[wp-trac] [WordPress Trac] #23119: UX Improvements to nav-menus.php

[WordPress Trac]

#23119: UX Improvements to nav-menus.php
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 Reporter:  lessbloat                          |       Owner:
     Type:  enhancement                        |      Status:  new
 Priority:  normal                             |   Milestone:  3.6
Component:  Menus                              |     Version:
 Severity:  normal                             |  Resolution:
 Keywords:  has-patch needs-testing 3.6-menus  |
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Comment (by travisnorthcutt):

 Replying to [comment:111 lachlanj]:

 > I couldn't agree more with this. The ability to automatically add child
 pages (preferably with a checkbox that can be turned on or off depending
 on preference) would be a great improvement to menus.
 >
 > Even though Menu's are separate from the actual page structure, in my
 experience many novice users assume that child pages will get added with
 the top level page automatically.
 >
 > The best case senario would be to have all subpages physically added
 (when the option is checked) so that individual subpages can be removed if
 necessary.


 I see how you could make a case for this, but to be fair, when you add
 pages to a custom menu, what you see is then an accurate representation of
 what the menu will be after saving, so it's not as if any behavior is
 hidden from the user.

 Furthermore, the default behavior (which I just tested in 3.5 with the
 Twenty Eleven theme active), with no custom menus created, is to add all
 pages to the menu, including child pages, as sub-menu items under their
 parent pages. Because of this behavior (which is good, imo), adding a
 checkbox to the custom menu creation area titled something like "Add all
 child pages automatically" would be rather ambiguous, as it could have
 five meanings that I can think of right now, depending on where it was
 placed:

 1. Only add currently extant pages which have the page I'm actively adding
 as their parent. If new child pages are created later, do not add them
 automatically.

 2. Regardless of when they come into existence, add all child pages of the
 page I'm actively adding to this menu. If I add a new child page next
 week, add it to the menu.

 3. Do # 1, but for all parent pages currently in the menu.

 4. Do # 2, but for all parent pages currently in the menu.

 5. Do # 1, but for all parent pages, regardless of when they are added to
 the menu.

 6. Do # 2, but for all parent pages, regardless of when they are added to
 the menu.

 I should note that this list went from two scenarios to six scenarios as I
 was typing it. Suffice it to say, I think adding such a checkbox has the
 potential to introduce a lot of confusion and complexity! However, like I
 said, I could see a case (whether I agree with it or not) for it, so
 perhaps it would be worth creating a ticket to discuss.

-- 
Ticket URL: <http://core.trac.wordpress.org/ticket/23119#comment:113>
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