Improve the User Interface in XF 2.2 Attachments

[arn]

Inserting Image (Attachments) in XF2.2 isn't as easy to use

Anyone else feel like the insert image/attachment button is a little too hidden? I feel like it's not as obvious what you're supposed to do. Feels like a usability step back. And "select attachments" also feels like the same as attach files. I made that mistake when I wanted to upload more...

xenforo.com

New XF 2.2 attachment system is harder to use -- especially for novice users.
The "Insert" button is more hidden, the "select attachments" button is confusing.

Feels like a regression in terms of ease-of-use.

Xenforo 2.2:



Xenforo 2.1:

 

[AndyB]

I think it would be less confusing if the Select attachments button would be changed to Manage attachments.

 

[beerForo]

It's for selecting the ones you want to insert, if you have a lot so you don't have to insert one by one. Manage might infer something else. Select seems appropriate to me.

 

[arn]

Or maybe it means select ones you want to upload. It’s a bit vague and that doesn’t get into the questionable interface when you do hit select.

Cancel and delete are rather close to each other. Both physically and also it’s not good to place two such opposite things within striking distance.

If you do hit delete it doesn’t do anything, unless you’ve checked off the box in the top left corner.

 

[beerForo]

Or maybe it means select ones you want to upload.

You don't see it until after you upload.

 

[Gamorreaner]

IMO, simply remove the select attachment button and the selection symbol which that option uses. Make them behave similar to folders on your computer. You press on them and they are selected, press again to remove selection. Also make it more visible when they are selected than just the small hook (see image below for an example of how to do it):


If you hover e.g. Image 1, you can still choose from options individually, like removing it or adding it as Thumbnail/Full Size, but if you select more than one you should have a field below saying something like: "Add selected images as: Thumbnail or Full Size" "Delete selected images".

Remove the "Insert..." and give us the option to add them directly either as thumbnail or full size, with one click. Make some easy to understand symbols, e.g. '+' for thumbnail and '++' for full size.

 

[Karelke]

The insert buttons in XF 2.2 are just too small, especially on mobile. I have to hit it several times before the image inserts.

 

[Kier]

I've made a few changes and improvements to the multi-attachment bar, but I'm still weighing options for the primary insertion controls - we have limited scope due to the square layout, which I consider to be more important at this point than the old horizontal strip approach, which did allow more space for each attachment but also had serious downsides as I laid out in the related video.

 

[Anatoliy]

square layout

I loooove it! It solves the problem with mess when both landscape and portrait thumbnails are in lines.
Is there some chance for us to get the ability to insert square thumbnails into posts, instead of regular?
The regular "insert as thumbnail" image is too small to take all the screen width and too big to use it with text (align left/right).
But that square thumbnail would sit there just perfect.

 

[Sim]

Testing ...






@Kier ... I think contrast is a bit of an issue on the thumbnail insertion icons right now:

 

[Karelke]

IMO the Insert button is still too small, and barely visible with some images:

 

[🔥Iggy🔥]

IMO the Insert button is still too small, and barely visible with some images:


View attachment 229983

they havent updated the changes to the live site yet....check his screen shot, you can see it is improved

 

[Karelke]

they havent updated the changes to the live site yet...

I missed that part, thank you

 

[arn]

I missed that part, thank you

I don’t think that’s true. The multi attachment interface is different. I just don’t think there’s been any changes to the insert button yet.

 

[Gamorreaner]

@Kier No selection hook on mouseover, please. That thing yells for confusion.

 

[Kirby]

It might be just me, but inserting single or all images seems to require more work/clicks on XF 2.2

XenForo 2.0/2.1​

XenForo 2.2​

Single Image
On XF 2.0/2.1 this did require one click on Insert: Thumbnail/Full Image, on XF 2.2 it does require 2 clicks: one click on Insert ... and onother click on Thumbnail/Full Image


All Images
On XF 2.0/2.1 this did require one click on Insert all: Thumbnail/Full Image, on XF 2.2 it does require 3 clicks: one click on Insert multiple ..., one click on Select all and a final one on Thumbnail/Full Image


Also, in XF 2.0/2.1 it was possible to discard an individual image at any time by just clicking Delete, on XF 2.2 this is only possible when not in "multiple section" mode.

I would therefore like to suggest the following changes:

• Always display the recycle bin icon regardless of mode so an image can be discarded at any time
• Display the individual insert options when hovering over the Insert ... menu; always display them on devices that do not support hover
• Display additional buttons Insert all: Thumbnail / Full Image when not in multiple selection mode
  

IMHO this would significantly simplify inserting individual or all images as it would bring back the amount of clicks required to what we had on XF 2.0/2.1 without loosing the new functionality.

 

[arn]

I totally agree. We had some discussion about this here: https://xenforo.com/community/threads/improve-the-user-interface-in-xf-2-2-attachments.182407/

but I think your specific recommendations make sense.