Still no way to easily create navigation tabs

[Ikadon]

So I'm positive that if the developers thought that a navigation management system would be put to good use, they'd spend the time adding one.

One possible argument. The users at my local vBulletin-forums have been crying for the ability to change and administrate the navigation bar since months and even years. IPS could be the first to provide this :) (regarding community software from one hand only)

[Ikadon]

I argued that there is no need for one as you may make changes yourself and that providing one would open the door to broken navigations and would need to be updated to increase the number of options it provides increasing the potential number of things that can break.

With this (pseudo-)"argument" one could literally neglect every suggestion on these boards. "You want facebook-connect? Just add it yourself! You can't code? Well, then hire someone." You could spin this for every single feature.

[qscott86]

The problem is that he keeps ignoring the fact that you shouldn't have to manipulate code to add navigation links. By Christphe's standards, then we should change the code each time we want to add a forum. As I've stated numerous times, it should be just as intuitive as adding a new forum. Why should adding a link require one to change the board's code?

[Tanax]

The problem is that he keeps ignoring the fact that you shouldn't have to manipulate code to add navigation links. By Christphe's standards, then we should change the code each time we want to add a forum. As I've stated numerous times, it should be just as intuitive as adding a new forum. Why should adding a link require one to change the board's code?

Because you could abuse it and add 5000 forums and make the page exceed the browser's memory capacity, making it overload and crash the computer..

[Marcher Technologies]

I too would have to agree with what Kyle is trying to say. Christophe, you don't notice a pattern here in this thread? People are 'Liking' what Kyle and others are saying, yet I don't see any 'likes' on your replies. Why? Because the majority of us agree on his point of views. You keep writing all these long posts, but basically are repeating the same thing over and over again. At some point I stopped reading your replies because one, as I mentioned, you keep repeating your point that nobody agrees with. And two, quite frankly, I get bored of reading posts that long. You keep trying to make your argument as if everyone who will use this feature will be stupid enough to abuse it and put countless tabs and thus create "broken" navigations. First of all, you don't know that as a fact. Why not them try it out and see if it does "break" the navigation or create some disastrous results as you keep trying to point out. If an actual IPS developer can reply in this thread to verify what you're saying is true, then perhaps I'll believe it. Until that happens, I'm going to continue to support this suggestion.

.... I can say from having built many a website with ipcontent... YES... fact is.. most skin designers simply wont take the time to wrap navigation tabs... not even IPS default skin does this... and MANY MANY have added too many and incurred broken layouts.

[Chito]

.... I can say from having built many a website with ipcontent... YES... fact is.. most skin designers simply wont take the time to wrap navigation tabs... not even IPS default skin does this... and MANY MANY have added too many and incurred broken layouts.

Still doesn't mean everyone will do it. There are many, many forums/sites out there using IP.Board that have nicely organized navigation tabs with no problems whatsoever. Don't punish the well-organized, good designers along with the bad. And why so worried? If you don't wish to implement this feature (if they do decide to add it), you don't have to. If others wish to be sloppy and have their boards look like crap, that's on them, not on you or your board.

[Marcher Technologies]

Still doesn't mean everyone will do it. There are many, many forums/sites out there using IP.Board that have nicely organized navigation tabs with no problems whatsoever. Don't punish the well-organized, good designers along with the bad. And why so worried? If you don't wish to implement this feature (if they do decide to add it), you don't have to. If others wish to be sloppy and have their boards look like crap, that's on them, not on you or your board.

Never said i was against this feature at all... just providing a counterpoint from experience.

[openfire]

+1 for an option to add extra navigation tabs!

[♥ Adam ♠]

+1 on this ideal

[Calumks]

Please add this!

[TackleUnderground]

Agreed, and I would think IPS should agree also, given that they've abandoned the default menu on IPB and use a FusionMenu clone on the IPC part of the site.

I was rather miffed that nav menu manipulation wasn't a defacto standard in IPContent.
IPContent expands upon the core to be able to add pages, databases, widgets, etc. yet no way to directly link to them?

I personally use FusionMenu and for the most part, like it.
It allows you to disable the primary IPB navigation or alternatively build upon it.
Adding links to installed apps are a breeze and even runs permissions on those links added.

The only thing I don't like is the inability to move it. It wants to be first on page (up top) and the lack of support from the mod dev when I inquired about such.
This is why I avoid using mods/add-ons, etc. is the lack of support/code upkeep over time.

You also gotta question why would IPS create such a feature when a solution exists where they get 10% of the sale and don't have to support the code?

[Marcher Technologies]

Agreed, and I would think IPS should agree also, given that they've abandoned the default menu on IPB and use a FusionMenu clone on the IPC part of the site.

