The new manager - looking for best practice solutions

splittingred I see your reasoning, you guys rock

The official standing of the MODx Team is that ExtJS will be the only 3rd-party Javascript library used in the core Revolution 2.0.

That said, people can feel free later to create their own manager themes that use jQuery, if they so choose.

While I am not an expert I’ve looked at the feature set of both jQueryUI and ExtJS and despite my reservations I’d have to say that EXTJS is far more robust for rapid UI design. Remember I am not an expert.

jQuery UI seems to be a simple effects implementor and EXTJS contains far more than just sliders, widgets in elements such as RTU document trees, grids, tables, and more.

how well does either of the ExtJS or jQuery frameworks function with mobile devices such as iPhones/Smart phones etc?

Quote from: modx at Jan 19, 2009, 11:14 AM

how well does either of the ExtJS or jQuery frameworks function with mobile devices such as iPhones/Smart phones etc?

MODx Revolution 2.0’s default manager interface will not support smart phones.

What about doing frontend management from Mobiles. Is that related to ExtJS in the manager, or to your frontend template?

Quote from: splittingred at Jan 19, 2009, 11:21 AM

MODx Revolution 2.0 will not support smart phones.

Quote from: Sylvaticus at Jan 19, 2009, 11:42 AM

What about doing frontend management from Mobiles. Is that related to ExtJS in the manager, or to your frontend template?

Let me rephrase what splittingred was expressing:

The reference manager UI to be distributed with the MODx Revolution 2.0 framework will not feature support for smart phones. Providing an interface for performing certain tasks from a smart phone can certainly be developed as an add-on component.

Quote from: modx at Jan 19, 2009, 09:24 AM

It seems that jQuery is lightweight (quick initial install) and offers all the required widgets needed for a UI.

Does jQuery offer some kind of a grid control? I cannot seem to find any..

Also, about lightweight.. I’m not sure if it’s any better when it would be used as much as what ExtJS is used now in current manager.

Then there’s statements like this.. I haven’t used jQuery UI my self, only ExtJS when needing ui components, but to me it seems that jQuery UI still don’t offer very much.. just a few basic components.

It’s only the sleek looks of jQuery components that make people to want them

@doze based on what I have read of jQuery UI it is no where near the ui builder that ExtJS is.

My early concerns about ExtJS was degradability and its accessibility but it is a planned addition to ExtJS to work toward addressing both those issues. I personally don’t understand why it matters what JS library is used so long as the UI can be build to look good and work well for end users. Technology NEVER dictates results but the implementation does. I have faith that once we’ve moved through the alpha phase we can address the UI in a meaningful way.

I think it is tremendous to see the passion for MODx coming out in this thread but it is not a debate between jQuery or ExtJS but how to make the UI the best UI it can be and then make enhancments to the UI to continually improve the UX.

I’ve not seen any best practice solutions in a while in the thread other than camps forming for and against something that can be changed, modified or extended and then packaged for your own installs.

Cheers,

Jay

I wasn’t intending to flame up debate and was just making a passing comment. You guys know more about ExtJS than myself so was interested in hearing feedback on the reasoning behind why it was being used. jQuery looks very interesting however I take on board all feedback and agree with which ever approach you see best.

I’m sure the new admin will be fantastic, I’m in no camp and agree that what ever technology used should just aid the end result and shouldn’t be an end in it’s own right.

At current I’m scripting CSS and XHTML for the admin (as offered in my proposal), I hope the source code produced will be of interest to the core developers and that ideas discussed will aid modx’s development. I’m new to modx and can see that its a great project so will help if possible whether through the forum or adding code input.