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Improve modules page table poor layout.

Project:Drupal core
Version:8.x-dev
Component:system.module
Category:task
Priority:normal
Assigned:Unassigned
Status:closed (duplicate)

Issue Summary

I feel that the admin/modules page table (see module-before.jpg) could be improved:

  1. The description text is in italics, which is harder to read than non-italics.
  2. The description text used to be emboldened, which is easier to read, and differentiates it from the "Requires:" and "Required by:" text
  3. "Help, Permissions, and Configure" take up far too much horizontal real estate, at the expense of the Description text. Would suggest that these are either:
    1. Stacked in one column (see module-after2.jpg)
    2. Only the symbol is shown, with the symbol and label shown in the column header (see module-after1.jpg).
AttachmentSizeStatusTest resultOperations
module-before.jpg70.01 KBIgnored: Check issue status.NoneNone
module-after1.jpg63.27 KBIgnored: Check issue status.NoneNone
module-after2.jpg68.73 KBIgnored: Check issue status.NoneNone

Comments

#1

You're right, there is definitely room for improvement there! How can I help?

#2

Component:system.module» Garland theme

With the exception of the idea of stacking the Help/Permissions/Configure links, the rest of your complaints are a result of the CSS applied by the Garland theme. I'm moving this over to the Garland theme component, but a better solution might be to choose an administrative theme (like Seven).

#3

Version:7.0-alpha7» 7.x-dev
Component:Garland theme» system.module
Status:active» needs review

I prefer module-after1.jpg, let's move forward :)

AttachmentSizeStatusTest resultOperations
modules_page.patch502 bytesIdlePASSED: [[SimpleTest]]: [MySQL] 31,558 pass(es).View details | Re-test

#4

Component:system.module» Garland theme
Status:needs review» needs work

Ugh. Things look fine in Seven without the patch. For the curious, I've attached a screenshot of the proposed change in #3 in Seven. While it visually looks okay, it has usability issues --- if the original UI intention was to just have icons, they would have only had icons.

I still think this is a Garland problem, if at all.

AttachmentSizeStatusTest resultOperations
913712-3-seven.png54.49 KBIgnored: Check issue status.NoneNone

#5

Status:needs work» needs review

Even with an "administrative" theme like Seven, the horizontal links take up far too much horizontal real estate, at the expense of the description text.

Stacking the links seems a better alternative and a way to allow room for more core links and for other modules to add links. However, the core theme function, theme_system_modules_fieldset(), is not written to allow for more links. To be able to display more links, this theme function needs to be changed or the site's theme would need to override this theme function.

Simply replace:

// Display links (such as help or permissions) in their own columns.
foreach (array('help', 'permissions', 'configure') as $key) {
  $row[] = array('data' => drupal_render($module['links'][$key]), 'class' => array($key));
}

by:
// Display operation links (such as help or permissions) in one column.
$links = '';
foreach (element_children($module['links']) as $key) {
  $links .= drupal_render($module['links'][$key]);
}
$row[] = array('data' => $links, 'class' => array('operations'));

should do the trick.

#6

Why not just

// Display operation links (such as help or permissions) in one column.
$row[] = array('data' => drupal_render($module['links'], 'class' => array('operations'));

drupal_render() already handles arrays like this.

#7

One line works and is preferable to more.

AttachmentSizeStatusTest resultOperations
913712-operation-links.patch1.27 KBIdlePASSED: [[SimpleTest]]: [MySQL] 35,841 pass(es).View details | Re-test

#8

It'd be great if we could generate some before and after screenshots for Bartik/Garland/Seven for the folks reviewing this patch.

#9

I'm sure this needs to be switched to 8.x. Anyways, here are some before/after screenies of Bartik, Garland & Seven after the patch #7 is applied. The impact is not so obvious in Seven (but then again, I'm on a wide screen 23" monitor and this is fluid width), it is more obvious in Garland and it surely catches one's eye in Bartik.

If you need this functionality now, use Module filter NG that already does that ;)

AttachmentSizeStatusTest resultOperations
bartik_913712.png98.75 KBIgnored: Check issue status.NoneNone
garland_913712.png117.15 KBIgnored: Check issue status.NoneNone
seven_913712.png130.64 KBIgnored: Check issue status.NoneNone

#10

Title:Modules page table poor layout» Improve modules page table poor layout.
Version:7.x-dev» 8.x-dev
Component:Garland theme» system.module

This needs to be addressed in 8.x first and it's not only for Garland. Changing version and component then. Also changed the issue's title to resemble more of a "task". I'm not sure if it is a task or a feature request though. Leaving it as NR, but it might need a reroll against D8.

PS: there's #538904: D8UX: Redesign Modules Page btw, they have it filed under the base.system component.

#11

Status:needs review» closed (duplicate)

#1790280: Module page redesign 2.0

nobody click here