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4,950 Views 6 Replies Last post: Aug 3, 2007 2:45 PM by lokkju RSS
lokkju Novice
lokkju
5 posts since
Jul 28, 2007
Currently Being Moderated

Jul 29, 2007 3:48 PM

Recommended Admin UI Integration point for Plugin settings?

Is there any recommended best practices for adding plugin settings/configuration pages to the Admin UI?  I am looking at a couple possible places:

 

  • A new System subtab, called Plugin Settings, right after Settings, that I would then add an action to for each plugin.

  • A new Tab, called Plugins, with settings and the like under it.

  • A new action under the settings tab, named for my plugin, for configuring my plugin.

  • Somehow extending the System-Settings->Plugins action to allow a config link for each plugin.

 

The first two ideas seem the best - the fourth I am thinking would be quite complex.

 

Any comments?

Tags: plugin, clearspace, code, plugins, clearspace_api, custom
nick Jive Employee
nick
100 posts since
May 25, 2006
Currently Being Moderated
Aug 2, 2007 4:21 PM in response to: Lokkju
Re: Recommended Admin UI Integration point for Plugin settings?

It is possible to add a tab and/or a sidebar link in the admin console via your plugin. Check out the document The specified document was not found. for some examples on how to do so. Let us know if you have any further questions.

lokkju Novice
lokkju
5 posts since
Jul 28, 2007
Currently Being Moderated
Aug 2, 2007 5:33 PM in response to: Nick Hill
Re: Recommended Admin UI Integration point for Plugin settings?

I know it is possible.  My question was from a design and architecture standpoint, what is recommended.  I am sure I am not the only one who is going to need to provide a plugin configuration page, and I would like to implement my plugin in as compliant a way as possible.  If there is not some recommended practices for where to integrate the admin side per plugin configuration,we will probably end up with the configuration links all over the place.

ajohnson1200 Jive Employee
ajohnson1200
1,229 posts since
Jan 7, 2004
Currently Being Moderated
Aug 3, 2007 12:04 AM in response to: Lokkju
Re: Recommended Admin UI Integration point for Plugin settings?

hi lokkju,

 

My personal opinion is that it you should put your plugin settings page in the area of the admin console that makes the most sense... if it's a plugin related to users, put it under people --> settings. If it's a system plugin, then System --> settings, etc.  If it's a plugin that significantly alters the way Clearspace works or adds some major piece of functionality we don't offer, you should consider adding your own tab after reporting or real time.

 

Does that help?

 

Cheers,

 

AJ

lokkju Novice
lokkju
5 posts since
Jul 28, 2007
Currently Being Moderated
Aug 3, 2007 12:57 AM in response to: Aaron Johnson
Re: Recommended Admin UI Integration point for Plugin settings?

 

Actually, it does.  I was not thinking along the lines of a plugin conceptually extending clearspace - I was thinking of it more as a seperate peice that interacts with clearspace.  Put in your terms, it is the only logical way to do it - though of course, figuring out what section each plugin best fits may still be something of a pain. grin

 

 

 

 

 

Thanks

 

 

matt Jive Employee
matt
3,653 posts since
Jun 28, 2001
Currently Being Moderated
Aug 3, 2007 1:27 PM in response to: Lokkju
Re: Recommended Admin UI Integration point for Plugin settings?

 

This is an interesting topic that we've had some debates over ourselves. Just how does a plugin author know the right place to put their functionality? How does someone that wants to administer a plugin know where to do that? I do really like the flexibility that we have now, though. The fact that you can add content anywhere provides a ton of power. Maybe at some point we could also add the links to admin a plugin right from the plugins area? That would provide an alternate path that could be useful.

 

 

-Matt

 

 

lokkju Novice
lokkju
5 posts since
Jul 28, 2007
Currently Being Moderated
Aug 3, 2007 2:45 PM in response to: Matt Tucker
Re: Recommended Admin UI Integration point for Plugin settings?

 

Matt,

 

 

 

 

 

That is what I was thinking about in my 4th method from my original post.  I just wasn't really sure how feasible it was using the current plugin architecture to implement...  what do you think?

 

 

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