploy it again with keep. This is not worth the effort to do so. View the original post : http://www.jboss.com/index.html?module=bb&op=viewtopic&p=3963847#3963847 Reply to the post : http://www.jboss.com/index.html?module=bb&op=posting&mode=reply&p=3963847 ___ jboss-user mailing list jboss-user@lists.jboss.org https://lists.jboss.org/mailman/listinfo/jboss-user
[jboss-user] [JBoss Portal] - Re: User Input Req for 2.6 Usability and UI enhancements
"Antoine_h" wrote : In management portlet : | when an instance is not well defined in the descriptor (as an example, the portlet is not found because the name has an error). | This is a bug. Can you create a jira for it? The entire Admin UI is being redone as well. ;-) View the original post : http://www.jboss.com/index.html?module=bb&op=viewtopic&p=3963842#3963842 Reply to the post : http://www.jboss.com/index.html?module=bb&op=posting&mode=reply&p=3963842 ___ jboss-user mailing list jboss-user@lists.jboss.org https://lists.jboss.org/mailman/listinfo/jboss-user
[jboss-user] [JBoss Portal] - Re: User Input Req for 2.6 Usability and UI enhancements
a nice UI enhancement would be to include all widgets /regions usually found within a portal page. For example, the current jboss portal demo pages have tabs and portlets but it is also common to have a breadcrump menu and a dynamic dropdown menu at the top region and to have a standard-but customizable approach for populating the dropdown menu and the tabs. View the original post : http://www.jboss.com/index.html?module=bb&op=viewtopic&p=3961981#3961981 Reply to the post : http://www.jboss.com/index.html?module=bb&op=posting&mode=reply&p=3961981 ___ jboss-user mailing list jboss-user@lists.jboss.org https://lists.jboss.org/mailman/listinfo/jboss-user
[jboss-user] [JBoss Portal] - Re: User Input Req for 2.6 Usability and UI enhancements
I don't know if this is a bug, but I saw nothing related to this in Jira.
In management portlet :
when an instance is not well defined in the descriptor (as an example, the
portlet is not found because the name has an error).
when you call the instance "screen", you get an exception and nothing in the
portlet (the error is given, but no more list of instances).
then you can't do anything on any instances.
=> in case of error on one instance object, allow to still have the list of
instance, and may be the wrong instance also shown in the list (with error
message for only this one).
also : since 2.4, it seems that the "overwrite" is not
working anymore.
| overwrite
|
| MyPletInstance
| MyPortlet
|
|
so if there is an error in the portlet-instances.xml definition ("MyPtlet"
instead of "MyPortlet"), the instance is set in a wrong way in the database,
and it is impossible to get the management portlet to show the instances.
It is not possible to suppress this instance in the management portlet, to have
the new descriptor (corrected) used again.
what I did : stop jboss, suppress all the table in the database, correct the
portlet-instances.xml, restart jboss
not great...
I've just realized I could have suppress the whole portal in the management
portlet, and then restart JBoss, but even... it is not really nice...
