Feature Request: Instructions next to fields (other than check boxes)

11 posts by 8 authors in: Forums > CMS Builder
Last Post: February 2, 2010   (RSS)

By benedict - January 22, 2010

Hi guys,

Just a quick feature request. Currently we can leave instructions to users with the check box field which we use all the time. It would be great if we could leave notes/captions on other fields:

e.g. Uploads "uploaded file must be named promo.mp3"
Text field - "Do not use punctuation in this field" or "do not include $ symbol with price"


....I'm sure you catch my drift...

I'm sure this would stop a lot of clients demanding a manual as it provides instructions on the CMS usage.

Anyway, my two cents.

Cheers,

Benedict

Re: [benedict] Feature Request: Instructions next to fields (other than check boxes)

By Dave - January 22, 2010

Hi Benedict,

Have you tried using separator bars for this purpose? (That's what we do).

Otherwise, can you provide some more details on how you would like this feature implemented? We've had some other requests for this.

Would it be a "Help" field in the field editor that would always appears above/below the field. Or a question mark beside the field users could click for instructions?

What do you think?

Anyone else who wants this feel free to jump in. Thanks!
Dave Edis - Senior Developer
interactivetools.com

Re: [Dave] Feature Request: Instructions next to fields (other than check boxes)

By benedict - January 22, 2010

Separator Bars we find really useful for sectioning areas off - for example, we always have a Separator called "Search Engine Optimisation" and then have the Meta Title, Meta Description and Meta Keyword fields under that. But I find that it is limited to this kind of grouping, not really instructions.

I really like the idea of the question mark so I can be as long winded or brief as I like. Very slick.

And, I presume like with the checkbox, I could add comments to it through the Input Validation area of the section editor area.

Sounds good to me!

Re: [benedict] Feature Request: Instructions next to fields (other than check boxes)

By gkornbluth - January 22, 2010

Hi all,

I like the question mark as well.

There are some other "end user friendly" changes I'd like to see down the road.

For example, it would be nice if the same type of collapsing menu groups were available on the section editor side of things.
That way the client could see a much less daunting list of fields in a complex editor.

I also wouldn't mind the ability to place fields along side each other in the editor instead of just one above another. I'm thinking of First Name, Middle Initial, Last Name fields for example. or Start date/End date, etc.

Keep up the good work,

Best,

Jerry Kornbluth
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Re: [Dave] Feature Request: Instructions next to fields (other than check boxes)

By InHouse - January 22, 2010

Anyone else who wants this feel free to jump in.


I made a similar request last year. That was to have a text description field for every type of input so that we can leave guiding info for our users.

The question mark idea would be interesting but in our user experience testing, most users just ignore those marks and don't make use of them. Admittedly, these are less technical users but that's the majority and are likely to be ones needing the most help and guidance.

J.

Re: [InHouse] Feature Request: Instructions next to fields (other than check boxes)

By Perchpole - January 22, 2010

My two-penneth...

I like the question mark idea - but perhaps it would work better as a tooltip? The user rolls their mouse pointer over the "?" graphic and up pops a helpful window containing the relevant info...

I would like to take this theme a step further and recommend a user "splash page" - somewhere the developer tell the user about recent updates and new features, etc. The user would be forced to click through the page before accessing the back-end tools.

:0)

Perch

Re: [InHouse] Feature Request: Instructions next to fields (other than check boxes)

By benedict - January 23, 2010

InHouse has a good point. While the question mark is sexy, I too realise that so many of my clients will miss it. So I'll have to agree with something more conspicuous i.e. the notes on the page, not hidden.

Re: [benedict] Feature Request: Instructions next to fields (other than check boxes)

By Dave - January 26, 2010

I've added a note to add this for the next release. We'll try a few things, I'm curious about the tooltips, though.

If you are interested in this feature and you haven't already joined the beta feel free to email me at dave@interactivetools.com to be added.

That way you can offer your feedback during the beta period.

Thanks!
Dave Edis - Senior Developer
interactivetools.com

Re: [Dave] Feature Request: Instructions next to fields (other than check boxes)

By Codee - February 1, 2010

The beauty of offering this type of product is SO that less techy clients can modify their sites easily without calling their web person, so notes availability next to all fields would be a very professional offering. I use the ones next to the textfields frequently. For the others I've been using the separator bars but if you have a section with multiple fields that can be obtrusive-looking and many clients literally say "why don't you just put the instructions next to the field like you do for the text fields" to which the reply is "the software doesn't allow for that, or at least not yet" and to which the typical reply is "Gee, why not? If they do it for text fields why not for other fields. That's not smart or as easy." They are correct.

I look forward to this being added on the next beta release.