Improve UI for Filter Management

[matgb]

Title:
Improve UI for Filter Management

Area:
Filters

Summary:
Change the way filters are managed in the organise area so that you can see which accounts are in which filter, and improve taskflow and interface to be more intuitive.

Description:
Having finally set up some reading filters, I find the management page is only a slight improvement on the LJ standard that's been difficult to use for years.

I want to ensure that
a) all accounts I subscribe are in at least one filter
b) Accounts aren't accidentally added to more than one filter

I have two filters for my feeds-Science&Media and Politics&Economics. I set up one, then went back to do the other. While doing this, I had no way of knowing which I'd already added to the other filter. As I can already view all feeds, if using the filter it's so that I can catch up on elements, I don't want duplication in that filter.

Proposal:
List all accounts in a filterable list on the left. Have a column for each filter going along the top, with a checkbox for each account. Ideally have the columns in an iframe or similar so the accounts stay static (and viewable) if horizontal scrolling is necessary.

Then you can quickly scan across for each account, and scan down for each filter, to see what is in which and ensure you've got the right accounts in the right filter.

Poll #1595 Improve UI for Filter Management

Open to: Registered Users, detailed results viewable to: All, participants: 34

View Respondents

This suggestion:

View Answers

Should be implemented as-is.
13 (38.2%)

Should be implemented with changes. (please comment)
14 (41.2%)

Shouldn't be implemented.
1 (2.9%)

(I have no opinion)
6 (17.6%)

(Other: please comment)
0 (0.0%)

Comments

[zvi]

iframes are an accessibility problem and I don't think they are in HTML5. I do like a grid column arrangement, however, and I do think it would be of tremendous benefit to be able to tell if a subscription is in any filter (especially for those of us using a Default Filter.)

ETC: iframe is still supported in HTML5, frame has no HTML5 support. iframes do have accessibility issues, and the issues are such that I think they are exactly the wrong solution for this problem, i.e. screenreaders read each frame separately and linearly, so the information in the iframe would never be related to the filters information.

Actually, this may be a problem for tables. Tables are great when properly dealing with, you know, tabular data.

frame and accessibility info and

voted with changes for this

[cheyinka]

Yes, this sounds like a good use of tables, since it is, actually, a table.

[kyrielle]

Anything that both accomplishes the basic view and deals with the accessability issues would be shiny.

[thedivinegoat]

+1

[matgb]

I only mentioned iframes as an option as the issue for people with lots of filters will be a problem (at one stage I had 8 reading filters on LJ).

However, I care not how it's implemented specifically, if there's a way in CSS or similar to make the first column static, that'd get the same result, users like aedifica below definitely want this.

[kerravonsen]

+1

[aedifica]

I agree that it's a problem, and this sounds like a good solution. But I want to add, please make sure that if a table goes off the edge of the screen, scrolling sideways to see the rest of the table doesn't mean you can't see the usernames at the other side of the column! I hate having to scroll back and forth to see what's what, especially in lists where I have to do it over and over.

[matgb]

I agree completely--appears my proposed solution to problem isn't best one, but keeping the left column visible would be ideal. TBH though, if it can't be done I'd rather have a simple table grid and have to reference back than keep the current setup.

[turlough]

This is very important! And also the one thing I always find myself stumped on when I try to visualise a grid-like setup for the filter management page.

[musyc]

YES to being able to see at a glance which accounts are in which filter. No to iframes. Tables are good - I work up a quick spreadsheet every time I want to change my LJ filters around so that I know I'm not duplicating.

[papercoversrock]

Oh that's an excellent idea! I never thought of using a spreadsheet, but I think I will start.

[cesy]

Being able to see at a glance if someone is in no filters or more than one filter would be very useful. Please do make sure we keep the option to add someone to more than one filter, though.

[papercoversrock]

I'm all for this idea however it can be implemented properly. It's very hard to keep track of who is in what filter and I often miss things because I accidentally skipped something or was in the wrong place.

[turlough]

This is something I've been thinking about since subscription filters was implemented but I've never been able to come up with a layout that I think would work for most people. The filter management page as it is now is completely hopeless though so really, ANY change can only be for the better.

[susanreads]

With tables. Is it possible to show as many columns as will fit, with a "more" button which will scroll all but the first column?

[lassarina]

Prefer with tables over iFrames, but really like the basis of this idea.