Author Topic: New tabs from search results menu (Read 1913 times)

alanms · June 04, 2010, 08:16:15 am

Hi,

I'm new here and doing a usability review, so I'll likely be putting up a few posts here trying to get some discussions going and trying to draw out some of the collective experience and user feedback we've all got. Hope this is okay, please let me know if this isn't the place to do it!

First of all a straightforward one: opening search results in new tabs.

The right-click menu on search results pages is brilliant, especially the 3.2 visual style, but it does change normal browser behaviour which is always risky in terms of frustrating users. There seen to be plenty of times when people might make a broad search and want to browse the results and open multiple tabs: "I'd better email her... hmm he shouldn't be on this list, better change that... I know he doesn't live there any more, better change that... need to add a contribution for him... and for her... and her... Right, that's all of them. Okay, tab one. Write email. Dear Jane..."

Or is there a reason why this isn't possible?

FWIW my suggestion would be, make the popup menu a simple 2-column table, with a small-text "New tab" link lined up right of each menu item. The whole row is highlighted whichever link is hovered over, showing that the two options are related, and the appropriate cell font colour glows, say, orange, to show that there are two options within the same action.

Thoughts?

- Alan

Dave Greenberg · June 04, 2010, 09:21:22 am

Hi Alan,
This is a good spot to post these discussions initially. If you are prepared to commit resources (development or funding) to a particular set of enhancements - it's a good idea to post a description (and mockups if possible) on the CiviCRM blog - for a broader audience / more visibility / more feedback.

Regarding the right-click issue - this is definitely a problem that needs to be solved. We've taken a stab at allowing a second right-click on the context menu item to trigger the normal browser menu - but haven't gotten that working. I think your idea might be better - interested in hearing other folks feedback.

If you're able to work on this and contribute a patch against 3.2 branch - we can see about getting it into core for this release. Ping us on IRC if you need a kick-start.

alanms · June 04, 2010, 09:38:22 am

Hi David,

Sweet! Thanks for the tip, I'll check out the blog.

I'm happy to contribute time here. I'm a designer first, developer second and unix programmer a distant and reluctant 3rd so I'm happy to get cracking making some user-friendly layout and visuals if someone will help me turn the end result into a patch and advise on how it could be coded more Civi.

Just been checking the source and the menu links appear pretty standard: if you know any reason why simply going for an old fashioned target="_blank" on the "New tab" link might not be enough, a warning would save me loads of time. I should be able to do this next week

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Author Topic: New tabs from search results menu (Read 1913 times)

alanms

New tabs from search results menu

Dave Greenberg

Re: New tabs from search results menu

alanms

Re: New tabs from search results menu