Many thanks,
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[jboss-user] [JBoss Portal] - Re: User Input Req for 2.6 Usability and UI enhancements
yeah, I see your point. As you mentioned, putting libs into the app is the easiest way. What I am proposing is that JBoss provides guidance on how to deal with the shared lib approach for those developers who want to go the other way. Let's say that there was one howto on how to install SEAM, Facelets, JSF, Tomawhak, Trinidat and jBPM into Jboss as shared libs and then deploy a portlet app which makes use of these technologies. In this case, the effort of finding out how to do this was invested only once and the knowledge made available to all developers who then wouldn't have to find out for themselves one by one. Stripping this configuration down can then be done easily I suppose because moving part of the libs from a shared mode into apps will probably not break anything. View the original post : http://www.jboss.com/index.html?module=bb&op=viewtopic&p=3961499#3961499 Reply to the post : http://www.jboss.com/index.html?module=bb&op=posting&mode=reply&p=3961499 ___ jboss-user mailing list jboss-user@lists.jboss.org https://lists.jboss.org/mailman/listinfo/jboss-user
[jboss-user] [JBoss Portal] - Re: User Input Req for 2.6 Usability and UI enhancements
Those are real world use cases, but there are as many use cases as Java developers... Self contained libs is the easiest way to deal with classloading stuff. We also realize that people do not want to copy/move libs around just to see an example running. You can share libs, but your different web apps may require different versions of the same libs. we decided to provide shared myfaces libs in JBoss AS, it's cool for some people, it's a pain for others who prefer to embed their own libs. View the original post : http://www.jboss.com/index.html?module=bb&op=viewtopic&p=3961472#3961472 Reply to the post : http://www.jboss.com/index.html?module=bb&op=posting&mode=reply&p=3961472 ___ jboss-user mailing list jboss-user@lists.jboss.org https://lists.jboss.org/mailman/listinfo/jboss-user
[jboss-user] [JBoss Portal] - Re: User Input Req for 2.6 Usability and UI enhancements
anonymous wrote : However, one can spend weeks trying to arrange all the libs so that the technologies work well together and yet not find a way to do it. I menat to say: "... arrange all the libs OUTSIDE of one's JEE apps..." Take a look at the SEAM samples. All the libs are always contained within the webapps. If I try to put all libs for JSF, JSF render-kits, Facelets, SEAM etc. into some JBoss location, some lib dir, or tomcat-lib dir, the whole shebang doesn't work. One will find that a webapp which only uses ADFFaces suddenly fails with a stacktrace that contains SEAM JSF listeners although the webapp uses an isolated classloader and doesn't use SEAM Problems like these keep me from really getting started with portals plus rich client stuff. I'd need to have guidance on how to best integrate several technologies. I.E. there should be additional sample apps which better showcase real-world usecases. View the original post : http://www.jboss.com/index.html?module=bb&op=viewtopic&p=3961388#3961388 Reply to the post : http://www.jboss.com/index.html?module=bb&op=posting&mode=reply&p=3961388 ___ jboss-user mailing list jboss-user@lists.jboss.org https://lists.jboss.org/mailman/listinfo/jboss-user
[jboss-user] [JBoss Portal] - Re: User Input Req for 2.6 Usability and UI enhancements
another WYSIWYG / Drag and Drop portal page example similar to the google sample can be found here: http://www.netvibes.com/ I also like to be able to have a fullfledged way of layouting my portal page via a flexible UI /layout model as is the case with Jetspeed ( a portal I otherwise do not like particularly well ) There you have pluggable decorators which can render your porlet frames (frameless window, framed window with insets etc..). You have pluggable page layouts ( three column, two column, etc...) to choose from. and so on. I don't find this in jboss portal. The "region" mechanism seems to be rather corse grained in comparison. Another interesting thing I read about in the Jetspeed 2 Jira is their plan for a thingy they call Jetspeed Desktop: http://issues.apache.org/jira/browse/JS2-514 This seems to go even a bit further than having an AJAX supported WYSIWYG portal page layout mechanism which helps to define a server side layout. I've been musing about assembling the perfect collection of technologies for being able to deliver rich web clients while at the same time being standards based and being able to rapid prototype. The fixed choices are that this should be portal driven, use Java Server Faces, Seam, Facelets, JSF-Avatar and EJB3. The bulding-block that has been missing for years is that there does not seem to be a JSF component kit which satisfies all needs. Most kits work well in standalone mode (Apache Tomawhak, Oracle ADFFaces aka Apache Trinidat etc) but they fail to work well in collaboration with a portal framework and / or seam. Additionally, the component/render kits are not really satisfyable and robust. I would have to combine aspects from 5 different AJAX kits and another 5 JSF kits to satisfy my