We've been getting a number of requests from clients asking how to upload files on their web site (when they have Content Author permissions for example). Sometimes people want to upload 10 PDFs at a time that they will be inserting on various pages. Currently the user has to do this one file at a time and go through the edit module>link icon>browse in order to get to the File Manager. This is a little cumersome and hard to explain to people who just need to upload or delete a bunch of files at one time, or possibly just replace a PDF file which they know is already out there.

A thought was since the File Manager is really a core feature of any CMS should the file manager be more easily accessible? We're specifically talking about the file manager as used for TinyMCE in Mojo (more elegant than the one available to admins). Could there be a little icon for File Manager up in the upper right hand icon bar next to the gears icon perhaps? Or even one of the text links to the left once logged in, that way it would be optional for site owners to display or not. I would imagine there is JavaScript madness that might prevent a simple pop-up link to open this TinyMCE file manager as a stand alone application.

A lot of CMS systems have easy access to the File Manager for all content authors roles. I have some experience with DNN and a few other CMS systems that have a similar setup. Almost every client we've trained on Mojo so far has presented the issue of access to the file manager and not being able to do so on a stand alone basis without going through a 5-step process to pop it up.

Thoughts?

Hi Eric,

You can checkout the new file manager and direct link on demo.mojoportal.com

Let me know what you think.

I'm looking into a hideable panel for the admin links as well.

Best,

Joe

Can you tell me more about the steps to produce the issues you encountered? What file names, sizes, extensions etc, anything to help me produce the issues.

Thanks,

Joe

I was able to produce and fix the issues. The problem was that on upload an html response with some embedded json was expected and I was passing a json response without the html wrapping. All the other methods return just json so I just assumed this method was also supposed to return a pure json response, but since the response returns in an iframe it makes sense that it is supposed have an html wrapper. For some reason it worked fine in Chrome and sometimes in Firefox, but it is fixed now for IE as well.

I've updated the demo site with the fix. Please let me know if you see any other errors.

Thanks,

Joe

Working great now! I'm excited to get this into production, clients will love it. As mentioned, the old file manager (or lack of for content authors) has been a primary issue people had raised and questioned. This is nice on every level. Thanks joe!!

Hi Joe, looking fancy. Here is some feedback.

First, please check out the custom admin bar I've been using on my mojo sites for reference:
http://www.proactivedesign.net/_admin/upload-area/files/mojoportal/admin-interface.gif

1) The admin bar only shows up when someone is logged in (admin, content author etc, not registered users)

2) My goal was to create a single and simple admin bar that had the core links to the left like my account, signout, etc. I added the "workflow" link up there because otherwise as a content publisher there was no way to view the workflow page to approve changes and I didn't want to give them content admin privledges. I've got to keep it real simple.

3) On the right of the admin bar are the page tools, etc. But again, all the in the same admin tool bar. DNN has a similar setup, with all admin functions available in that top admin bar. I like in my example that all the logged in admin functions are in one admin bar accross the top of the page. It's very visible at the top of the page and in a brighter color (clients need a lot of hand holding, it's got to be ovbious - even bright yellow would be fine).

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Now, regarding what you put together: I like it's interactive nature, that it can be hidden, always stays in view (doesn't scroll with page), the links are nice, clean and it feels fast.

However, I think it would feel more natural at the top of the page, and maybe have a brighter, bolder look to it. Maybe slightly smaller text so we could fit more. I think if users have to look at the top of the page for some admin functions and at the bottom that's confusing and a little more work than it needs to be. Personally, I think if you combined some of what I did with your bar technology and moved to the top that would be amazing (or make the position a setting preference). Just having the bar always present without the need to scroll would be huge.

Another common problem I have is when we build a custom application that needs access by the client who has say "content author" privledges is how to give them access to the tool we've built? A link needs to go somewhere. I've been just hard-coding a link up in the admin panel for these applications which is just "ok". Note: I don't want authors to have any access to the admin area (key) which I know can have custom links added. I'd rather have one (possibly customizable) admin panel. Maybe there's a way to allow a drop-down menu in the admin panel with "custom" links in it? Then the site admin could put links to their custom apps in there, mojo tools (workflow for example), etc without having to customize the code. Maybe it's an admin function for adding admin bar direct links, the links could even be set according to permission level, that would be really cool.

Anyhow, getting off track. I do like what you are doing there, if my feedback is useful then you're welcome. I've got a dozen mojo sites so far and adding more all the time, it's now our CMS of choice.