Forum OpenACS Development: Re: Enhancing forums

What I have done is a non javacript version. So... I hope it was a fully accessible version.

I have been playing with sql for grabbing more data (a new view for adding a few columns), css for UI improvements. I've also made changes to tcl/adp to switch between threaded and non threaded html views (UNED requirements)
And I'd like to add a little of ajax in some simple actions (for instance: "mark this reply as unread"), without removing the accessible links.

I'd like to know where is the best place to write about my enhancements, with screenshots if possible, discuss about it, propose improvements, tips, share, etc.
Maybe I could became member of "Forum Facelift Project" https://openacs.org/xowiki/Forums

There is not yet a demo server, let me clean the code a little, and install it in a more stable server. Right now it's on an unstable development server we are constantly reseting...

I can capture a few screenshots, and publish them with a list of new features in a wiki, and post here a link.

Well, I can write now a list of features:

uForums (Forums enhancements for UNED)

<h2>FORUM-VIEW</h2>

• expand node(s), so...
  
  • show expanded nodes
  • collapse node(s)
  • collapse all (button or list-template action)
• show unthreaded version button (sort only by date)
• "new message" highlight (using views package and/or a new table for read/unread feature)
• show only new messages button
• mark as read/unread (if views is available)
• mark thread as read/unread button (bulk action)
• mark all forum as read button
• tooltips to show more info
  
  • preview content
  • authors information details (disabled right now)

<h2>MESSAGE-VIEW</h2>

• Next thread /prev thread navigation links
• User portrait
• reply to author button (link to mail)
• forward message button (email to...)
• row.adp architecture reviewed

<h2>FORUMS ADMIN</h2>
All new features check a package parameter (new for each feature) value to know if the new behavior is enabled or not, and if it's what kind of behavior is set. For instance,

1. when marking a message as unread ¿should be marked as unread all the replies or only that message?,
2. When expanding a node: ¿expand all levels, or just one?

<h2>In development</h2>
I'm working now in that points:

• write tests
• test when moderated forums
• add return_url to some actions
• simple admin page (with common parameters)

PS: I have to say that there have been 5 people involved in that develpoment during the last year at UNED: David Arroyo (First UNED requirements done), Raúl Morales (Portlet), Alberto Pesquera (DB and TCL API), Mario Aguado (data model modifications, and Team Leader/Supervisor), and Me: (Mostly User Interface changes)

Miguel Angel,

Is the "switch to another group's forum" based on "dotlrn communities" groups?

oooh ok. That makes sense now.
thks

About a live demo, maybe in a few days it could be possible (not depending directly on me).

About Ajax, I agree with you about making a new package for a complete Ajax UI, but what I want to add are only simple actions, such as "click 'mark as read' button". If the browser is not javascript compilant, it has not enabled that feature, the current link will work as it actually does.

I'm thinking on a forums enhancing, not on a complete rewrite of forums using (almost only) Ajax, so I think a few Ajax requests should be too bad.