vision. (Tomawhak, Trinidat, Tobago, Dojo, Qooxdoo, Rialto, ZK, DWR, jMaki, etc. etc.) What currently happens is that some JSF component/render kit provider now try to integrate components from all these kits into their component library. This is the same type of misuse happening with multiple inheritance where any object which happens to have an interesting method is turned into a supertype... In practice, it is not acceptable to download the javascript/html code for 20 AJAX and web frameworks before being able to look at a beautifully rendered page. I think the community is lacking a robust and satisfyable JSF component library/rendering kit. Everyone is doing some things right but no single vendor does it all right at the same time. - EXO alone supports WCAG 1.0 - Tomawhak is a pot pourri of external scripts reused and doesn't support drag and drop etc.. - ADFFaces is too invasive and doesn't integrate well with other supplementary technologies, so is the current version of SEAM. again, this list could be continued forever Therefore I think that instead of providing halfhearted approaches for embedding JSF rich client frameworks which have not been designed with portals in mind by allowing header injections and the like, I'm thinking more into the direction of defining an XML GUI language that the JSF portlets would emit. The portal would then be responsible for rendering this meta language into javascript/html etc. Again, there are many such XML GUI definition languages out there (OASIS' UIML, Netscape's XUL, W3C's XBL, etc...) but none is a satisfyable solution, probably because the contexts of these approaches are too different from the portal context. XUL was designed with thick desktop environments in mind. UIML is too old - the portal metaphor was uncommon then...) I don't know whether JBoss/Redhat have enough resources to start off from scratch to design a real groundbraking JSF component/render kit, but lets assume that this is most likely beyond the focus: how can you impove your UI? I'm finding myself in the same spot: IF I revamp all the UI stuff I've done which will be a tremendous effort, then I want to do it right the first time and without compromises. I would need to have something at hand that supports drag and drop, client side validation, portal affinity, half objects, AJAX, etc. However, this can only be achieved by mingeling different things together and spending a tremendous effort doing so. That's why I don't understand why all the world is focussing on narrow focus frameworks like lets say an "AJAX toolkit" instead of working on a comprehensive JSF kit with out of the box support for the abovementioned. For example, it would be appriciable to have transparent AJAX support like the ingenious approach taken Avatar. I can only applaud Ed Burns for this approach. Of course, a JSF framework using this approach should be designed by keeping in mind that it also has to be usable in the context of portals... Why am I saying all this? well because I would like to see that the JBoss Portal standard portlets like the CMS, administration or forum portlets are done using a JSF kit. But before co
[jboss-user] [JBoss Portal] - Re: User Input Req for 2.6 Usability and UI enhancements
I definately realize that the suggestions I made aren't all that easy and would require some redsign in the layout engine. I guess the point is that I understand the challenges. Never the less I wanted to make my suggestion. An AJAX based lyout engine would be really nice, but it doesn't HAVE to be that dynamic. Even if the layout util has to make a round trip to the server when layout changes are made, that wouls still be nice enough. This is how EXO works. Its not AJAX, but when you add a container or portlet, an http request goes to the server and a new page comes back with the additions/modifcations. This isn't quite as slick as the google editor, but it gets the job done. Basically, the key being that you are looking at the page while you are making changes to it. The reason I have been mentioning EXO is because that is what I am currently using for a project. EXO isn't terribly stable, is a pain to install and hard to pre-configure. These are the things I love about JBoss portal. The only real hold up is the layout engine. The fact that you mention letting users layout their own pages says to me you guys are moving in the right direction since a portal user would expect a simple easy to use layout engine. I am really trying to champion JBoss portal in my organization and these features would make that task much easier. Being able to dynamically create any layout you want would be a big benefit, but as you say that would involve being able to cofigure this at runtime which would involve creating a lot of infrastructure as well as changing existing conventions. That being said I think it would be a great feature. Anyway thanks for your comments. View the original post : http://www.jboss.com/index.html?module=bb&op=viewtopic&p=3960859#3960859 Reply to the post : http://www.jboss.com/index.html?module=bb&op=posting&mode=reply&p=3960859 ___ jboss-user mailing list jboss-user@lists.jboss.org https://lists.jboss.org/mailman/listinfo/jboss-user
[jboss-user] [JBoss Portal] - Re: User Input Req for 2.6 Usability and UI enhancements
