Page Editor » Presentation of Item Groups in Page Editor

1 Initial Problem

This is one part of a bigger feature request to simplify the interaction between the ILIAS Page Edior and the creation of ILIAS Objects. It was decided to takle this problem in smaller requests addressing specific issues. The problem this request tries to address is that users don't understand how to add previously created ILIAS Objects to a page they created as they don't see them on the page.

2 Conceptual Summary

In order to tackle this issue previously created Item Groups should be made visible in the ILIAS Page Editor as if they where created through the "Insert Resource" option in the ILIAS Page Editor. These groups can be moved by drag and drop, copied, edited and de-activated. If a new Item Group is added through the "Add New Item" button it is added to the bottom of the page.

Additionall also object-by-type groups will be displayed in the editor and can be moved by drag&drop into the editor content. Sorting of items within these groups is still handled by the related settings of these groups (e.g. by numbers or alphabetically). See JF decision in the discussion section below.

2.1 Behaviour on Container Presentation Type Change (15 .5.2023)

Since the blocks are created on editing, they became part of the page content and will persist, if the Presentation Type of the Container is changed, if the blocks are still valid blocks in the new Presentation Type, e.g.

• Course with Presentation Type "Grouped-By-Type View".
• Add two files and two folders.
• Edit Page Content (two blocks "Files" and "Folders" will be part of the page content).
• Change Presentation Type to "Sessions View"
• -> The two blocks will still be used, since they are valid blocks of the session view page content (even if they do not exist "per default").

3 User Interface Modifications

3.1 List of Affected Views

• The ILIAS Page Editor ("Customize Page") in Container Objects.
• The Preview of the ILIAS Page Editor ("Page") in Container Objects.

3.2 User Interface Details

By doing this the separation between the Content Editor and the ILIAS Page Editor is softened. This is especially visible in the meaning of the Delete option in the action overlay. A click on it could have two different consequences:

1. Just remove the Element from its current position with the consequence that it would be shown at the bottom (if it was the last reference to it). This behaviour will be implemented: See last JF decision in the comments.
2. Actually delete the Item List once the last reference to it is removed.

3.3 New User Interface Concepts

No new interface elements would be introduced, there would be conceptual changes in the interface though (see above).

4 Technical Information

Killing, Alexander [alex] 24 Jan 2020. No technical issues, however the add/deletion processes come with some complexity.

5 Privacy Information

See COPage PRIVACY.md.

This feature does not implement any personal data related functionality.

6 Security Implications

No related implications known.

7 Contact

• Author of the Request: Stephan Winiker
• Maintainer: Alexander Killing
• Implementation of the feature is done by: {The maintainer must add the name of the implementing developer.}

8 Funding

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

• Hochschule Luzern

9 Discussion

Killing, Alexander [alex], 24 Jan 2020: I support the general idea. The deletion process is even more complex. If the item group is deleted, the included items will not and thus move to the end of the page. Depending on the current view, they may move to a standard "by type" block or, e.g. in the session view, to a general "content" block. These blocks could be "new" with the deletion and need to be added immediately to the page. The "Content" block (simple view, session view, timings view) is missing completely in the page editor currently.

Seiler, Yvonne [yvseiler], 02 FEB 2020: Thank you very much for approaching the object blocks, this suits many of our users.

I would like to point out Alex note here that the block "content" is currently not displayed in the page editor. This is something that often irritates our users, that they do not see the already existing blocks or contents when they click on "customize page". If the object blocks are already implemented in the page editor (which I support), I would also like to suggest that the content block (simple view, session view, timings view) is already there.

To delete action: Users often have the problem that they do not know whether the object block and the contents therein are deleted or only the object block and the contents therein remain. If it is possible to minimize this uncertainty a bit more, that would be great. Unfortunately, I have no idea at the moment how we can deal with this in a reasonable way.

JourFixe, ILIAS [jourfixe], 09 MAR 2020 : We highly appreciate this suggestion and accept the feature for ILIAS 7. All kind of blocks (item groups as well as object-by-type groups) will be displayed in the editor and can be moved by drag&drop into the editor content. Sorting of items within these groups is still handled by the related settings of these groups (e.g. by numbers or alphabetically).

JourFixe, ILIAS [jourfixe], 25 JAN 2021: We highly appreciate this suggestion and re-schedule the feature for ILIAS 8. In case the last embedded object within an item group is deleted, the item group appears empty on the bottom of the page and is not deleted automatically (option 1 in chap. 3.2).

Kergomard, Stephan [skergomard], 13 JUN 2022: An additional question that just came to my mind, when rereading Yvonnes comment and the corresponding JF decision. Would we also show Lists of Objects that are not grouped? I'm not sure what the decision of March 9th 2020 means precisely concerning this.

10 Implementation

Test Cases

• 58112 : Darstellung von Objekteblöcken im Seiteneditor
• 63451 : Darstellung von Objekten im Seiteneditor
• 58115 : Löschen von Objekteblöcken
• 58116 : Verschieben von Objekteblöcken
• 58113 : Aktualisieren von Objekteblöcke im Seiteneditor

Approval

Approved at 21. SEP 2023 by Kergomard, Stephan [skergomard].