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Best naming convention for dynamic panel ID and ID Layer?

Answered Mike N. 6 years ago

This is both a question for best practices, and a feature request:


Qs:

Are there any best practices for naming conventions for multiple nested dynamic panels? With html divs I often use "container" or "wrapper" for divs that are just boxes that contain other things. But, I don't really understand the difference between an "ID" and an "ID Layer" in JIM. Also, because the outer panel (my container) essentially has a Wrapper around a Wrapper (ID around an ID Layer), with each inner content item (nested panels) having their own wrappers around wrappers.... It gets confusing to figure out a good way to name things. I prefer a clean Outline but this seems all a bit cumbersome. How do the pros and power users handle this?


Now for my feature request:

I sometimes get the impression that either the ID or the ID Layer (not sure which) is just a mechanism that is internal to the software functioning. Does the user need to see both element labels? Would it be possible to auto generate, store, and hide (one of these panel elements), and make visible to the user only one or the other but not both? This would vastly simplify the Outline view (provided there would be no lost functionality). Another way of thinking of it is this way... is there any scenario, whatsoever, in which an ID is not directly encompassing it's inclosed Layer ID? If not, then the user only need see these two intertwined items as one "box border" or wrapper around his/her content item(s).


Thanks,

Mike

Replies (7)
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As a follow up. I just experimented. I created 3 dynamic panels. Gave the panel IDs the name of A-Outer, B-Outer, and C-Outer respective. Renamed all of the ID Layers A/B/C - Inner. Reordering elements in the outline, it seems impossible to ever separate matched pairs of Outer and Inner elements. A is always with A, C is always with C.


So for the UX team at JIM. Here is my user story. Please forward.


As a user who prefers an Outline that is easy to understand and maintain, I never want to see or maintain BOTH the inner and outer (membranes) of a dynamic panel. They behave (to my way of thinking) as one virtual "ID" shell.


Thanks,

Mike

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screenshot.

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Hi Mike,

Thanks so much for this detailed info in this request! I have forwarded it to our development team.

As for your first question, many users label the 'shell' as the group of elements it will contain - i.e. Menu tabs, with the inner layers labeled as their function - i.e. Home, User info, Settings etc. I have attached a screenshot for clarity.

Hope this helps.

Best,

Danielle

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Hi Danielle,


Thanks for the reply. Is your example the same structure as my examples? I am referring to nested dynamic panels, wherein you have duplicate two names for each panel (ID and ID Layer). For example, if in your example each of your content items (Home, User Info, & Settings) was a dynamic panel, how then would you label things?


Thanks,

Mike

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Here's another screenshot. With nested panels, since you cannot put any content item between the ID and ID Layer label in the Outline, I cannot figure out any practical reason for why the user should ever see the ID or ID Layer as two separate elements within the outline. And, I find creating a naming convention difficult with so many labels. I'm not really that obsessive, but I'm just learning the software and want to start out using best practices. Can you help define best practices here? And again, forward to UX team if this seems like relevant feedback. See attached.

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Another way to think of it. For user: 1 panel = 1 box container = 1 name.

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Hi Mike,


The naming process will be similar - name the ID of the dynamic panel to its general purpose, and the individual ID layers to their specific purpose or according to the info that will be inside them. If you have a dynamic panel nested inside that panel, you can also name them according to their function, and the individual panels within that nested panel according to their more specific functions.


Best,

Danielle

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