Styles: make is possible to have the navigation links at the top in most styles

[ninetydegrees]

Title:
Styles: make is possible to have the navigation links at the top in most styles

Area:
styles

Summary:
Currently, only a few styles let you have the navigation links at the top (i.e. above or in the header). I suggest that this becomes a standard option whenever possible so that people who find this more convenient can easily choose to have them there.

Description:
Being able to have the navigation links at the top is one of the main reasons I'll pick a style over another one, sometimes even my very first criterion (particularly for communities). If I can have this as an option in many different styles, it leaves me with more styles to choose from.

As for above or below journal titles: whatever's easiest to implement and looks best.

Edit: rephrased for better clarity.

Poll #9803 Styles: make having the navigation links at the top a default option

Open to: Registered Users, detailed results viewable to: All, participants: 57

View Respondents

This suggestion:

View Answers

Should be implemented as-is.
31 (54.4%)

Should be implemented with changes. (please comment)
1 (1.8%)

Shouldn't be implemented.
6 (10.5%)

(I have no opinion)
19 (33.3%)

(Other: please comment)
0 (0.0%)

Comments

[ratcreature]

Isn't that what the navbar is for?

[ninetydegrees]

It seems to me the nav bar is for this and much more and the 'much more' is problematic for me: the nav bar is full of things I have no use for and therefore very cluttered and unpractical imo. Besides, it doesn't integrate with one's journal style, scales pretty badly at this time and isn't customizable (text and style).

[foxfirefey]

No, the nav bar doesn't have any of the navigation links in the navigation for the journal you are looking at, unless you're looking at your own journal in which case it has some.

[carene_waterman]

I voted yes, but on consideration, I would add something to it. I notice that on a lot of layouts that do have this option, the link colours are drawn from the module link colour options, so if a user wants a dark header, but a light sidebar background, they're out of luck.

I think the header link colour options should be turned on as well if this is done so users and theme makers have more room for design choices.

[turlough]

+1

[ninetydegrees]

Congrats! You've just reported a bug, which I've filed. :)

Definitely +1 if this suggestion gets migrated.

[carene_waterman]

Oh, I guess it is, isn't it. I have a hard time parsing the line between design choice I would never make and a bug.

Bases is one style that uses various module colours for the header navlinks.

[opusculus]

Maybe I'm missing something, but I really don't like this as stated. If people are making layouts that don't have it at the top, then my assumption is that they're doing it because they prefer it that way, and usually it's not just one person who prefers it that way. I'd be all for adding the option to as many layouts as possible, or creating a way to easily filter layouts to only show the ones that meet your criteria, but I'm not fond of removing options unless there's a really strong argument for it.

[ninetydegrees]

Either I misunderstand what you're saying or I phrased my suggestion very poorly because my idea isn't to remove any option but, on the contrary, to add one: the possibility to display the navigation links in the header in styles if one desires.
As for why designers didn't make it possible, well, I wouldn't say they necessarily chose not to because doing so requires a bit of advanced coding. Also, most designers work with what exists and focus on styling rather than on functionality (this isn't meant as a critique, that's what I did too).

[opusculus]

That makes more sense to me, thanks! I'm not terribly familiar with how the styles work, and I was a bit confused. But if it's adding the option I don't really have a problem with it.

[ninetydegrees]

Great! I've rephrased my suggestion. I hope it's clearer now. I realized now it may have sounded like I wanted to move the links from the sidebar to the top by default (and possibly make it impossible to have it anywhere else.)

[axiom_of_stripe]

I'm definitely for encouraging designers to make this an option in all styles, but I don't think it needs to be the default option.

ETA: Ah-hah, and refreshing this tab after commenting I discover that you've already edited the suggestion to make that clear. :)

[ninetydegrees]

Could you point me to the part where it seems I'm suggesting the latter because it's never been my intention?

Edit: and commented before I saw your edit. What a pair we make! :)