WYSIWYG editor in Pages

[Shanj]

Logician's templates let me edit the page with WYSWYG.
I can also enable my mods to edit like that.
Can these Pages do that? Much faster and easier for simple text + pics stuff.

Also I want some Pages access permissions by usergroup or several.
Even better for my homepage I want PARTS of the page per usergroup! To give links to their forums and info guide pages, section to have their own colour theme and symbol.
Could be done by a link on the central page for each usergroup but ... nicer if it's appears like just one.

 

[Lawrence]

The Pages uses are only limited by your imagination. I would not be surprised to see just as many Pages uploaded to the Resources section as styles and addons.

 

[Shanj]

The Pages uses are only limited by your imagination. I would not be surprised to see just as many Pages uploaded to the Resources section as styles and addons.

Certainly they could be a whole fantastic area for XF. I agree that different types of Pages as Resources will b e marvellous. Like a Rules page, a Staff list page, front page for a forum, lists of useful links or data etc

But without easy quick updating in WYSWYG the first enthusiasm will drain away. Pages will lag on prompt timely updates which is death to a webpage. The only people able to update MUST know html? Not sensible. That will bar some who want control of Pages relevant to their interests/ forum section from doing Pages as they want them to be. It'll also burden others with extra unwanted work as the subgroup of admins/ mods who know html being asked to do all the updates. I can see tensions arising there.

I think XF is about putting the capacity to do things in OUR hands as much as possible.
I'd be interested to know more about the XF syntax problem mentioned by Kier..

# Does having WYSWYG block all syntax on the entire page including header, footer?
I can't see why that would happen as the post WYSWYG we use on forums doesn't do that.

# Does WYSWYG block syntax in the page content area WE edit?
If so that might mean choices like using syntax on the page OR enabling WYSWYG for a selected user or usergroup. That would be OK asw many Pages won't need syntax in our content area.

# Would it be possible to create a page in html if you wanted table layouit in your content, or to include syntax
- but also enable WYSWYG so once created updates on a simpler level (text or insert graphic) can be done easily and fast by anyone who's given permission?

 

[Lycaon]

Why not just learn the basics of HTML? It's not really that hard to learn.

 

[steven s]

Why not just learn the basics of HTML? It's not really that hard to learn.

I was hoping that my members could contribute to the Pages. Almost like a wiki where specific usergroups could edit the page.
So far this is no more than a xF powered page that is manually edited. Or am I now not seeing the possibilities?

 

[Shanj]

Why not just learn the basics of HTML? It's not really that hard to learn.

I can do html - some admins don't. They are busy running a community.
Ditto mods - there are lots of excellent users who can usefully mod a board or a section of it. If we were limited to only users who know html to do that it would be a) hard to find mods with both sets of skills html + social; and b) an unfair barrier on all the really good mods who don't do html.

html is not hard to learn - for some. For some any code is a nightmare.
It also takes TIME to learn. Most busy mods and some admins don't have that time. They are too busy with the core tasks of admin or mod work - which is not coding.
Boards are about PEOPLE and INFORMATION. Code is a second level tool and as XF has made clear keeping the users and the content as the priority is the best way. Code is the servant not the mistress.

 

[Lycaon]

But basic html is very much like bbcode which your staff already know.

Bold - becomes <b></b>
Italic - becomes <i></i>
Underline - becomes <u></u>

 

[Shanj]

But basic html is very much like bbcode which your staff already know.

Bold - becomes <b></b>

Doctor in the WYSWYG editor form we get on these forums you don't have to put in the brackets. It's done for you by using the keyboard CTRL+B or clicking the B button.
Most people get in tangles by leaving off the end of a bracket until they get quite experienced with htnl. Believe me I TEACH ruddy html! If you're used to using it you are out of touch with the yucky struggle it requires to get going with it.

Yes we occasionally get tangled with the Reply feature if we nest them/ use multiples but MOSTLY we can just merrily type and click all kinds of designh options like -
italic bold font sizse colour smilies undo align left right centre indent insert link insert image insert video.
That'll do nicely for an awful lot of Pages.

 

[Paul B]

Pages is a bonus feature compared to most (all?) forums.
To take full advantage of them we need to be able to use HTML.

If you can't or don't want to use them, carry on using threads.
Surely that's what everyone does now anyway with static content, etc?

 

[steven s]

Pages is a bonus feature compared to most (all?) forums.
To take full advantage of them we need to be able to use HTML.

If you can't or don't want to use them, carry on using threads.
Surely that's what everyone does now anyway with static content, etc?

My current forum software requires a mod for static pages.
I think it's different when it is part of the package.

 

[Paul B]

I think it's different when it is part of the package.

That's fair enough but I can only refer you to what the developer has stated:

The biggest obstacle to adding a WYSIWYG editor to the Pages editor is the fact that it would block your ability to use XenForo template syntax within the page, which rather completely defeats the point of the system, in my opinion.

So either we go with an editor which is limited to the BB Code defined in the forum thereby severely restricting what content can be displayed or we use HTML which allows us to do whatever we want.

 

[steven s]

That's fair enough but I can only refer you to what the developer has stated:

I understand. Many admins and members are used to point and click to do everything.

 

[Shanj]

either we go with an editor which is limited to the BB Code defined in the forum thereby severely restricting what content can be displayed or we use HTML which allows us to do whatever we want.

