@citrika has made an interesting proposal for how media files may be edited within the ClassicPress List View. (This is the view accessed by going to Media -> Library and selecting the list icon on the toolbar.)
Currently, anyone wishing to edit a file can click either (a) on the thumbnail image or the title of the image (these are joined together) or (b) hover over that area and then click the link below that says Edit that will appear as a result of the hover.
In either case, the user is taken to an interface somewhat like the regular post/page edit screen.
This is different from the place to which a user is taken if they are in the Media Library Grid View (accessed by selecting the grid icon on the toolbar) and then select a file to edit. This brings up an edit screen within a modal.
@citrika’s proposal is that we should replace one of the current hyperlinks for files in the Media List View so that it calls the same modal as can be accessed from the Grid View. The user in the List View would then have a choice of two editing modes.
Before we consider doing this in ClassicPress, we really need to find out a few things. So I’d welcome comments on the following questions:
Do you think that this is a good idea in principle?
Do you currently edit files in the List View or the Grid View?
If you use the List View, which of the current links do you currently use to access the edit screen?
If you use the List View, would you prefer to use the current edit screen or the modal interface that’s currently accessible from the Grid View?
If you currently prefer to use the Grid View, would adding this functionality make you likely to switch to the List View?
If we do implement this proposal, which of the current two links should be replaced?
Do you know of any plugins or code snippets that interface with the List View?
1/ I don’t think this is a bad idea as such providing a consistent editing experience, it may just be a little confusing have 2 edit options in Grid view that do different things, so perhaps one should be labelled a classic or legacy editor.
2/ I never edit files once uploaded, I edit them locally first and then upload.
3/ Tend to used List view when needed.
4/ No preference.
5/ N/A
6/ I think update the Thumbnail / title link, but changed the “edit” link working too.
7/ None that I’m aware of or use.
I’m not sure I understand @MattyRob 's answer to the first question, since the proposal is to add the second option to List rather than Grid view. In any case:
1/ I’m unsure what is gained by the change, since it is not all that difficult to switch back and forth between List and Grid view to get the two edit options.
Put differently: why would the extra option (just in the opposite direction) not also be added to the Grid view? I’m not sure what it is about the List view that might make someone want the editing option that is the default with Grid. And vice versa.
2/ I edit only in Grid view, and then only to create thumbnails that are linked to the original image and to fill in the alt text. I, too, do everything else locally.
3/ 4/ Never use List view
5/ Probably not; but I would not want to see the Grid view eliminated in the future, since at least for me it provides an easier and quicker overview especially of recently uploaded images.
6/ Probably change whichever button people are not using by habit.
Doug, just to reassure you, there is no chance of the Media Grid View being eliminated. In fact, it’s going to form the basis of improvements to the media widgets and the Add Media button on posts, pages, and the Text widget, irrespective of whether we add it to the List View or not.
I also agree with your answer to question 6, which is why I’m trying to figure out how the List View is currently used.
I really don’t deal with media using the built in media library much to be honest, but do plugins like filebird or wicked folders alter the views? I know they allow the creation of additional virtual folders.
Those plugins don’t touch the List View. I’m sure they’d like to hook into the Grid View but, since there are no hooks provided by the WP version of the Grid View, they can’t do that either and instead create their own pages. (In the CP version of the Grid View, several new hooks are provided.)
I do use the edit features for images. Mostly when clients want me to make site SEO friend with alt tags and very common is to change how it shows: no link, attachment page… Also being able to change the img size is important.
As to Grid or List View, it would seem that one of the two are mostly for finding pics visually (grid mode) So the most likely use of edit would be in list view. Although if the capabilities to add “Edit” to either or both I think should be a requirement for both views.
Both views do currently enable editing. But the screen on which such editing takes place is different. This is asking whether the one currently used for editing from the Grid View should also be available when editing from the List View (and, if so, from which link).
No, don’t edit files in my dashboard. But I prefer List View.
Thumb, file title, or edit link (so all 3).
The “classic” edit screens.
No.
I would like to see the same edit screens in both List View and Grid View. It confuses me now, to a certain extent. IMO the “classic” edit screens from List View fit best compared to other parts of the dashboard.
I see you’ve deleted your last comment, but actually I think it’s very much on topic. I agree that we shouldn’t make changes to core that are just going to add to the maintenance burden if they aren’t going to be used by many people. That’s one of the reasons for starting this discussion. In this particular case, we can probably mitigate that issue by having one block of code that can be accessed from either View, but I still think it’s an issue we need to consider.