Zen and the Art of Coding
So, I've been mixing up my standard approach to coding projects, and am now looking into refining interfaces as a major part of any coding project. The old-styled, blocky, everything-in-a-box UI is old, out-moded, and clunky. I'm trying to improve the usability and streamline the UI. I have several major coding projects coming up, and honestly, they'll be unbearable if I try to do them in the older style.
I'm really finding that I'm enjoying using jQuery to enhance my UIs. That and the tools from jQuery UI.
Incidentally, Side 7 is receiving a number of these updates. Already the administrative back-end, and subsequently the administrative back-ends of the other 7 web sites I host, have already been updated with some of these UI improvements. At this point, I'm planning things for future updates such as allowing users to re-order the images in their galleries using a drag-and-drop system. Wouldn't it be cool if images in a custom Portfolio could be ordered exactly how a user wanted them?
There are other things I'm working on. IMG's Campaign Manager toolset will be very UI intensive. This also means that much of the work will have to be done either client-side, or via AJAX. Responsiveness will not be where I want it if it completely relies on server-side updates. Plus, as a tool for a GM or player to use during a game, it needs to react quickly otherwise it'll be of no value. For example, if a GM is creating a new NPC character record, the interface for that will need to be fast, responsive, and utilize as little screen refreshing as possible. That means client-side code to handle derivative attribute computations, eligibility based on prerequisites, etc. so that aspects of the character record update immediately. jQuery will definitely come in handy for that.
I'm really finding that I'm enjoying using jQuery to enhance my UIs. That and the tools from jQuery UI.
Incidentally, Side 7 is receiving a number of these updates. Already the administrative back-end, and subsequently the administrative back-ends of the other 7 web sites I host, have already been updated with some of these UI improvements. At this point, I'm planning things for future updates such as allowing users to re-order the images in their galleries using a drag-and-drop system. Wouldn't it be cool if images in a custom Portfolio could be ordered exactly how a user wanted them?
There are other things I'm working on. IMG's Campaign Manager toolset will be very UI intensive. This also means that much of the work will have to be done either client-side, or via AJAX. Responsiveness will not be where I want it if it completely relies on server-side updates. Plus, as a tool for a GM or player to use during a game, it needs to react quickly otherwise it'll be of no value. For example, if a GM is creating a new NPC character record, the interface for that will need to be fast, responsive, and utilize as little screen refreshing as possible. That means client-side code to handle derivative attribute computations, eligibility based on prerequisites, etc. so that aspects of the character record update immediately. jQuery will definitely come in handy for that.