Or we have a choice per page.

That way those that CAN use html comfortably, or need it for tables, or need to include syntax - CAN.
Those that don't use html/ don't want to, don't need tables or syntax in page content - CAN.
Those that want tables or syntax can set it up on first edit in html, then enable the page to quick easy updates.

I REALLY don't get it. If you're happy to open your html editor, transfer to the forum admincp, locate the Pages section, open the correct Page, Copy the page, transfer to your html editor and Paste into it to edit every update change, Save it, Copy it, go BACK into the Page editor in admincp, and Paste, then Save - you CAN.
If you're happy to accept being restricted top mods who can do html in updating your Pages - good for you.
No one is trying to stop you doing all that and accepting that restriction.

I just don't get it why if you're that kind of admin, and you ALREADY have that functionality level, why ytou want to energetically block other people having the additional option they have clearly shown is wanted.
It's a mystery.
There would simply be an option to click to enable WYSWYG in the Page admincp. Don't want it, don't use it.
If you really wanted I'm sure a clever coder among you could add a little tweak to hide or delete that line in the admincp.

Please don't keep trying to block others from having something you don't need. It's a bit like grabbing all the forks off the table because you personally prefer eating with a spoon! There's room for both.

 

[Peggy]

Shanj NO ONE is trying to block anything. This is a discussion. ALL opinions are welcome.

 

[Lycaon]

If you're happy to open your html editor, transfer to the forum admincp, locate the Pages section, open the correct Page, Copy the page, transfer to your html editor and Paste into it to edit every update change, Save it, Copy it, go BACK into the Page editor in admincp, and Paste, then Save - you CAN.

There's 2 points about that.

First, you're making it sound like it's some massive time consuming hassle to do work in an html editor and paste the contents into the XenForo page. It's not really.

Second, even if it was a task that would take a long time to complete, what are you planning to do with pages? I thought they would, for the most part, be used for static content, stuff that shouldn't need to be changed too often so again it wouldn't be a long hassle to do it using an html editor.

 

[Peggy]

There's 2 points about that.

First, you're making it sound like it's some massive time consuming hassle to do work in an html editor and paste the contents into the XenForo page. It's not really.

Second, even if it was a task that would take a long time to complete, what are you planning to do with pages? I thought they would, for the most part, be used for static content, stuff that shouldn't need to be changed too often so again it wouldn't be a long hassle to do it using an html editor.

That is the purpose of the page feature, yes.

 

[ijeffers]

So is there a big obstacle to doing something like wordpress has in situ at present? The default editor is the WYSIWYG option, however there is the link in the top right to edit the actual html in the same way when replying here you can switch to the bbcode editor?

Again what impact this would have on the use of xf syntax in pages or not no one really knows except Kier and Mike, but this switch seems to work quite well in wordpress and is a handy way of adding tables in if needed (unless you replace the included wordpress tinymce editor). I suppose the obvious difference between this and the wordpress editor is the fact that wordpress is in effect dealing purely with html, nothing else to interpret really. xf pages on the otherhand may have additional syntax depending on what you use.

 

[Shanj]

Shanj NO ONE is trying to block anything. This is a discussion. ALL opinions are welcome.

Of course Peggy.
But I don't understand why some members want to keep shooting down an option just because they don't want to use it.
If you don't want to use an option you don't use it. Why keep saying it's not necessary when to others it IS?

If it were the case that having the potion under discussion, created a conflict in the code, if it created strings and strings of admincp options to click through, if it created a security issue - then I could understand objections.
But "I don't fancy it" isn't very relevant as that doesn't change the fact that some users very much do fancy it.
Again if there were serious difficulties created by having it as an admincp option that would b e an issue to consider. But no one has come up with anything like that.

IF you use it it doesn't stop you using tables for layout if you do the html for them. All other design features are in bbcode.
IF you use it it will limit the kind of syntax you can use on the Page you create. That's your choice for your Page.
IF you use it the admincp would have one click to enable the WYSWYG editor. (If you clicked that you'd go to a selection list to allocate the privilege to a user, some users, a usergroup, or several.)

IF you DON'T want it all you'd have is one admincp line that you ignore leaving it default as No. You could probably comment it out or get a coder to do that.

This truly puzzles me. I don't go visiting threads about stuff I don't want just to say I don't want it.. (Unless I see that it won't be an option AND it'll mess up something I do want.) Instead I go places that relate to stuff that interests me.

 

[Shanj]

OK to conclude this WYSWYG issue I have been told that it would be a simple mod to add but unlikely to be core code.
Good. One more mod-I-want.

 

[Rob]

I'm sure we'll have an option to use WYSIWYG for pages. If there was a non default toggle to turn on wysiwyg for the page being edited then best of both worlds. For very fine granular control over the page you'll want to tie into template conditionals and other niftiness.... however, you might ust want an about us or other page than needs no conditionals or anything. If it were a seperate content type even.... add page (conditionals enabled) = no wysiwyg

There must be a way Im sure of it.

 

[Shanj]

I have been told by Kier that WYSWYG on Pages is NOT going to be in the core code
BUT it will be a simple matter to add it as a mod.

So that's that - other than who is going to mod it. Logician for choice.
But mods matters are being held back until the beta comes out in a few days time.