[RFC] Merge "Customise" and ".MODs" Tab in ACP

[nickvergessen]

Currently we have 2 Tabs in the ACP dealing with extensions/mods.

The first one is the new Customise Tab, used to allow enabling/disabling of extensions, installing of styles and languages.
The second one is ACP_CAT_DOT_MODS used by mods in 3.0 and the first extensions in 3.1 to add their configuration modules.

My idea was to merge them into one

2014-03-03_18_48_35.png (32.92 KiB) Viewed 1730 times

The three modules of the Customise Tab would be at the top of the list, the configuration modules of the mods/extensions below them.
Everything is in one place.

As for the tab, I would keep the language key 'ACP_CAT_DOT_MODS' to allow compatibility for install scripts of mods and migrations of already existing extensions. The translation should be changed to Customise, so it matches the fact that styles and translations are there aswell.

Opinions

[MattF]

So the Styles would need to be changed back to like it is in 3.0, where Installed and Uninstalled are all on the same page again.

[wintstar]

Yes that was my idea to 03 Mar 2014, 08:21
https://area51.phpbb.com/phpBB/viewtopi ... 10#p261289

Thus, it is clearly arranged. Customise should be renamed back to Styles.

[leschek]

The three modules of the Customise Tab would be at the top of the list, the configuration modules of the mods/extensions below them.
Everything is in one place.

If someone installs lot of MODs (Extensions) with submodules it is very annoying to choose some submodule at the bottom of left panel and scroll up to the top to change setting and then again down to choose another submodule of the same or different MOD (extension) and scroll back up again. That's why on my forum I split MODs tab into two tabs. So I would prefer not to merge it. Maybe if we (admins) could change order of modules in the left panel, so admins would be able to move the most used modules to the top.

EDIT: my post is not 100% correct. Read correction by DavidIQ here.

[John P]

Please don't merge, customize is for customize the board, .mods for modifications although I prefer to place a entry for a mod in a logical place. So a mod for logging should be in maintenance tab under logs. Most customers ask to place the modlink under quick access because it's the first page in ACP.
Question, is there really a .mods tab necessary?

[MattF]

I sort of agree with above post that Customise tab isn't really the place for extension/mod control panels.

You could, for example, have a SPAM Protection extension, that has its settings module here, but what does that have to do with customizing your board, as the tab name implies?

I just think, as before, the .MODs tab needs a much better name is all. i.e.:
Plug Ins
Extensions
Extension Modules
Extension Module Settings
Extension Control Panels
Extra Settings
3rd Party Extensions
Other
any better ideas??

Question, is there really a .mods tab necessary?

Absolutely! Many mods/extensions have extensive Modules that may not fit in anywhere else among the existing ACP modules. Without it, a lot of authors would just fill up the General section on the left menu, and that list would get real long, real fast. Plus it's kinda nice for an admin to know (usually) where all the new settings from their newly installed mods can be found, under one roof - the .MODs tab.

Customise should be renamed back to Styles.

No. The Customise tab is for styles, language packs and Extensions.

[tbackoff]

I sort of agree with above post that Customise tab isn't really the place for extension/mod control panels.

Agreed!

Question, is there really a .mods tab necessary?

Absolutely! Many mods/extensions have extensive Modules that may not fit in anywhere else among the existing ACP modules. Without it, a lot of authors would just fill up the General section on the left menu, and that list would get real long, real fast.

That's just being plain lazy (filling the GENERAL section). Haven't MOD Authors learned that you can create your own tabs in the ACP? That's what I'm doing for my Knowledge Base MOD and Extension.

[wintstar]

Please don't merge, customize is for customize the board, .mods for modifications although I prefer to place a entry for a mod in a logical place. So a mod for logging should be in maintenance tab under logs. Most customers ask to place the modlink under quick access because it's the first page in ACP.
Question, is there really a .mods tab necessary?

That would be my idea. With one click without the hassle to scoll. Already have the idea Sortable extension events inserted:

With one click

acp_extension4.PNG (99.52 KiB) Viewed 1649 times

[prototech]

I sort of agree with above post that Customise tab isn't really the place for extension/mod control panels.

Agreed!

+1

I just think, as before, the .MODs tab needs a much better name is all. i.e.:
Plug Ins
Extensions
Extension Modules
Extension Module Settings
Extension Control Panels
Extra Settings
3rd Party Extensions
Other
any better ideas??

Miscellaneous (or simply Misc.)? Extensions indicates that all settings modules for extensions are located under here, which is not always the case. Thus, a more generic name that encompasses all modules that do not fall under any other tab makes more sense to me.

That's just being plain lazy (filling the GENERAL section). Haven't MOD Authors learned that you can create your own tabs in the ACP? That's what I'm doing for my Knowledge Base MOD and Extension.

That doesn't seem any better. Unless your extension contains multiple submodules and categories, there is no need for a tab. On my laptop, I can fit possibly another 6 or 7 tabs (depending on their size)... 4 if they're all the size of Knowledge Base. That's going fill up rather quickly, so I wouldn't recommend doing this.

[DavidIQ]

If someone installs lot of MODs (Extensions) with submodules it is very annoying to choose some submodule at the bottom of left panel and scroll up to the top to change setting and then again down to choose another submodule of the same or different MOD (extension) and scroll back up again. That's why on my forum I split MODs tab into two tabs. So I would prefer not to merge it. Maybe if we (admins) could change order of modules in the left panel, so admins would be able to move the most used modules to the top.

That is incorrect. If you click on a sub-module at the bottom of any tab in the ACP or anywhere else you'll end up at the top of the page since the entire page reloads. There is no scrolling up after clicking on a sub-module.