[NOTED] Suggestion: module positions in template deployment descriptor

[scrut]

Every design template supports a different set of module positions and it is very confusing for many users to find the standard set of positions in the backend. Bottom line: if the currently active template does not support module position “X”, then it should not be possible to assign modules to a position “X”.

To inform Joomla of the currently supported module positions, I suggest adding a new tag to templateDetails.xml (which I call deployment descriptor here). For this I suggest the following tag hierarchy:


 
      …
      …
 
      :


holds the name of the supported module position (e.g. “left”)
holds a description of what the designer intended this position to be used for (e.g. “use this for the main menu and the login”)

In the module manager, the drop-down-boxes should now only show those module positions that are supported by the active template(s).

New modules should be assigned the position “none”.

Several issues remain, though:

1. To make sure that the user (site admin) can still use {loadmoduleposition …}, it should still be possible to define new module positions in the backend. The management function for this already exists. Unlike now it should NOT show a standard set of module positions regardless of the template support. Instead, it should show all positions supported by the template but mark them inactive (grey) so that they can’t be edited. All other module position text fields should be empty unless the user creates one.

2. If a user switches from a template that supports the position “XYZ” to a template that doesn’t support this position, all modules assigned to position XYZ should be assigned to the above mentioned position “none”.


I think these alterations would improve the usability by improving Joomlas simplicity.

What do you think?

Thanks

s.

[masterchief]

Most of what you ask is in 1.5.  I've noted the need for a description in our new tag.  I don't think we could support changing positions to "none" because if you switched back to your first template, you'd loose all the configuration.  Thanks for thinking about this issue though.

[scrut]

Thanks, masterchief.
In my opinion, can be used in the Module Position Manager as Tooltip: If a user hovers over the name of a module position listed there, the shows up as tooltip. Easy to implement and pretty useful, I think.
Thanks again for your friendly reply.
s.