Ajax save / Google docs save

[alan]

This is a big ask probably, but when writing a large chunk of copy, particularly in full screen mode (assuming you're using TinyMCE or equiv facility) every so often I click save and have the inevitable page reload or if in full screen I drop out and save then go back.

If PW were able to save in background when I click Save (so no page refresh) or auto save as per Google docs then that would be a major step for content editors.

I am guessing this is mighty complex and so I'm not holding my breath and also this is not a 'big' issue, just one that I know would be a real step up for heavy editors.

[ryan]

When a page is saved, there are various things that can happen that can modify what gets submitted. For instance, hooks can modify stuff. So it's important that a fresh copy gets loaded after a save. Maybe not as convenient, but ultimately opens up more flexibility.

[alan]

Totally understand and it's a huge ask to have the fiendish background-save-as-you-type sort of facility that Google docs has given all else PW is—can't (and shouldn't try to) be all things to all people.

[geniestreiche]

there are solutions out there like sisyphus. but i don't know how to implement this in the pw-backend.

[Nico Knoll]

Maybe someone coud write a "soft save" module which creates a second save button that does ajax saving

[SiNNuT]

You do this in between saving in fear of losing your work?

There are browser extensions for that, such as https://addons.mozil...-form-recovery/

I'm not sure i would want PW to have this kind of facilities in the core. For example WordPress has auto save and page revisions but i generally dislike how they work. Revisions or page versioning can be useful but imo only on a small percentage of sites.

[alan]

@geniestreiche thanks for the link, that looks interesting and as if it might be an easy add-on to PW, albeit would mean edits to /wire (I assume) which I would not do, but if it IS easy to add this plugin and suddenly gain that additional functionality then maybe @Ryan/devs could be interested?

@Nico I wish I were clever enough to write one Can a module add functionality such as the jQ plugin @geniestreiche mentioned? If so I'd like to look at that one day if I can ever get into module writing.

@SiNNuT Yes it's for fear of losing work. Thanks I wasn't aware there were browser extensions. And I agree that swelling the PW core is something that is likely not a good idea for anyone. Though I wasn't thinking of revisioning (which I assume is significantyl more complex) just something that, say, when full screen (and so no visible Save button) if my browser crashes I won't loose all, only some, of what I typed since my last save.

@Ryan/devs could the Save button be made visible when in full screen TinyMCE mode perhaps?

[ryan]

When you are in TinyMCE full screen mode, you are fully in TinyMCE and no part of ProcessWire is visible at that point. I'm guessing that there's a good chance it would be possible to add a save button to that full screen mode somehow using the TinyMCE API, but don't currently know how.

[alan]

When you are in TinyMCE full screen mode, you are fully in TinyMCE and no part of ProcessWire is visible at that point. I'm guessing that there's a good chance it would be possible to add a save button to that full screen mode somehow using the TinyMCE API, but don't currently know how.

Understood and thanks for explaining.

[diogo]

there are solutions out there like sisyphus. but i don't know how to implement this in the pw-backend.

Some more on this here http://coding.smashingmagazine.com/2011/12/05/sisyphus-js-client-side-drafts-and-more/