Table-centric UI

[tghounsell]

I find that I spend a good bit of time clicking my way between lists of elements, lists of lists, lists of forms, lists of groups and lists of menu items. Generally, all the navigation between these various list pages is related to configuring a single user view. Yes, I appreciate that filters I set my first time visiting a list are there when I return, but I still find it a lot of navigating about.

Also, I think some of the challenge of learning to use Fabrik comes from the fact that lists and forms seem to serve as more than lists and forms in the Fabrik world. A list is table, but it can also be a copy of a table, it's also the point of reference to the mysql table. A form is a form, but the groups of elements it doesn't include seem to have downstream impacts on whether those elements are available for other things beside displaying in a form. I still don't think I fully understand what a form is in the Fabrik paradigm. It's a bit challenging.

I think that Fabrik would be faster & easier to use and much, much easier to learn if the UI used a table centric paradigm where all the components (lists, forms, groups, elements, visualizations, schedules) appeared as child records of the "model". Perhaps 'model' isn't the best term but let's call it that for now.

Imagine a fabrik model page with accordion sections to show/hide components as follows:
-> Groups
--->Elements
----->Element Clones
-> List View(s)
-> Form View(s)
->Visualizations
->Schedules
->connection (the db and table connection info)

Without leaving the page, I can navigate between all the various components of a "model" and never confuse myself about whether I'm editing the right version of an element, etc.

At the same time, I think this approach would help clean up some of the hardest concepts about Fabrik. Freeing a list from also being a table connection means it can be more simply, a List View. Perhaps this would mean then that there's no need to have overlapping configurations between lists and list menu items and the complexity of having two places to check for pre-filters, elements to show, etc can be collapsed into a single point of configuration.

Might be a tall ask, but I think it would be a game changer. That's my two-cents.

 

[troester]

A list is more than a DB table, it can be joined tables, MySql views.
But the concept of Fabrik is that a list IS connected to the database.

The list menu options are for the admin's convenience, so you don't need to create a list copy if you just want to show other elements/columns or use other prefilters or use an other template etc. but you don't need to use them at all.

You have some parts of your 'model' in the list's "View details".

Surely this can be improved by also showing vizs, menues etc. using this list.
And by returning to this screen after starting from there for editing.

But somebody has to do it...
Feel free to improve.

 

[wezetel]

I'm not sure, I understand the thread in full extend, but it is an indication for me, to create a picture of the structure of fabrik, which I have in my head (for long time and never created).
For example: I have found Fabrik some years ago, just because I searched for an extension to create forms, which will be send with an e-mail to the recipients. This didn't include any database interactions.
What I want to indicate: Fabrik can be used with or w/o database interactions (just forms).
For sure, for complex applications database tables (or their correspondending list) are required, but only a focus on lists would be not enough

 

[tghounsell]

Some good thoughts. I definitely like the idea of a visual that shows me how all the pieces fit together.

A list is more than a DB table, it can be joined tables, MySql views.

Yes, that's why I didn't use the term "table". It's also why I proposed the term "List View" rather than "List".

Anyhoo, I made the post as more of a thought exercise and because I like to tool and want to see if flourish. I recognize that it would be a whole lotta change and the bandwidth may never allow. A picture might help a lot.