I was rather miffed that nav menu manipulation wasn't a defacto standard in IPContent.

IPContent expands upon the core to be able to add pages, databases, widgets, etc. yet no way to directly link to them?

I personally use FusionMenu and for the most part, like it.

The only thing I don't like is the inability to move it. It wants to be first on page (up top) and the lack of support from the mod dev when I inquired about such.

This is why I avoid using mods/add-ons, etc. is the lack of support/code upkeep over time.

I believe one could use the IPC Fusionmenu plugin block, specifically the primary navigation one, to position your menu wherever you like, or move the Primary_nav in-skin to where you want it.... I have personally used that block on wrapperless pages with custom CSS :sorcerer:
Edit, and i misread, one could use the fusion header menu plugin block in a skin with said header menu option in app disabled, but configured to place it anywhere else in-skin.

[.Ian]

[u]You also gotta question why would IPS create such a feature when a solution exists where they get 10% of the sale and don't have to support the code?[/u]

IPS wrote the original code ;)

[Marcher Technologies]

IPS wrote the original code :wink:

They wrote the JS powering it, however, a private investor paid for it to be furthered into what it is now, including permissions and the php automation/application end of it.

[qscott86]

They wrote the JS powering it, however, a private investor paid for it to be furthered into what it is now, including permissions and the php automation/application end of it.

My contention has been that one shouldn't have to buy a plugin for something that should be a standard feature, and by the way many people on this thread seem to agree with me. This isn't some specialized feature that should require a plugin - navigation is a pretty essential part of the board/ IPS framework. I'm amazed at people being critical of a mere suggestion and not being constructive in any way.

[qscott86]

[u]You also gotta question why would IPS create such a feature when a solution exists where they get 10% of the sale and don't have to support the code?[/u]

Well we could apply that logic to any feature that could be added via a plugin. They add new features to improve their product. I doubt they are very concerned about making 10% off a plugin that may or may not even be a big seller. By adding new features, they gain more customers - it's quote obvious why they would.

[Ikadon]

My contention has been that one shouldn't have to buy a plugin for something that should be a standard feature, and by the way many people on this thread seem to agree with me. This isn't some specialized feature that should require a plugin - navigation is a pretty essential part of the board/ IPS framework. I'm amazed at people being critical of a mere suggestion and not being constructive in any way.

Well we could apply that logic to any feature that could be added via a plugin. They add new features to improve their product. I doubt they are very concerned about making 10% off a plugin that may or may not even be a big seller. By adding new features, they gain more customers - it's quote obvious why they would.

I agree to both of you. And at the risk of repeating myself: vBulletin-users cried for this for months, at least they did when vB 4.0 came out and I'm not sure if the new versions have this feature already. Compete! :)

[Mr. Blogger]

I find the thread title funny. Only because if you have no experince with basic html. I'm surprised you spent $150 for this software or more. It is easy and simple to add a tab to the navigation. It's like learning 2 + 2 = 4. It would take less than 5 secs to locate the navigation code in the template, and then add a tab. I don't see this becoming a official feature either. Maybe a hook, but not a official feature.

Also if it did it would of just wasted 1 hour of the IPB team life to add such a official feature to.

[qscott86]

I find the thread title funny. Only because if you have no experince with basic html. I'm surprised you spent $150 for this software or more. It is easy and simple to add a tab to the navigation. It's like learning 2 + 2 = 4. It would take less than 5 secs to locate the navigation code in the template, and then add a tab. I don't see this becoming a official feature either. Maybe a hook, but not a official feature.

Also if it did it would of just wasted 1 hour of the IPB team life to add such a official feature to.

I am well aware of how to add tabs. That's not the issue and has never been. I have tabs on my own site. The issue is that it should be easy and intuitive. I see you are being your normal obnoxious, immature self throwing personal attacks around so we'll leave it at that. My only hope is that IPS doesn't look to you to determine what features to include. This would be a great feature for those less "experienced" than you.

[Mr. Blogger]

I am well aware of how to add tabs. That's not the issue and has never been. I have tabs on my own site. The issue is that it should be and intuitive. I see you are being your normal obnoxious, immature self throwing personal attacks around so we'll leave it at that. My only hope is that IPS doesn't look to you to determine what features to include. This would be a great feature for those less "experienced" than you.

I'm not being immature. It is my opinion, and known fact. I never seen any forum software add such a official tab system. Only reason no webmaster need one because its a wasteful feature to make something like that official. Like I said it should always remain as a hook, add-on, mod or whatever you would like to call it. I also find it funny as a personal attacks. I have nothing personal agasint it. If it was added I wouldn't mind. But I don't want to spend 2+ hours trying to remove such a useless feature everytime I use IPB. When I rather add it from the templates.

