Page History
Current Showcase App
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Situation
There is a requirement need to add information about the fields etc. that are available in the showcase app:
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provide information necessary for using the controls.
Currently there are three tabs in the showcase app:
- Form fields - Magnolia specific fields . for dialog config. These controls come with Magnolia specific information. i.e - preconfigured for insertion into dialogs in Mag 5.
- Vaadin fields - Vaadin fields that can be used with Magnolia (for apps - but which can also be used in forms.)
- Unsupported fields by Maganolia - Not clear why we specify what Vaadin fields NOT to use. Suggest adding information on what is wrong with each field (i.e. - why it should not be used). That or simply removing this tab.
All three tabs require changes.
Form fields tab -
- The list of controls is not extensive, implying either that there are many more controls that can be added (in which case the form field tab and Vaadin fields tab are incomplete) or that the list of banned controls is incomplete.
As we are using Vaadin controls, we analyzed the Vaadin approach to documentation them:
Vaadin approach
See: http://demo.vaadin.com/sampler
Purpose of the controls
Docu's understanding is that the Showcase app Forms subapp lists controls specifically for use in Magnolia 5 forms (dialogs) during app development, modification. All other Vaadin controls (currently listed in the Vaadin controls subapp) are for use within an app, subapps.
Proposal for Showcase app redesign
Create a custom app:After discussions with Andreas and Philip, I would suggest making a few alterations to the Showcase App: Form fields tab:
- Increase real estate for the fields (i.e make the light grey area bigger - stretch it to the left and right)
- Left align all fields
- Add headings:
- Field name
- Appearance
- Function (or Description)
- Consider adding visible columns for headings
- Add a short description per field. Say, max 140 characters. (Use this for... Can also be used for... etc.) Where, why, how. (Use on x pages to describe....Try not to use more than x times per page.)
- Add link to official documentation, where users can find detailed information on using fields. The link could be by the line "Showcase apps......."
Field | Description |
---|---|
Static text | |
Commit button in a form | |
Reset button in a form | |
Link | |
Text field | |
Text area | |
Password fields | |
Checkbox | |
Radio button group | |
Checkbox group | |
Select | |
Date field |
Vaadin fields and descriptions
Field | Description |
---|---|
Static text | |
Commit button in a form | |
Reset button in a form | |
Link | |
Text field | |
Text area | |
Password fields | |
Checkbox | |
Radio button group | |
Checkbox group | |
Select | |
Date field |
- .
- Only have two subapps - Form Controls & Other Controls etc.
- Add three columns - left to right:
- Control name tree similar to vaadin approach: http://demo.vaadin.com/sampler#
- Control. Shows a fully functional control.
- Appears when selected on left menu. Dynamic description box with links (changes to reflect control clicked on left menu.)
Ref 3c. - Question remains over what information to provide. See next section.
Documentation options
We propose some or all of the following solutions:
- Link to internal configuration within Magnolia for each control. This provide real life access to how a control is configured in Magnolia (i.e. in the repository/workspace.)
- Link to API / widget documentation. Note that at present Git also supplies information on controls that we do not want developers to change or reuse - such as the App launcher: https://git.magnolia-cms.com/gitweb/?p=magnolia_ui.git;a=tree;f=magnolia-ui-vaadin-common-widgets/src/main/java/info/magnolia/ui/vaadin;hb=HEAD Should go to
- Link to documentation example of config by code.
All three are possible if proposed redesign is implemented.
Follow up. Documentation requirement.
If we are to add a link to Magnolia 5 that leads to our wiki or docu, the documentation requirements will need to be communicated clearly.
Meeting of 31 /1/ 2013 - Showcase app to be removed. Need to document STK form fields for dialog definitions. These are also used in Apps. When Dev say that these new form fields, controls are not for use in web development, that does not mean that they are not used in the STK. They are.
Documentation firs: fields, control: properties - Javadoc. Liaise with
Fields, controls are due to be implemented by end of February.