"[EMAIL PROTECTED]" wrote : google still has wysiwyg page layout editing: http://www.google.com/ig. Was it different in the first version? Yes. Their new layout editting isn't wysiwyg. Before, they had an AJAX-powered editor, that would show a small representation of "yourpage" and you were able to drag-n-drop "portlets" on to it. You could even add new ones, or delete some from within the small representation. Maybe the new one is more "useable". Don't know, I prefered the old way, but I could see how it would confuse most users. View the original post : http://www.jboss.com/index.html?module=bb&op=viewtopic&p=3960464#3960464 Reply to the post : http://www.jboss.com/index.html?module=bb&op=posting&mode=reply&p=3960464 ___ jboss-user mailing list jboss-user@lists.jboss.org https://lists.jboss.org/mailman/listinfo/jboss-user
[jboss-user] [JBoss Portal] - Re: User Input Req for 2.6 Usability and UI enhancements
google still has wysiwyg page layout editing: http://www.google.com/ig. Was it different in the first version? View the original post : http://www.jboss.com/index.html?module=bb&op=viewtopic&p=3960450#3960450 Reply to the post : http://www.jboss.com/index.html?module=bb&op=posting&mode=reply&p=3960450 ___ jboss-user mailing list jboss-user@lists.jboss.org https://lists.jboss.org/mailman/listinfo/jboss-user
[jboss-user] [JBoss Portal] - Re: User Input Req for 2.6 Usability and UI enhancements
"Frozen4Time" wrote : I think the biggest thing that is needed for the portal is a WYSIWYG style page layout. While I think the current tree view in the admin portlet is a nice way to get a big picture view of "what is where" in the portal, it's not very intuative or user freindly. | We actually discussed this idea for managing the layout of pages. You should see something of this nature in 2.6, when we introduce the ability for users to customize pages. Ideally, the same functionality can be introduced to the admin side. Google, actually had something like this (drag-n-drop wysiwyg layout builder) in their first versions of their portal. For some reason, I can't find it anymore, but it was a killer feature. "Frozen4Time" wrote : | For example giving them a container that will layout portlets in row or column order, being able to specify the number of rows or columns, specifying pixle or percentage widths to these containers. A good idea, but it gets tricky. Layouts (# and names of columns) are currently defined in jsps, so this would have to change in to making layouts dynamic. "Frozen4Time" wrote : | The current JBoss Portal layou engine locks the user into a predefined structure and the layout utility is not that user friendly. | True. The only workaround for now, is to have X# layouts deployed, allowing for the user/admin to pick whichever he wants. View the original post : http://www.jboss.com/index.html?module=bb&op=viewtopic&p=3960380#3960380 Reply to the post : http://www.jboss.com/index.html?module=bb&op=posting&mode=reply&p=3960380 ___ jboss-user mailing list jboss-user@lists.jboss.org https://lists.jboss.org/mailman/listinfo/jboss-user
[jboss-user] [JBoss Portal] - Re: User Input Req for 2.6 Usability and UI enhancements
"PeterJ" wrote : Why can't it be formatted using the Nphalanx theme? The style sheet and graphics are available. Besides, many systems that require logging on have a default (i.e., non-personalized) look for the login page. | Right. Thats the way it used to be. I'll see if I can get that behaviour back for 2.6, or even 2.4. "PeterJ" wrote : | In the Administration Portlet All items noted. The Admin Portlet will literally be gutted and completely redone for 2.6. Usability of that portlet is our main concern with it. If there is time, we also plan to introduce wizards. "PeterJ" wrote : | 8) Check the user interface against Firefox. Some things don't work. For example, tool tips for some icons which appear in IE don't appear in Firefox because the 'title' property was not defined. | Noted. View the original post : http://www.jboss.com/index.html?module=bb&op=viewtopic&p=3960376#3960376 Reply to the post : http://www.jboss.com/index.html?module=bb&op=posting&mode=reply&p=3960376 ___ jboss-user mailing list jboss-user@lists.jboss.org https://lists.jboss.org/mailman/listinfo/jboss-user
[jboss-user] [JBoss Portal] - Re: User Input Req for 2.6 Usability and UI enhancements
I think the biggest thing that is needed for the portal is a WYSIWYG style page layout. While I think the current tree view in the admin portlet is a nice way to get a big picture view of "what is where" in the portal, it's not very intuative or user freindly. Some of the other portals (EXO for example) has a way for you to visually edit the layout of the page. Dropping things is place using a visual layout engine. To be honest I haven't seen a open source portal that really does this great, but I have seen some that are a step in the right direction. When I am building pages in jboss, I usually open two browser windows, one with the admin portlet and another showing the page I am trying to build. Everytime I make a change in the admin util I refresh the page I am building to see the results. I have seen other people using this same approach. This tells me that people really want a visual editor with (semi) instant feed. Part of this request might entail making some sort of layout infrastructure beyond what JBoss Portal has to offer. What I mean is giving the user the ability to layout arbitrary containers with customizable sizing properties. For example giving them a container that will layout portlets in row or column order, being able to specify the number of rows or columns, specifying pixle or percentage widths to these containers. Combining these two ideas would give the user to create any layout they desire and do so in a user friendly way. The current JBoss Portal layou engine locks the user into a predefined structure and the layout utility is not that user friendly. While I abosutely love the stabilty, reliablity and general quality of the JBoss portal, I see this as one of the biggest areas I would like to see improved. Thanks. View the original post : http://www.jboss.com/index.html?module=bb&op=viewtopic&p=3960224#3960224 Reply to the post : http://www.jboss.com/index.html?module=bb&op=posting&mode=reply&p=3960224 ___ jboss-user mailing list jboss-user@lists.jboss.org https://lists.jboss.org/mailman/listinfo/jboss-user
[jboss-user] [JBoss Portal] - Re: User Input Req for 2.6 Usability and UI enhancements
Here are a few suggestions: 1) The login screen, even with the changes made to the current 2.4 source, still looks out of place. Why can't it be formatted using the Nphalanx theme? The style sheet and graphics are available. Besides, many systems that require logging on have a default (i.e., non-personalized) look for the login page. 2) In the Administration Portlet. In the tree view, select a portlet within a page. One the right side, click Theme. Three render options show up with drop-down list boxes. I have tried every combination of the options there, and there appear to be only 3 or 4 workable combinations (many combinations are even duplicates). Instead of having three options, make it a single ?Portlet window rendering? option with the choices a) show title and borders, b) show title, no border, c) show borders, no title (of dubious use unless the entire window is bordered, which it currently is not), and d) no title or borders. For the hard-code, you can still provide an 'Advanced' button to show the three rendering options. 3) Same location as #2. Display a graphic image that corresponds to the rendering option(s) chosen (this is made easier if you follow suggestion #2). This way the user can see how the portlet will be displayed without having to go to the page to see. 4) In the Administration Portlet. In the tree view, select a page. The drop-down list box of protlets can get very unwieldy. Instead, display the portlets in a table with columns such as portlet name, portlet display name, description, keywords, when deployed, etc. Allow sorting on each column (the drop-down list is unsorted, making finding anything difficult). Display only 10, 20 or 50 items (let user choose how many) and provide navigation buttons to move forward and backwards through the entire collection of portals. Also, provide a filter capability to show only portals whose name, description keywords match a search/regular expression. Also, provide a portlet preview capability where the protlet is displayed on a temporary page. 5) Same location as #4. Why is the 'center' column to the left of the 'left' column. Ask me how many times I have put portlets into the wrong location. Perhaps the better thing to do is display the selected portlets in an order that corresponds to their location on the page, perhaps with a border around each section on the page. This would given a better visual clue of how the page is laid out. 6) Same location as #4. Why is there only a single, fixed layout available? Why not provide more options. For example, offer the user a header, a footer, a center column, a left column, and a right column. Let the user turn each column off or on. 7) Same location as #4. Provide some mechanism for common functions on the same page that displays the selected portlets. For example, to remove a prtlet from the page layout I must first click on the portlet and then click the destroy button. Adding a delete button (next to the arrow buttons that move the portlet to a different location) would help. Other common functions might be the rendering option (especially if you follow recommendation #2). 8) Check the user interface against Firefox. Some things don't work. For example, tool tips for some icons which appear in IE don't appear in Firefox because the 'title' property was not defined. View the original post : http://www.jboss.com/index.html?module=bb&op=viewtopic&p=3960193#3960193 Reply to the post : http://www.jboss.com/index.html?module=bb&op=posting&mode=reply&p=3960193 ___ jboss-user mailing list jboss-user@lists.jboss.org https://lists.jboss.org/mailman/listinfo/jboss-user
[jboss-user] [JBoss Portal] - Re: User Input Req for 2.6 Usability and UI enhancements
come one guys, don't be shy ! View the original post : http://www.jboss.com/index.html?module=bb&op=viewtopic&p=3960087#3960087 Reply to the post : http://www.jboss.com/index.html?module=bb&op=posting&mode=reply&p=3960087 ___ jboss-user mailing list jboss-user@lists.jboss.org https://lists.jboss.org/mailman/listinfo/jboss-user