[qscott86]

I'm not being immature. It is my opinion, and known fact. I never seen any forum software add such a official tab system. Only reason no webmaster need one because its a wasteful feature to make something like that official. Like I said it should always remain as a hook, add-on, mod or whatever you would like to call it. I also find it funny as a personal attacks. I have nothing personal agasint it. If it was added I wouldn't mind. But I don't want to spend 2+ hours trying to remove such a useless feature everytime I use IPB. When I rather add it from the templates.

So because other forum software doesn't have Ajax reply boxes or pictures at the top of topics that means IPS shouldn't as well? That's hardly a justification for them not including this important feature. It doesn't matter if you've seen it before - IPS has been the frontrunner on a lot of features. Where is this known "fact"? You can certainly have an opinion about anything, but you have no right to suggest that others don't know HTML because they want this feature in the control panel. You are insulting everyone that replied to this topic and said they would like this feature. It's not a useless feature and since you claim you can add tabs in 5 seconds, it shouldn't take you 2 hours to remove it. I think your last "sentence" hit the tail on the head: "When I rather add it from the templates. " Not everything is about you thankfully.

What you're saying is basically akin to saying you shouldn't be able to add forums in the admin CP because if you know SQL it only takes "5 seconds".

[Ikadon]

I find the thread title funny. Only because if you have no experince with basic html. I'm surprised you spent $150 for this software or more. It is easy and simple to add a tab to the navigation. It's like learning 2 + 2 = 4. It would take less than 5 secs to locate the navigation code in the template, and then add a tab. I don't see this becoming a official feature either. Maybe a hook, but not a official feature.

Also if it did it would of just wasted 1 hour of the IPB team life to add such a official feature to.

I can add posts with html as well, why bothering with a forum-software? Why we need a admin-area, we can do everything in the database!

Once again, many, maybe most people here know how to do it on their own, nonetheless we would like to have this as a basic feature.

I'm helping with a project that has a navigation with 50 + elements (although sub-elements counted). Now if we'd want to rearrange, reorder things, edit a Link or add one, we'd have to dive into the HTML an do so. But what if we just need a special button for a few hours (e.g. happy hour in the store)?

Apart from that, we could add any feature on our owns, but why buying a ready-to-go solution then anyways?

[Ikadon]

I'm not being immature. It is my opinion, and known fact. I never seen any forum software add such a official tab system. Only reason no webmaster need one because its a wasteful feature to make something like that official. Like I said it should always remain as a hook, add-on, mod or whatever you would like to call it. I also find it funny as a personal attacks. I have nothing personal agasint it. If it was added I wouldn't mind. But I don't want to spend 2+ hours trying to remove such a useless feature everytime I use IPB. When I rather add it from the templates.

Because no other forum-software doesn't have it, doesn't mean it's not good for IPS to include it. Apart from that, IP.Board is the core, I'd like it for IP.Content. (And EVERY (!) CMS I ever used - and I used a whole bunch of them - has had the ability to easily manage tabs/links)

No reason arguing with people stating their own opinions as "known facts"

[Grego]

After reading this whole thread end-to-end I agree with both sides. As a part of the IP.Board application this navigation functionality should be limited to what it is, except maybe an easy reorganization feature to avoid having to code just to put one tab in front of another. This comes primarily from the fact that a lot of forums I have seen are just that, forums, they don't need or use navigational links. Now we get into the fun stuff. IP.Content should definitely have fine menu capabilities right out of the box that could easily be switched with the IP.Board navigation for those who decide to purchase IP.Content. People are buying IPC for a reason and I strongly think that it is for managing content which needs to be organized, structured and linked to. So basically its coming to a compromise which boils down to this. I like the fact that some things get left to the community to tackle with mods, hooks and stuff. But I think if your going to market a "CMS" for your suite then it should be expected to offer at least the basics of a "CMS" since not all purchasers are going to be code gurus. Besides people not being coders the more the coding not left to the users the less likely it is to break through code errors (Human error). Thanks for reading my ramble. Again I know this can be accomplished now and see all of the sides of argument as valid and agree that's why there needs to be a compromise. Mine is include above.

[*]IP.Board has basic navigation, currently the one it uses now (Maybe easier tab reorganization through front-end) [*]IP.Content has more advanced menu capabilities through front-end and options exist to switch out sites basic nav with the IP.Content navigation but this is completely optional to the user(I know this can be accomplished now, but not without having to go into coding.)

[Marcher Technologies]

i wanted to state, while its a minimalistic no javascript method... this has proved "an easy way to add ipc page navigation"