GSOC: ideas for implement AJAX features to core.

[sameera]

Hi all,

Last few days I was working with the Coppermine code (1.5x) and got familiarized with it. As Sander and Abbas suggested I hope to add more Ajax features to the Coppermine core and I'm sure it will give a good feeling to users.

Here are few points I would like to work on during the SoC period.

1. Drag and drop sorting of albums and categories using JQuery UI, which I believe will help to improve the look and feel of Coppermine. 

2. One major negative point (but which can be improved very easily) I noticed is current help box system which create a new popup every time in a new window. We can replace this easily using AJAX dialog boxes and again give a new feeling to the help system.

3. Another idea is to give the ability to upload any number of files using some Javascript node handling and also to show the upload progress using a PHP Ajax file upload script.

4. To improve the look of features like commenting by adding some AJAX sliding, transparency effects .etc (instead of the current singe line text box for commenting).

5. Improving the look of Slid Shows by introducing AJAX navigation and display.

6. Use unobtrusive Javascript to improve the usability and using Javascript styles to minimize the loading time and optimize the performance.
 

These are few suggestions that can improve the look of Coppermine IMHO and I'd be thrilled to have your input into these suggestions. Also I'd be very grateful if you can prioritize these ideas so I can think of a project scope suitable for SoC time period.

please comment, then it will help to prepare the proposal.

Thank you

Cheers!
Nuwan..

[chetan_j9]

hi ..

In the idea #3
ie.
> 3. Another idea is to give the ability to upload any number of files using some Javascript node handling and also to show the upload progress using a PHP Ajax file upload script.

- What do u mean by Javascript node handling ??
- Did u mean a client side javascript that can parse though directory structure of client ? ( this is not possible using javascript )
- Can u explain , how would u try to show the upload progress usiong a PHP Ajax file upload scrip ?? ( I have never seen such a thing any where .., i wonder ! )

[SaWey]

I have the same question about the 'node handling'?

a progress bar is possible though it will need something more then AJAX, there's already a plugin for jQuery that can do the job: jqUploader
It comes with the same licence as jQuery, so it is possible to be used in CPG.

[Aditya Mooley]

The best way to handle upload is to make it like the one in cpgNG.
Register on the site and see how the upload screen works.
The JS code written for it is very ugly as at the time we wrote this, there was no library available.
I don't have the NG code currently with me, but as far as I remember, we had used sessions to handle multiple uploads.

[sameera]

Hi..,
I thought it's clear enough when I said 'javascript node handling', but seems it wasn't , what I meant is to add a file browsing field using DOM handling.

This is a URL for having some of information about file upload handling using AJAX.
http://bluga.net/projects/uploadProgressMeter/
To use a 3rd party upload script which handles this upload task using AJAX + php.

As Aditya mentioned “>>the best way to handle upload is to make it like the one in cpgNG”.
I will check and determine how can implement handling multiple uploading in this case.

Thanks.

[SaWey]

Hi..,
I thought it's clear enough when I said 'javascript node handling', but seems it wasn't , what I meant is to add a file browsing field using DOM handling.

This is a URL for having some of information about file upload handling using AJAX.
http://bluga.net/projects/uploadProgressMeter/
To use a 3rd party upload script which handles this upload task using AJAX + php.

As Aditya mentioned “>>the best way to handle upload is to make it like the one in cpgNG”.
I will check and determine how can implement handling multiple uploading in this case.

Thanks.

Hmm, how would you use the DOM for file browsing???

[Aditya Mooley]

@sameera - The link you have given has two demos. One shows actual upload progress like upload speed and remaining time but it needs you to patch PHP. So, we cannot use this type of upload.
The second one just shows the progress bar with no information on progress.

So, IMO, we should not think of upload progress functionality at this moment and concentrate on a more user friendly way to upload multiple files.

[Abbas Ali]

@sander: sameera is saying to create a form (for picture info) on the fly i.e. user will click a button "Add More" and a form will be inserted in the dom. When the user first opens the upload page, he will see only one form (for one picture) and then he will be able to add more.

@sameera: Remember that this will not be just the front end (i.e. javascript and view) changes, but you will need to rewrite the back end too i.e. the php code which actually uploads the photo and places them to correct album. As far as i think, this means a complete rewrite of current upload system.

[sameera]

Hmm, how would you use the DOM for file browsing???

Hi SaWey,

Actually what I meant here was using java script to control the number of file upload fields. Currently it's just a finite number of file upload boxes is possible. Wouldn't it better to add the fields dynamically ?.

Idea is better explained with a code : node = document.getElementById("file").cloneNode();
wrapper.appendChild(node); .  or something like it.

Thanks.

[sameera]

Ok!, Mainly  I will concentrate on improving multiple file upload view enhancements rather than focusing on showing file upload progress. 

@Aditya: I registered in cpgNG but cannot login to it. I registered using two mail address, but didn't received activation mail yet. can you tell me possible way to login.

[Aditya Mooley]

I have activated the account with username "sameera". Try to login now.

[Aditya Mooley]

Also, notice on upload page that the keyword field is AJAXified.

[sameera]

Thanks..  I can login now, I will work with it.

[Joachim Müller]

A real progress bar (that actually displays how much of the file has been uploaded) is not that important imo - just some visual animation during the upload stage should be OK for most users. I second most of sameera's initial proposals on this thread - Ajaxification (with a fallback for users with older browsers) should be the best method to improve cpg dramatically in terms of end user experience.

[sameera]

Thanks all, and will be very grateful for all the suggestions to improve my initial proposal.

[Abbas Ali]

@sameera: Not necessarily, but can you show us some ajax work done by you?

[sameera]

This is a one of work on Coppermine done by me, URL...

http://cpg.web2media.net/cpg/thumbnails.php?album=1&page=1&newslideshow=yes
   
by clicking on the image, can be view full size of image without loading separate window. as well as can be navigate each images.
   

[SaWey]

@sander: sameera is saying to create a form (for picture info) on the fly i.e. user will click a button "Add More" and a form will be inserted in the dom. When the user first opens the upload page, he will see only one form (for one picture) and then he will be able to add more.

I don't see usability improvements when using such a system, as amount of uploads are limited by admins?

[Abbas Ali]

@Sander: Please see the upload system in cpgNG (url given by Aditya above). We need something similar.

[SaWey]

ok