Reordering Quicktags

  • Hi there! Thank you for this wonderful plugin ?? It’s such a handy tool that really helps me improve how I work in WordPress.

    I don’t really have any issues with the plugin, actually, but I thought I would offer a few suggestions for improvement. The settings screen is in need of a little TLC!

    1) It’s impossible to see the column headers when scrolling down a long list of quicktags. Even though the columns are highlighted when hovering over them, it’s impossible to hover over the desired column while scrolling down. Sticky column headers would be very helpful (or repeated headers every X number of rows, where X adjusts depending on the screen size).

    2) Ordering many quicktags is a real pain. Adding a new one in the middle of a long list requires manually changing the order number of each one in the second half of the list. (Adding something to the beginning isn’t so bad since negative numbers work.) I would suggest drag and drop, but even then, that’s not all that fun to do with a long list… So, I wonder if adding the ability to categorize quicktags wouldn’t be helpful, so that each category can be ordered, and each quicktag within that category can also be ordered. The current manual method would be much easier to work with then. The categories wouldn’t necessarily need to be reflected on edit screens — they could merely be organizational tools… Anyway, that’s just a workaround idea I had, but maybe you can come up with something better…

    3) However, I can see a use for the categories on the edit screen as well. I’ve got many quicktags, as you can tell ?? It can be hard to find the right one quickly, which pretty much defeats the purpose of having them if typing the code ends up being faster. The categories could each display their buttons on their own rows, for example, thought that might take up too much space… Or the buttons for each category could be colour-coded, which would be my preference, though that’s not accessible to all users… Well, I’m sure there’s a better way to do this, too, but just throwing it out there…

    So those are the only things I can think of that would make my life a little easier when using this plugin. Overall, not bad, eh? Great work, and thanks again!

    https://www.ads-software.com/plugins/addquicktag/

Viewing 15 replies - 1 through 15 (of 19 total)
  • Thread Starter Julie

    (@habannah)

    Hi Frank, I hope you’re well. I’m wondering what you thought of my suggestions? Is there any way to improve the settings screen and make the quicktag table more user-friendly? Thanks!

    Plugin Author Frank Bueltge

    (@bueltge)

    @julie I’m sorry. I have this tab open for long time to read and understand. I will doing this and give you feedback. I’m very interesting on feedback. Thanks for this.

    Thread Starter Julie

    (@habannah)

    Thanks, Frank. Are there any points in particular I can clarify for you?

    Plugin Author Frank Bueltge

    (@bueltge)

    @julie Thanks for your helpful hints.

    1. nice idea, ut not easy in WP context and more as one tables in the view. But I think I fonud a solution, currently you can test this in the development repository version – https://github.com/bueltge/AddQuicktag
    Hint: WP_DEBUG constant must set to true for testing.

    2. drag&drop is a nice idea. Maybe I will implement this. Is the first part in the ui topic, not so easy for me, but a fine topic to learn.

    3. If you have so much quicktags, maybe a small search inside the menu was helpful, often a overkill for a lot of users. Not easy to create a solution for all users.

    Thread Starter Julie

    (@habannah)

    Hi Frank,

    Thanks for your work on this ?? I haven’t gotten around to testing the new view yet — sorry about that! I’ll try to get to it soon!

    If you have so much quicktags, maybe a small search inside the menu was helpful, often a overkill for a lot of users. Not easy to create a solution for all users.

    I’m not quite sure what you mean my a search inside the menu? Could you please give an example?

    I understand your concern for lots of buttons confusing users, but for me it’s not a problem since I’m the only user ?? But then again, perhaps my situation isn’t as common as I originally thought?

    Thread Starter Julie

    (@habannah)

    Hi again Frank,

    I just had the thought that perhaps using dashicons as button labels would help me out a little, visually at least, but the plugin doesn’t save the html. Is there any way to use dashicons with AddQuicktag?

    Thanks!

    Plugin Author Frank Bueltge

    (@bueltge)

    Dashicons is a fine idea. Currently I filter always html for security topics.

    To your question. I had understand in topic 3., that you like a search in the select field about all quicktags, maybe I’m wrong. Can you explain, what you like. Also please the colour-coded topic.

    Thread Starter Julie

    (@habannah)

    To your question. I had understand in topic 3., that you like a search in the select field about all quicktags, maybe I’m wrong. Can you explain, what you like. Also please the colour-coded topic.

    It was just an idea to try to add visual order to the Quicktag buttons on a post or page edit screen.

    Let’s say the issue in #2 is resolved via drag and drop (so ordering Quicktags on the Settings screen becomes easier). If there are many Quicktags, the buttons on the post/page edit screen can still be be difficult to see, even if they would be easier to organize via drag and drop on the Settings screen.

    One possibility could be to add categories to Quicktags, so that each button could be ordered per category on the Settings screen — and adding an option to use a different coloured button background for each category. This way, at least the buttons would be more visually organized.

