Should we use a Grid System for Admin Layout in Moodle - Yes or No?

Should we use a Grid System for Admin Layout in Moodle - Yes or No?

by Mary Evans -
Number of replies: 9
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After reading an old discussion from 2010 where the original question about z-index sort of spirals into a mixed discussion about pagelayouts. I was drawn to the part of the discussion where it was suggested that we use a GRID layout for Admin pages. This can be done by adding a new page layout into base/layout/admingrid.php and defining it in base/config.php thus:

    'admin' => array(
        'file' => 'admingrid.php',
        'regions' => array('side-pre'),
        'defaultregion' => 'side-pre',
    ),

I was just wondering if other theme developers have any views for or against this idea?

Cheers

Mary

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In reply to Mary Evans

Re: Should we use a Grid System for Admin Layout in Moodle - Yes or No?

by Gareth J Barnard -
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Dear Mary,

I've contemplated in the past creating a whole theme based upon a grid system having adapted Moodle 1.9 themes in the past and then attempted to wrap my mind around the ordering of 2.0 theme 'divs' with their negative floats.  But seem to spend most of my available time ebroiled in course formats.

I actually think grids are a good idea especially when used in a fluid context.  Having used a grid system to layout a mobile app - http://jeromeetienne.github.com/jquery-mobile-960/ - on a bespoke Java project I was able to tightly control the elements of jQuery Mobile.  The 960gs - http://960.gs/ - looks good - food for thought?

Cheers,

Gareth

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In reply to Gareth J Barnard

Re: Should we use a Grid System for Admin Layout in Moodle - Yes or No?

by Mary Evans -
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Dear Gareth,

Thanks for the positive reply. I like the 960.gs Grid system. Some really super themes showcased on that site too.

I think I'll have a bash (gitbash) at this soon. I'll count you in on the trial run then, when I get it underway, that is!

By the way, are you able to test MyMobile theme easily enough?  I only ask as I have a BUG to fix in the Report Grader. If you can test this would you mind if I add you as Peer Reviewer when it's ready for testing?

Thanks,

Mary

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In reply to Mary Evans

Re: Should we use a Grid System for Admin Layout in Moodle - Yes or No?

by Danny Wahl -

I would think that a grid would be a step in the right direction - but I don't know about 960, (or 1140, etc...) I think we should look at one of the "infinite grids" so that we're not binding to a max-width.

I'm sending this on a screen with 1280px width!

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In reply to Mary Evans

Re: Should we use a Grid System for Admin Layout in Moodle - Yes or No?

by Gareth J Barnard -
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Dear Mary,

I'll have a bash at testing for you.  I have an iPod Touch and an iPhone/iPad/Android simulator(s).  Could you let me know the tracker so I can understand the nature of the issue please?

I'm also going to put a sub-tracker of MDL-33115 in to remove code from MyMobile in core for CT.  So that I can then perhaps inherit from it and create my own mobile theme long term with the grid system I mentioned.

I've only limited grid experience but you can count on me to have a bash ;)

Cheers,

Gareth

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In reply to Gareth J Barnard

Re: Should we use a Grid System for Admin Layout in Moodle - Yes or No?

by Mary Evans -
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Thanks Gareth,

Its in MDL-37725 I added a fix for it early this morning. Instructions for testing are on that page.

Many thanks

Mary

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In reply to Mary Evans

Re: Should we use a Grid System for Admin Layout in Moodle - Yes or No?

by David Scotson -
Bootstrap 3 allows you to use the standard bootstrap grid system to have more than one form control on the same line, but it re-arranges them into a vertical list for use on phone size devices (as the general grid system does for any content).

However, I don't see how this (or anything like it) can be done cleanly without making changes to core parts of Moodle that create the forms.
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In reply to David Scotson

Re: Should we use a Grid System for Admin Layout in Moodle - Yes or No?

by Mary Evans -
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I was only meaning use a grid format for the pagelayout instead of the Holy Grail one that is in Moodle layouts.

It could also be used for reports too.

We can deal with the forms issue in Moodle Tracker where MDL-12189 was set up a few years ago.

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Re: Should we use a Grid System for Admin Layout in Moodle - Yes or No?

by David Scotson -
Ah, I thought you were referring to the color-picker screenshot where the items were laid out in a 3x4 grid rather than in a vertical column.



Is that the right bug you linked to? The rather haphazard collection of different forms HTML in Moodle is an issue I'd like to see fixed (I think I've filed a few bugs on it myself) but I'm not sure I see the link to grids and/or pagelayouts.

Do you mean adopting the Bootstrap grid like you've used on your Tiny Theme? (https://github.com/lazydaisy/tiny-bootstrap-project/blob/master/layout/default.php) That is, the use of classes like .container, .row, .span3 to divide the page up in to sections? It's a good idea, but again I don't see why you wouldn't want that everywhere, rather than just the admin or reports sections. Certainly I'm using it everywhere.
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In reply to David Scotson

Re: Should we use a Grid System for Admin Layout in Moodle - Yes or No?

by Mary Evans -
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I was meaning the same layout as in the Tiny theme.

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