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Rename User Defined Field to Custom User Data Field

1 Initial Problem

The label "user defined field" is misleading.

The current label sounds like each user could define fields for his/her account, which is not the case. Instead it is about fields of user account data, which can be customized per installation - in contrast to those hard-coded standard-fields.

It would be totally legitimate if a fresh ILIAS installation would come with some pre-defined customizable fields. For example we may want to ship ILIAS with a motto field, but administrators should be able to remove that field if they don't like the idea.

2 Conceptual Summary

Rename "user defined field" to "custom field" everywhere it appears.

Suggested implementation: grep through the language variables of ILIAS and check all views of user management.

3 User Interface Modifications

3.1 List of Affected Views

• Administration > User Management > Settings
• probably a lot of other views

3.2 User Interface Details

• Rename "user defined field" to "custom field" everywhere it appears.

3.3 New User Interface Concepts

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4 Technical Information

No technical issues.

5 Contact

• Author of the Request: Kiegel, Colin [kiegel]
• Maintainer: {Please add your name before applying for an initial workshop or a Jour Fixe meeting.}
• Implementation of the feature is done by: {The maintainer must add the name of the implementing developer.}

6 Funding

If you are interest in funding this feature, please add your name and institution to this list.

• ...

7 Discussion

Killing, Alexander [alex], 25 Jan 2017: "Custom User Properties" could also be an option.

AT 2017-01-31: 
Thank you, Colin for bringing up this issue. I wonder if we could find a general pair of lables that could be applied to a similar issue in Metadata for example: Standard vs. Custom  / Standard vs. Eigene 

This would provide us with 

• Standard Metatadata vs. Custom Metadata  / Standard User Properties  vs. Custom User Properties
• Standard Metatadaten vs. Eigene Metadaten / Standard Benutzerfelder vs.  Eigene Benutzerfelder

I am aware of the lack of precision in "Eigene" as opposed to "selbsterstellt". Selbsterstellt would be my preference over  benutzer-definiert. 

Kiegel, Colin [kiegel] 2017-01-31: I like the idea of a general pair. Standard X + Custom X is a good combination in English IMO.

However I don't like the direction of Eigene X in German. Because: Some litterally User Defined X could become a thing in a far distant future, too. We don't want that to clash with Custom X, or its translation in German. I think the direction of Custom X should be 'custom to this ILIAS installation' instead of 'custom to this user' and I don't think Eigene X catches that interpretation. However I can not think of many alternatives in German and they are also no litteral translation of custom:

• Erweiterte X
• Spezial X

From the German perspective I would prefer Erweiterte X, which would litterally translate to Extended/Advanced. Does it make sense to have Custom X in English, but Erweiterte X in German? That's my preference if I look at both languages individually.

An even more radical approach would be to "call it the same: X" in the frontend, but only have one deletable and editable. But I guess that's not really an option, since we can't hide the implementation differences completely, e.g. within the user import / export. Is it?

AT 2017-02-01: Over-lunch discussion yesterday brought up the following: 

• Standard x / Custom x
• Standard x / organisationsspezisfische x  

Well I know it is pretty long but it is very accurate

Alternative 

• Standard x / Weitere x

Kiegel, Colin [kiegel] 2017-02-01: Throwing in some other suggestions for German

• Orgspezifische X (a bit shorter, but could be misleading with regard to Org-Units)
• Angepasste X or Anpassbare X
• Flexible X
• Dynamische X
• Freie X

My personal shortlist would be Freie X, Erweiterte X or Weitere X. I guess we have enough options to ask the product manager about his opinion. :-)

AT 2017-02-01: Anpassbare X would be my favourite if it was not for the way this would shouw up in Courses....

Seiler, Yvonne [yvseiler] 09 Feb 2017: Have you already discussed 

• engl. Standard X vs. Custom X
• dt. Standard X vs. Individuelle X

Kiegel, Colin [kiegel] 2017-02-09:

• @seiler: We should reserve Individuelle X for fields that can be created by each user individually, that's basically the same problem as with Benutzerdefinierte X IMO.
• @toedt: What about Erweiterte X? I think that works well in german (btw. custom metadata was previously advanced metadata in English, i.e. a literal translation of Erweiterte Metadaten -> we've been already very close to Erweiterte X).

JourFixe, ILIAS [jourfixe], FEB 13, 2017: We prefer "Weitere Metadaten" and "Weitere Benutzerdaten" for German and "Custom Metadata" and "Custom User Data" in English. For user data we would like to merge the views of  pre-defined UD and custom UD - if funding would be available.

8 Implementation

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Test Cases

Test cases completed at {date} by {user}

• {Test case number linked to Testrail} : {test case title}

Approval

Approved at {date} by {user}.