Greetings!
I just posted a feature request - but I was wondering what other people thought of this. Hopefully the CS-Cart team are already thinking about creating this in the future.
[url]http://forum.cs-cart.com/vbugs.php?do=view&vbug_id=1669[/url]
For those who don’t get it… or want the quick version.
I like the block editor immensely - for placing content within the given framework structure it is maturing nicely.
I believe that in the long term, we need what I call a partition editor. This would be parallel to the block editor, but it specifically allows you to determine the structure of the bluebox areas that you fill in the Block Editor.
For example, the practical need that we have…
My graphic designer put together a nice front page layout that includes a subdivided central column that I currently cannot reproduce with the current block arrangement.
He took the central content column and divided it into three categorical displays, “Latest Books”, “Latest Music”, “Latest Movies”.
Right now, this can be done the hard way… create a special tpl display for each one of these that declares a CSS class… call up three blocks consecutively on the homepage that use the predefined class (essentially a static width, float and clear) and then magically the blocks that CS-Cart would normally stack on top of each other suddenly appear side by side.
Ideally, I’d like to be able to go into the partition editor, add a new central column partition (blue box) and say it has three segments of equal width, and place that new central column above the default central single column. And just on the home page.
Then I’d like to be able to go back to the block editor and assign a product block to each of those subpartitions, add a ‘newest products’ to each (yes I know, I would hard code the category I wanted since this is not selectable to be non-context sensitive at the moment) and have them display - perhaps using a similar layout to what is possible with the left or right column.
Perhaps a person could define the width of segments using static pixels or percentages or auto width?
What do people think about this idea?
In theory, the tabs layout function - which is ok where it is - well perhaps that could be moved over to the partition editor as a particular partition ‘type’ so that you could move the tab partition to wherever you wish on the page (to the top, above the product image or description, perhaps).
You definitely have my vote on this. The added flexibility would greatly enhance storefront design allowing for more distinct design possibilities.
Bob
I believe this is already been discussed and in their long term plans…
No idea when…but I have brought it up to the developers myself.
[quote name=‘ETInteractive’]I believe this is already been discussed and in their long term plans…
No idea when…but I have brought it up to the developers myself.[/QUOTE]
Good - judging from the architecture I see, it seems like a feasible and relatively simple extension of how they are already doing it - but I just wanted to lay that out there explicitly so that they know it is important.
This was the first thing that bothered me about the tabs implementation when I first saw it - honestly - because it is sortof a weird mixing of form and content elements. It makes more sense in the long run to break these two areas apart - but I guess you have to start with something basic yet expandable first…