[MTOS-dev] Looking for Feedback: Template Listing UI

[Mark Carey]

On Mon, Feb 25, 2008 at 9:34 PM, Jim Ramsey <jramsey at sixapart.com> wrote:
>  I really believe that combining these templates into a single list
>  makes sense. Archive templates and Index templates (and even System
>  templates) have more in common with each other than they do with
>  Modules and Widgets and I think it's valuable to emphasize that
>  relationship.

Ian made a valid point earlier in this discussion -- MT needs more
simplicity -- true enough.  I don't see how merging templates into one
big list achieves this.  It seems to be more complicated.

And while sorting by a "type" column is better than a strictly
alpha-sorted list, it seems like a bit of a hack, rather than a real
solution to improve the interface.  As Chad mentioned, since
"archive", starts with A, they would be listed first, and thats not
ideal, nor intuitive.

There are logical distinctions between each of the current types:

-Index -- builds a *single* file as output.
-Archive -- builds multiple files and thus require template mapping(s)
-System -- dynamically built
-Widgets / Modules -- don't build anything by themselves, included in
other templates

When to start to merge these into mixed listed (even if sorted) --
this may create confusion with some users if the fail to realize the
different nature of templates shown in the same list.

As advanced user, I don't see much benefit to this layout either.  If
I could quick and easier move between each of the listings screens,
that would be enough.

Side note: there is a little trick that you can use in MT4/4.1 to
display a full list of all types.  Click one one of the quick filter
links and then edit the URL by changing the filter_key parameter to
some gibberish.  The result is no filter, you get all the templates in
one list (alpha sorted).  The is huge, but of course it includes
widgets/modules.  I only use this when I want to export select
templates of more than one type into a single export package.

-Mark