My feature requests out of my review

ContentBlocks
#1

CB is one of the best add ons for MODx. It’s flexible and easy to use. It makes the content editing more resistant to failure. But I have some feature requests:

  1. Fixed templates: For example for the home-, or contact page. The user can edit the block but cannot add more or delete a block. Only add blocks after fixed blocks in template if allowed.

  2. Rules: For example gallery block only possible after a rich text block, or no gallery field after a headline filed.

  3. UI-improvements: The contrast between the elements are too low -> perhaps It’s a generell MODx problem. Some feature like add Layout, layout parameters, I would place in the title bar. This makes the page more clear. Better options to layout repeater fields, perhaps with columns not only percentage. (If needed I could make a mockup design of my vision)

  4. Video element in gallery (without the workaournd with the poster image)

  5. Larger icons (min. 96px ore 128px)

But in general it’s hundred times better than the rich text editor.

#2

This my very old feature request. But they are still unsolved. Are you planning something in this direction?

#3

There’s certainly overlap with this list and the roadmap for CB v2, particularly the UI aspect and locking specific fields or layouts from editing. The only thing I don’t immediately see happening due to the added complexity and very little requests for it, is the rules about what field can follow another.

Repeaters have definitely proven to be a key feature that needs a better integration so that’s a big part of 2.0, though I don’t want to over-promise before we’re ready to deliver, which will be some time.

For self-hosted video the files input is suitable (to select/upload the multiple versions of the video file) though a more specialised input type that could also show a preview would definitely be nice. Not immediately on our roadmap. But, input types have been extendable since 2014. :wink:

Some of the v2 roadmap is still up in the air as to whether that’ll be 2.0 or 2.x as we’ll likely push some features further out to get to a 2.0 release, but even if that happens, in redesigning the underlying architecture we are trying to keep more advanced use cases 1.0 can’t support in mind, so we can at least create a path to add such features later.

–

FWIW, originally the plan was to get a 2.0 beta ready by the 2020 MODXpo. That was already going to be a challenge, but sometimes a deadline like that helps to speed things along. :smiley: Then COVID hit, de MODXpo got cancelled, followed by a few other crisis and overworking myself to try and help clients going through big changes.

Major development like CB2 was shelved, as just keeping up with support was tough enough. This year things are starting to look better and I’m very much looking forward to picking up those things again soon and working towards a 2023 release.

There’s now a roadmap of the major things we’re working on to give more insight into how we work and what current priorities are.

I’m also working hard trying to find additional sources of funding, to grow the team. modmore is still just ~1.1FTE serving thousands of MODX users trying to keep up with work that could easily keep a team of 5-7 developers busy full-time. If modmore can grow to 2-3 FTE, that would be massive and let us do a lot more great work.

1 Like