Need suggestion for category selection mod (AJAX for huge DB's)

[Boby]

Hello guys and gals :)

I know some of you have really, really huge databases and the loading time of the submit pages and in the admin panel load very slow or even crash because of the category drop-down selection.

There is a mod that automatically pre-selects the category but does not allow the submitter to change the category if he changed his mind or failed the category.

This is why I've started to work on a new way of building the category selection. Well, tehnologies evolved and we have now AJAX. Most of you have already heared of it, and if not you probably used it on some pages even if you did not knew that it is there.

This mod uses Prototype the *best* and nicest JavaScript framework available. ;)

Now I want to ask you, what would be better or what you would like to have on your page:

Make the category selection part of the main template and when selecting a new field will expand like in the screenshot attached.
Make the category selection as popup window. This won't change the layout of your page but can be blocked (maybe) by some browser plugins.


Sorry, it looks a bit crappy but that's just the first attempt and I did not payed attention on how it looks.


Personally I vote for the first version, but you are the one who will use it and that's why I need your opinion :p


Would be nice if you can post a comment of your vote and explain why you have choosed it.

Thanks, Boby.

[Steven Myers]

Deffinently the first Boby, the second will be browser issues with some people, plus pop-up blockers also knock javascripts out if they're detected anyways.

I like this feature a lot and will deffinently donate more to PHPLD to improve more modifications and your the time you guys put into these sweet tools :)

Keep up the excellent work!!!

[Boby]

Wow, that was fast :D

You posted before I could even add the poll :p
HaHaHa

Would be nice if you vote ;)

Thanks, Boby.

[droolingmnky]

holy crap, yeah I would go with the first because of the popup blocker issues you mentioned.

Wow that's coming along quite well.

Forgot to mention but any way to do it with out the scroll bar?

[Boby]

Content visible to registered users only.
Yeah, probably, it's just the first attempt of the mod in this screenshot :rolleyes:
I don't like the scroolbar eighter so need to drop it somehow (but later, functionality is my first item on the list) :D

Boby

[anon]

definately the first suggestion

[Steven Myers]

I voted 2 seconds after you posted the poll ;)

Content visible to registered users only.

[bobby9101]

how about a hierachiely (*spelling) tree on the right side.
similar to explorer.exe in micrsoft
just a suggestion

[Boby]

Just to let you all know, the status of this mod is about 80% completed ;)

I want to add one more dinamic selection and some more validations with PHP because that's better than JavaScript validation. I think the submit.php will need also a small change to have some accessibility and usability features for spiders and browsers without JavaScript enabled.

As soon as I will finish this part, I'll put it somewhere on a test server so you can try it out before it'll be available for download.

Boby

[Boby]

Please test it and report problems and suggestions for improvement before I will release it for download.

Howto use:
Clicking on a category title will select it for submission.
Opened folders (icons) means that category includes subcategories, clicking on the opened folder results in reloading the category tree with the subcategories of the current category.
Closed folders (icons) mean the current categories has no subcategories and link is disabled.
... goes one step back (=parent category)
Thank you for any comments, specially for suggestions ;)

Boby

[bobby9101]

that looks very nice
however you do need to emphasize the folders a little.
I didn't quite get clicking on the for a second then i got it ;)

[Steven Myers]

Boby, great demo bro, though I think you already know this part, but I'll say it anyways. If a user clicks on the Main Cat, the java will move up, then slide back down to show the sub-cats for the main cat they clicked on, instead of having to click the "select category" to show the sub-cats.

This would allow users to be at ease in their navigating with the selection list. :)

[Boby]

Content visible to registered users only.
I am not sure if I understand what you mean :confused:

Do you mean on the form to have the selected category title somehow more in the front or in the tree list to have the categories another way styled?

Well, it can be easy changed with CSS or by completely changing the HTML markup for the list rendering, icons can also be changed.

Content visible to registered users only.
So you mean if you browse the list and click on a category it will move to the subcategories list? Yeah, can be done. Should it also select the clicked category or should I add another icon instead of the folders that will make the selection if clicked?

Boby

[Steven Myers]

Content visible to registered users only.

Thank you! This will be a very cool mod to add for my directory, cause I will be adding about 500 more sub-cats to it, and this will do it's work well for the users :)

Content visible to registered users only.
Yes, most deffinently :)

[Neticus]

Very cool mod. I like the way it all slides back after category selection. Also I think the main cats and subcats representation with icons/folders is much easier to navigate then the current default.


Content visible to registered users only.

I think what bobby9101 means is it's not instantly obvious that you have to click on a main cats folder icon to get to its subcats. People would probably click on the heading 'Business' first before eventually working out that they have to click on its icon to reach the sub folders. Nothing that can't be sorted out with a little help text.

[bobby9101]

i neticus got me right...
i was thinking you click on "business" and it still shows the menu and shows the subcats then there is an option to "continue with this category"

[Boby]

Ok guys, I will change that and come back with good news ;)

Thank you so far for your feedback and for the flowers :D

Boby

[Steven Myers]

Ok, now I know I didn't give you flowers, so.. *looks at bobby*

You're welcome Boby, glad we could help, and can't wait to see this baby in real load action on our directories :D

[Boby]

I have updated now the demo page.
Please check it out and tell me if you like it more how it works now.

Clicking on a category will select it and go a level deeper if there is one.
The category tree will dissapear only if the "close" button is clicked.

I think in 1 ... 2 days it's ready, just need to clean some code and it's ready.

But now ... I need to go to an exam :mad:, wish me luck :rolleyes:

Boby

[Steven Myers]

Deffinently a plus Boby, I like this a lot better :)

Job well done!! & good luck on your exam!

[bobby9101]

good luck Boby
and nice work

[vegabond]

Boby, You can add this mod in main template and also keep the old for user choice.

Thanks
Shabu anower

[Boby]

Content visible to registered users only.
Yeah, I will ask David when he's back if I can add it to the next release.

Would be nice :)

Thanks again to all for your comments and appreciation!

Boby