Transfer the mail tree into a Combined Slate

This is a feature of the project Splitting Up Tools that bundles several feature wiki pages which belong to a larger development activity for multiple ILIAS components currently using the space provided by the "Tools-Slate".

Due to a linguistic inaccuracy, the article was revised (see comment of 26 May 2021) and "drilldown" was replaced with "combined slate".

1 Initial Problem

The mail navigation is currently displayed in a tool slate. If the tool slate is collapsed, users often do not find the mail navigation because it is expected in the corresponding menu item. In addition, the MainBar entries move due to the additional tool tile. This should be prevented in the future if possible. 

2 Conceptual Summary

The menu item "Communication > Mail" is displayed as a combined slate (see repository tree).

• When users click on the combined slate, the mailtree opens below.
• When users click on an entry of the mailtrees, the corresponding folder opens in the content area. 

3 User Interface Modifications

3.1 List of Affected Views

• Communication > Mail
• Mail Tool

3.2 User Interface Details

3.3 New User Interface Concepts

no new UI elements, will use

• combined slate
• Bulky Link
• expandable tree

3.4 Accessibility Implications

{ If the proposal contains potential accessibility issues that are neither covered by existing UI components nor clarified by guidelines, please list them here. For every potential issue please either propose a solution or write down a short risk assessment about potential fallout if there would be no solution for the issue. }

4 Technical Information

{ The maintainer has to provide necessary technical information, e.g. dependencies on other ILIAS components, necessary modifications in general services/architecture, potential security or performance issues. }

5 Privacy

none

6 Security

none

7 Contact

• Author of the Request: Zenzen, Enrico [ezenzen], Seiler, Yvonne [yvseiler]
• Maintainer: Jansen, Michael [mjansen]
• 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.

• Universität Bern

9 Discussion

JourFixe, ILIAS [jourfixe], 17 MAY 2021 : We highly appreciate this suggestion and schedule the feature for ILIAS 8. An option to reduce the number of steps to get on the compose form for mails would be to add a distinct "Compose Mail" button in the drilldown. Yvonne will check if this is possible and give feedback in one of the next JF meetings.

Seiler, Yvonne [yvseiler], 26 MAY 2021: In the Tools Revision Group it was noticed that the terminology was not used correctly. The FW article referred to "drilldown" as a solution, but it is a combined slate. The terms in the article were therefore revised and corrected to avoid misunderstandings.

In addition, the following picture should clarify which elements are used:

1. A combined slate "mail" is used.
2. This contains a Bulky Link "Compose Mail" which links to the tab "Compose".
3. The combined slate also contains an expandable tree that does not display any root nodes (the legacy tree already does, but the expandable tree of the KS does not yet).

As requested by the JF, a bulky link is proposed as a solution for a "Compose Mail" action, as this links to a separate page in the content area.

Proposal for the order of the expandable tree (analogous to other mail programmes):

1. Inbox
2. Drafts
3. Sent
4. Trash
5. User Folders

JourFixe, ILIAS [jourfixe], 31 MAY 2021 : We highly appreciate Yvonne's suggestions and accept the screen modifications and the new order of folders. Due to the fact that the reordering of the mail folders for existing users need a migration for each single user we accept this new sorting for newly created users only. Creating a new feature wiki page for a separate discussion of the "Create Mail" issue is accepted for ILIAS 8.

Zenzen, Enrico [ezenzen], 07 JUNE 2021: As discussed in the Jour Fixe, we will discuss the Create Mail issue in the following feature request Improvement of mail system and mail creation.

10 Implementation

{ The maintainer has to give a description of the final implementation and add screenshots if possible. }

Test Cases

Test cases completed at {date} by {user}

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

Approval

Approved at {date} by {user}.