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Support for more advanced structures and reusable components
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Victoria Bresman
Our current templates and field types are pretty basic, and so we plan to add some functionality to make them a lot more flexible. This should make it really easy to create more flexible content structures, and also save some time when you have the same kinds of structure used on multiple items in your project.
The idea is to make it possible to create custom components out of a group of fields (or even a single field), and then have these accessible in a component library so they can be quickly added to items on the fly. This means you could have a component that's used inside templates and custom structures, and which can be easily updated from a single place. Which should save a bunch of time!
We're also keen to make it possible to say that a component should be repeatable on an item. This should be useful for things like galleries, or lists of things, where you're not sure how many you need from the outset.
Finally, we're also keen to review our field types themselves, and look into more specific field types to support more structured content. Also just improving the validation on fields, so you could say a field is required, or has to include a certain format of content.
This is in the very early stages of planning, so please let us know your thoughts.
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James Peacock
complete
Hi everyone. After many months of development and testing, I'm happy to announce that our new feature, Components, are available on Start, Scale and Transform plans.
On the surface components are very simple, but we had to work through quite a few obstacles to make them a reality, which included things like moving a lot of the product over to new tech and improving fundamental features like tabs and fields. All this work, combined with Covid-19 and the challenges that presented our small team meant that it took longer to release components than we'd like.
All that said, if you haven't already used components as part of the beta, head to your Structure tab to get started!
As always, thanks for your time and input in helping making this release what it is! If you'd like to know more about components and how to use them, we've written a detailed help article which you can see here:
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P.S. This Canny feature request has grown and morphed over the past couple of years so much that it's hard to keep track of all the suggestions. We have been treating this request as solely the components feature.
Rather than have this request become stale, if your request hasn't been answered as part of this release, feel free to create new requests so we can keep track of them better. Thanks!
Mike Mason
Starting to implement the new components features and LOVE having the entire content of a page in one item instead of how we had previously had broken components up into separate items. One thing I am now finding is that we end up having massive long scrolling pages. Some sort of table of contents or menu to scroll down directly to a component on the page would be a huge help. Is that being considered?
James Peacock
Mike Mason: Hi Mike. Sorry your comment got missed. This is an excellent suggestion. It's something I've given some thought in the past, but is still purely at the ideas stage. Please create a request and I'll keep an eye on it!
Mike Mason
James Peacock: Great! I created it here: https://gathercontent.canny.io/feature-requests/p/components-navigation
James Peacock
Hi everyone. I'd like to share with you our new dedicated landing page for the components feature, which shares some more details including a video walkthrough, and answers some common questions. You can view the page at the link:
I'm also happy to announce that the decision has been made to release components to all current plans (Start, Scale & Transform). We want to enable teams of all sizes to take control of their content operations and we believe this is the best way of empowering you to do that. If you are on a legacy plan, please reach out to our support team who will be happy to help with the transition.
We'll be inviting a group of you to participate in the beta so keep an eye out for the invitation which will land in your inbox soon.
We're so close now - just a few more bugs to iron out and it'll be in your hands. Thanks for sticking with us.
Laura Salter
James Peacock: YAY!
Rachel Bertsch
Laura Salter: Double yay!!!
barbara aria
James Peacock: Lifechanging!
James Peacock
Hi everyone. I want to share an update on how we're progressing with components. Previously I spoke about how we were working towards a Q4 timescale for beta, and whilst every effort has been made to try and hit that, unfortunately, it's going to take a little longer.
Components are our most anticipated feature and are something we want to get right. As such, we decided to get a more fully-fledged version of components to beta, which means pushing beta back to early next year. We've released small features along the way that we can, but the bulk of the work now is piecing all the component work together - something that has to be done as one release.
One such small release is the ability to select fields in the structure editor—eventually, you'll be able to convert existing fields into components. Other releases include the new Structure tab (the eventual home for components) and the usage sidebar for templates (components will also get this).
With that said, this may be my last update on components this year, so I hope you all have a well-deserved break over the holidays. After 2020, we're all excited about the possibilities 2021 will bring and we can't wait for you to join us on the journey.
James.
G
Gianvito Fanelli
James Peacock: Hi James, any news?
James Peacock
Gianvito Fanelli: Hi Gianvito, sorry for the delay getting back to you.
