3PC menu placement in 2.3

So, I just wanted to kick off a discussion about the placement of menus for third party components. Basically, in 2.3, the top menu looks like this.

Where would you install your menu items to for a component? Do you place everything under "Extras" (key: components) because that's what it is, or would you go for a more blended-in approach where certain things may go under Manage, or Content as that might be more appropriate?

I quite liked the `Apps` title that was in the dev builds rather than `Extras`.

To answer your question, if the extra is a major part of a website then I create a menu item specifically in the top nav; clients like to get to it quickly. I would say create a top level menu item to house all extras as per your image for all others.

Ross

I agree, top nav if the extra is a major part (like ecommerce stuff) and other minor extras under the Extras menu like in your image.

Maybe some Extra's could be developed in a way that you can choose if you want the extra to create Top Nav's when installing..

Personally, I would love the option to select a category during installation. There are some items I view as "Content" (ClientConfig) and some items are "Apps" (ContentBlocks/VersionX). The ability to separate the items based on how the site is being configured would be extremely helpful when it comes to client training.

I also liked "Apps" over "Extras", granted that makes more sense if you can select the destination menu on installation.

I like the destination menu option as well.

An example. MIGxMultiLang places its menu item in the top level. On upgrading to 2.3, the top-level item disappears. You have to move it under Extras before it will show.

Since I use MIGx a lot, and some of these uses have their own menu items, I'd like to move MIGx itself to the top level, with its various apps under it. But the top level doesn't seem to want to accept any more items.

I don't feel strongly about it, but I think they should all go under 'extras/components/apps' or whatever it's called, just so that the user will know where to find them after installation. Putting them elsewhere risks emails from users saying, "I tried to install your extra but the install didn't work."

It's very easy to move them to another location after installation, and as an extra developer, I wouldn't want to second-guess the end user about where they should go.

For extra developers who want to move it out of the default location, it's fairly easy to offer that option during the install.

For extra developers who want to move it out of the default location, it's fairly easy to offer that option during the install.

I think that's what we are talking about.

Quote from: sottwell at Jul 16, 2014, 10:35 PM

I like the destination menu option as well.

Since I use MIGx a lot, and some of these uses have their own menu items, I'd like to move MIGx itself to the top level, with its various apps under it. But the top level doesn't seem to want to accept any more items.

Before 2.3 the top-level was an empty parent. Now it is called 'topnav'

this is my solution within a menue-resolver (autocreated menue-resolver by migxElementsManager):
https://github.com/Bruno17/migxElementsManager/blob/master/_build/resolvers/resolve.menues.php#L21

Right, but the question is whether MODX asks the question or the extra developer does. I don't think having MODX ask it is practical without some major changes to Package Manager and most packages are not CMPs so it's of no use to them.

Having the package ask it is possible now for those who want it and package developers can present a small menu of sensible options based on what the package does rather than offering to put it anywhere in the entire menu.

I was arguing that for those who don't want to offer choices, or don't know how to do so, the CMP's menu item should go to the default location so people know where to look for it.

I would definitely agree with that.