    However, I’m not sure it’s actually a great idea, for a few reasons: -First, all the work you’d have to do to implement colour-coded categories ??
    -Second, I don’t know how this would work for blind users of the plugin, for example.
    -Third, the reason this is needed is still because I have a lot of Quicktags, which I’m starting to think isn’t as common as I originally thought.

    NB: Since I have a lot of Quicktags, I use abbreviations and acronyms to label the buttons — it would take up far too much space if I wrote the labels out in full. So now it means that I have to hover over buttons to see what the abbreviation means, if I can’t remember. Plus buttons just all look like a bunch of letters, numbers, and symbols, so that’s why I need some sort of visual order, to distinguish between them all.

    So, I think adding the ability to use dashicons as labels would actually somewhat solve this issue by adding the visual distinction I’m looking for on the post/page edit screen. Plus, if the admin/user implements them correctly, using dashicons as button labels would be accessible to all users, including those who are visually impaired (This would depend on pairing dashicons with aria-hidden=true and alternative screen-reader-text, so the use of dashicons isn’t accessible by default.).

    1. nice idea, ut not easy in WP context and more as one tables in the view. But I think I fonud a solution, currently you can test this in the development repository version – https://github.com/bueltge/AddQuicktag
    Hint: WP_DEBUG constant must set to true for testing.

    I installed the master branch (I deactivated the current version first), but nothing seems to be different… All my settings from the current version were retained — should I perhaps have deleted it rather than simply deactivating it?

    Thanks for all your help with this ??

    Plugin Author Frank Bueltge

    (@bueltge)

    Hi Julie,

    the test was wrong, a problem on my side.
    Now is the release in the repository.
    See here a first screenshot – https://www.awesomescreenshot.com/image/613170/348ba7e79a14a6a49cbe69d60d6404fb

    This version should works without set the constant WP_DEBUG to TRUE. I has added the minified version for productive usage.

    Also a question about dashicon usage. Do you will add an span with the css classes, not more?

    Thread Starter Julie

    (@habannah)

    Hi Frank, thanks for continuing to plug away at this!

    I looked at the screenshot, and I like what I see! I’ll try it out this week ??

    For dashicons, yes, I think the best way to do it manually would be to use the spans with the css classes…

    Something else to consider, though. I know of a few plugins that add a visual menu for adding dashicons (Glance That, Admin Menu Editor). You might be interested in doing something like that as well if you’re worried people won’t find the span method user-friendly, or if you think it might help you keep things more secure, since I know that was a concern you mentioned before… Sorry I didn’t think of that earlier!!

    Plugin Author Frank Bueltge

    (@bueltge)

    Hi Julie,

    I has played with the possibilities of the TinyMCE and span is not the right way. It is necessary, that I add a new settings field for dashicons and include this in the creation of each entry of the fieldlist “Quicktags” button.

    As example see this screenshot: https://www.awesomescreenshot.com/image/619383/2605d0da160debbe6f442edb82333c23

    I think the best way is, that I add a new field for the dashicons, include a picker to select a dashicon icon. What you think?

    Thread Starter Julie

    (@habannah)

    It looks good for the front end… As for me, I complete forgot to mention this, but I only use the text editor. Would the quicktags still display as buttons in the text editor? If so, then that would be perfect! If not, then the picker wouldn’t be convenient for me, I don’t think… It might be one of those things I’d have to try, though…

    Which reminds me, I still haven’t gotten to test the new table view yet, sorry about that. It might be another few days yet before I can get to it ??

    Plugin Author Frank Bueltge

    (@bueltge)

    Hi Julie,

    if you find a little bid time, you can test the usage of Dashicons.
    Feedback is very welcome.

    You find the version here: https://github.com/bueltge/AddQuicktag

    Thanks a lot and merry christmas.

    Thread Starter Julie

    (@habannah)

    Hi Frank,

    Sorry for dropping the ball on this! I just installed the master branch… I love the dashicons picker! It seems to work really well ??

    Things I tested:

    -Scrolling through the dashicons and selecting one to insert (label deleted) –> Doesn’t show up in the html editor

    -Searching the dashicons and selecting one to insert (label deleted) –> Doesn’t show up in the html editor

    -Searching & scrolling but not selecting anything, then just clicking outside of the dashicons picker to exit –> Works

    -Typing in a dashicons handle manually (label deleted) –> Doesn’t show up in the html editor

    -Selecting a dashicon but “forgetting” to delete the label –> Only the label shows up in the html editor

    Was there something I was supposed to change in my settings other than just choosing the dashicons?

    Also, was there anything I was supposed to test regarding a new table view? Sorry again for not getting back to you earlier!!

    Plugin Author Frank Bueltge

    (@bueltge)

    Hi Julie,

    thanks a lot.
    The Dashicons are not possible in the html editor. The buttons have no param in the API to allow this. The dashicons are only possible on the visual editor.

    What you mean with new table view, how do you wish them for better usage?

Viewing 15 replies - 1 through 15 (of 19 total)
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