There are a lot of people waiting for this feature, so with that in mind, and in the name of transparency I feel obliged to share with you we are aiming to hit BETA in April. Keep an eye out in the app over the next few weeks for notifications around the release of Components to find out more information on the feature.
As you're aware software development likes to throw up its fair share of challenges, so deadlines and launch dates are always subject to change. That said, I'm confident we're on the home stretch, and also confident you'll start seeing some real movement as we head into Spring.
As a side note, a couple of other releases to look forward to releasing imminently are ALT tag support for images, and inline images in text fields.
I hope you have a great weekend!
barbara aria
Can't wait to use this new feature asap. We have complex components that we use across projects, and a library is exactly what we've been waiting for.
Laura Salter
barbara aria: Agreed!
James Peacock - Any update on this??
James Peacock
Hi folks. I wanted to share an update with you regarding components, namely a video walkthrough of a prototype demonstrating the creation of a component and adding that component to a template.
You can view the walkthrough here (7:38): https://share.getcloudapp.com/JrugPz7Y
You may have noticed our updated fields went live today, which means we can really start driving forward our component feature. Timelines remain unchanged from my previous comment (Q4 2020 beta/release). We will be working closely both internally and with our partners to determine which plans have access to components and this will be shared prior to release.
Let me know if you have any feedback or thoughts on any of the above!
Thanks.
Laura Salter
James Peacock: This is AWESOME. I am very excited.
One comment I have... once I've added a component to a template (or a custom structure) on an item, I would like to be able to give that component a title/help text that is specific to that template. I wouldn't want to rename the component, but have an additional title and description.
e.g.) Image Gallery (component)
Employee Gallery Images (title)
Upload up to 5 images of your employees at events or having fun at the office. Photos should be 1200px x 1000px. (description)
Thanks!
James Peacock
Laura Salter: Hi Laura. This is actually something we have been discussing recently - how can I repurpose a component for similar but different needs, without creating a brand new component.
Our first thought is to allow people to change the label of a component once it is added to a template/structure, just in the same you rename fields once you add them. So in your example, you'd add the 'Image Gallery' component, and simply rename it to 'Employee Gallery Images'.
Your next point is a little more involved, but it is very valid. Is it a case of adding a guideline field and allowing that to be edited at a template level? Or give components instruction text, like fields? Leave it with us!
F
Frank Desiderio
James Peacock: Thank you james! Looks very promising. Can't wait to begin using it at the earliest (and hoping our project will still be active by the time it is released).
To Laura's point below,
I've been adding description fields BEFORE/OUTSIDE our current cobbled-together components, and wonder if, in the short-term, that same method may suffice with actual components (rather than have any kind of editable description be part of the component itself)
Mike Mason
James Peacock: This looks great! One thing that stood out to me after watching was that it would be nice to be able to attach a thumbnail to a component template. This would allow the user to visually identify what a component will look like on the website when the content is moved over into our CMS. See image below for example of a doc I have created of our web components.
James Peacock
Mike Mason: Hi Mike. Nice idea. Our work on asset management brings with it inline images. So a solution to this would be to add a guideline field in the component, and add any supporting imagery in there. In the meantime, adding a guideline field and linking to any supporting imagery would be a good workaround.
Carl Dunker
James Peacock: Will components be shareable across multiple projects?
James Peacock
Carl Dunker: Hi Carl. In the first instance components won't be shareable across projects, but you will be able to import components from other projects so you don't have to keep building them from scratch. We are looking into ways to introduce 'global' features, so things like components, templates and files shared across projects, but as yet not on our immediate roadmap.
James Peacock
Merged in a post:
Connected Fields / Fields Container / Field Groups
Laura Salter
I would love to see the ability to group fields together.
For example, we might have a Call to Action content block that would be made up of a Title, Short Description, and Button Text.
Currently, I would either have to use one text field for this and describe its pieces in the description (making it difficult/impossible to impose length restrictions on each particular piece of the CTA), or break it up into three different fields (making it difficult to show that they are connected).
I envision this working as such:
- Choose "grouped fields" or "container" from the list of field types.
- You could then name that container.
- Then, you could drag and drop whatever fields you wanted within that container.
I might choose a file upload, a text box, a second text box... whatever!
This would be amazing and would more closely mimic the CMS experience our clients will ultimately have in WordPress with ACF.
