[SPTUsers] SPT 1.1.1 - Feature suggestions

[Arbit 1202]

Hi,

I think SPT is just great. I do have a few suggestions
though, which I think would be useful. Hope you think
so as well.

Data entry
==========
Basically, the idea of all these is to speed up the
data entry process by staying on the main data entry
page as far as possible. 
1. Can the submenus of metadatatool come on the home
page (after login). This would save an extra click.
2. In the main data entry page, can some of the option
fields be replaced by drop down lists? This would save
considerable space. One could even say that any field
which has been set as option field with multiples not
allowed should be shown as a drop-down.
3. A faster mechanism for entering publishers and
classifications? For any dedicated portal, these are
normally limited in number, so an option box/drop down
list approach is fine.

Currently, you *have* to click on a button (Add..), go
to another page, run a search, and then select the
ones you want. if the search is negative, you then
start another process to add the name to the master
list.

I would suggest that the dropdown or option list have
an "Add New" option in the list itself, or an "Add New
Publisher" button next to it. (Currently, adding an
option in the option fields involves going through a
totally separate process). In this case, a user could
click on the dropdown list, and straightaway select
the desired option. If it is not found, the process
for adding it can be started rightaway from the same
page.

For classifications, the option box could show the
full tree (as it does on the resource page), with a
typical option looking like
Architecture--Canada--Indoor, etc. If a desired
classification is not found, the user can click an
"Add New" option in the list, or a "Add new
classification" button next to the list.

4. Unlike publishers and classifications, a master
list of creators is difficult to make. Also, typically
(at least in academic papers), there are 2-3 creators.
Under the current system, searching for each, then
adding them one by one, takes some time.

I would suggest two options here.
First, a text box, where variant names for more than
one creator can be entered, separated by (say) commas.
On clicking an "Add creator" button next to the
textbox, the search results with checkboxes (as in the
current system) could get thrown up.

Alternatively (my preference), have three drop down
boxes, with each having the list of creators, plus two
other entries, "add new" and "none". There would
continue to be a "Add another" box on the side. Each
drop down box corresponds to one creator. The default
would be "none", in which case no creator record would
get added to the resource. If the creator is not in
the list, an "Add New Creator" option could be used.
If more than 3 creators are needed, the "Add another
creator" button could be used. I think this would
enable fast entry in 95% of cases without leaving the
data entry page.

Data retrieval
==============
1. A printer friendly output?
2. Possibility of flagging individual resource entries
from the search result (instead of all or none as at
present) through a check box, for either export or
printout.
3. Open the resource link in a new window?

Resource upload
===============
For cases where the user has the authorisation to
upload data to the server, it would be useful to be
able to upload any local files to a designated
directory on the server, and be able to enter the url
of that.

Hope that's useful.

P Chadha

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