Discussing improvements to the out-the box presentation layer of uPortal
Objectives:
- Default presentation layer using css and standards compliance.
- Conventions and standards for naming. Most of the customisation takes place at the CSS level presently - if we had some standardisation in terms of usage and ids, we could potentially share more.
- Try move away from rework upon upgrades and towards some sharing
AL - quite a few people using Aggregated Layouts - a couple using simple layouts
Lot of interest in terms of Distributed Layouts - simpler migratation path to DLM than ALM from simple layouts. Also DLM is a bit more flexible.
Problems pushing layout fragments via AL damaging layouts if the user is logged in. Memorial running push fragments when the portal is down.
- Not happy with the current customisation options - need improvements to ease of use, accessibility and end-user discovery.
- Consensus that we are turning it off or end-users are not using it - quite a lot of users don't use because it's not that important to them
Concrete Actions:
- Need Documentation of conventions, standards and requirements
- Tutorial style guidance to illustrate common usage, styles, design intentions
- Need a Standing Committee / Interest Group / Discussion Group to continue discussion and keep focus around UI. If anyone can devote any time to this- let Jason Shao know
Immediate short terms goals for 2.6
- Jason taking the Rutgers theme, ripping out the logos and adding to possibly 2.5.1. and 2.6
- Collier @ VT will contribute the VT theme - with icons ripped out etc
*Duffy at Arizona - can add in some tree-controls type layouts.
Rutgers Layout
- standards compliant version of SLM
- css driven for layout.
- improvements mostly 'cosmetic', less markup being moved around, quicker rendering, same preferences channel but prettier!
General rule: If anyone has something to contribute and it compiles, then it can go in the sandbox for comment (Sandbox - an area of CVS that stuff that's not quite finished and ready to go into the main code tree).
Join the JA-SIG Developers list and make sure that any work we do takes place in the JA-SIG web-space. Use the wiki for discussions?