James Peacock
Hi everyone, we're actually working on a solution for this at the moment, which we're calling 'components'. They will work exactly as you describe. You'll build your component with whichever fields you wish, save it, then add that component to your structures/templates. You'll even be able to set the component to be repeatable, which will allow editors to create new instances of that component on the fly - super handy for things like image galleries, which could contain an asset field for the image, and text field for the description.
You can see more information on the progress we're making over on this Canny request: https://gathercontent.canny.io/feature-requests/p/support-for-more-advanced-structures-and-reusable-components
I'll also merge in this post so you can stay up-to-date.
F
Frank Desiderio
James Peacock: Hello James. Thank you for your help on this critical (to us) functionality. Is there an ballpark ETA you're able to share for a beta? days? weeks? months?
Y
Yve Zotique
James Peacock Hi James! I'm also super interested in the idea of reusable components that are a grouping of field types and can be pulled in to pages and/or templates. Is there a beta version available for use? Thank you!
F
Frank Desiderio
James Peacock: equally interested in beta access too please :)
James Peacock
Hi Frank Desiderio and Yve Zotique great to see your interest in this. We're hard at work on components as we speak and are expecting both beta and release during Q4 of this year. Due to its popularity and the power it will give users it is our top priority right now, but although we want to get it in users' hands as quickly as possible, we also want to get it right.
This is why, as part of its development pipeline, we're introducing improvements such as newly designed fields (which you can see in a previous comment below). Left-hanging field names weren't compatible with our solution for components, so fields will have their names above, condensing fields into a single-column. This actually fixes a number of issues outside of components, such as quirky behaviour observed with longer field names, and also drastically improves usability on smaller screen sizes (though I admit we still have some way to go here).
We're also working on major performance improvements with field loading times. We're seeing huge reductions in loading times for items in testing, so I'm excited to get this release with you as soon as possible. The advantage this brings when working with components is clear.
In tandem with the components release, we're also working on improving the way we handle files. We're calling it 'single source of truth,' and it will finally allow the management of files outside of items. It is our first step in bringing our asset management into the 21st century. Upload files outside of items, comment on files themselves, quickly replace all instances of a file by replacing the master file, add alt tags to files. Again, we're working on releasing the first iteration of this during Q4 this year.
So, there's plenty to look forward to in the coming months. You'll be the first to know when we have a beta available to test!
In the meantime, feel free to ask me any questions.
James
F
Frank Desiderio
James Peacock: thank you sir. this feature set will be key to the successful delivery of a global project of Ogilvy's/WPP's that's currently in-progress. We are keen to participate in the beta (alpha?) program the moment it becomes available, if not sooner, please
Nathan Mico
James Peacock: I've just gone through the steps to create repeatable fields, and it's not showing up as an option anywhere. Is this because they only work on new templates, not existing templates made before the feature was added? I'm at the start of a content development project and am starting to setup the templates for this now. Any help you can give me would be great.
James Peacock
Nathan Mico: Hi Nathan, sorry for the delay in getting back to you. Repeatable fields are only available on Scale and Transform plans. If you are on a legacy plan you'll need to upgrade to one of these plans to take advantage of them. If you already are on one of these plans and you still have trouble seeing them, reach out to our support team who'll be more than happy to help, and will frankly be a lot more responsive than me here on Canny!
M
Matthew Stevenson
This would be helpful. I think this comes in to play especially when you are using the repeatable option to add new items. You would want a title, description, and other fields all added for each new item added.
James Peacock
Hi everyone. In order to make components as intuitive as possible, we're working on ways to simplify fields. Originally fields were designed with labels hanging on the left in order to create a more seamless reading experience, but over time we have seen how being left-aligned has really hindered the user experience when long field labels are involved, especially when coupled with enabled field settings.
With that in mind, we'd like to get your feedback on a single-column approach to fields. This will allow for improved clarity for longer field labels, as well as containing field settings inside of fields themselves, rather than hanging on the left.
We're currently running a usability test and would love for you to get involved, testing the usability of the new fields in the structure editor. If it's something you'd be interested in helping with, you can access the test at this link:
For those of you who might not have time, you can find a preview of the new fields attached to this post, including an early look at a component.
Thanks! Any and all feedback you give will be super valuable.
Mike Mason
James Peacock: I also spy field groups! 👀🎉
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