ProcessWire ProFields: Textareas

[ryan]

ProcessWire ProFields is new product that will soon be available in the ProcessWire store. It consists of 4 really useful new modules:

• Textareas (Fieldtype + Inputfield)
• Multiplier (Fieldtype + Inputfield)
• Table (Fieldtype + Inputfield)
• AutoLinks (Textformatter)

These modules are currently in beta testing, and I'll be posting screencasts to highlight some of the features of each over the next week or so. To start with, here is a screencast for Textareas:

This video includes sound (narration) and I recommend viewing it at a larger size than above (preferably full screen), and bump it up to the 720p resolution so that you can see everything in better detail. 

[diogo]

I recommend viewing it at a larger size than above

and pump the volume up

[ryan]

Yes good point, the volume is a little low on this. I should have normalized it before publishing. I'll try to remember that on the next one. 

[alan]

I love how this Module is clearly excellent for larger sites, useful for any site but not essential to building brilliant PW sites. Building an income stream for PW is a healthy thing to do and like the rest of PW it's clearly being done with care; thanks for this and the upcoming great new tools Ryan

And nice to hear, from the vocal commentary, that not just the Admin i/f has a theme

[owzim]

I just played around with with PageTableField, which alone is a great addition. The TextAreas module seems like a very clever solution for grouping fields. Will fiddle around with it soon.

What interest me though is, how the Modules will be licensed. I'd prefer a per site license and a free dev license. Since it will be part of the core and a great show case on whats possible with PW, people would be wanting to try it out, also newbies. If you you have to pay for it just to play with it it might be a hurdle. I can see these modules as being an essential part of site building with PW.

I am having trouble articulating my point, but the gist is, that I think a per site license should be enough.

TextField Module:

As far as I understand you will define the labels of the fields on that one TextArea definition field. How would I go about and have that multi language ready? Perhaps it would be better if one could define each fields name, title and description each in their own input field, so it can be multilang.

[Craig]

This video includes sound (narration) 

I do believe a new standard for screencasts has just been set!

[ryan]

What interest me though is, how the Modules will be licensed.

See the FormBuilder or ProCache Dev version, as the plan is to license this in exactly the same way. Since this comes with multiple modules, I don't see a reason to have a single site license because you might like to use one module on one site and another on another site. So I'd rather just license this one as a buy-once use anywhere type thing. 

Since it will be part of the core and a great show case on whats possible with PW, people would be wanting to try it out, also newbies.

These modules won't be part of the core. They are a separate product from ProcessWire in the same way that FormBuilder and ProCache are. However there is one exception: FieldtypePageTable (not FieldtypeTable) is one of the ProFields and this one is being included in the core thanks to a sponsorship by Avoine. I'll be covering more about this Fieldtype soon, but it's already available in the dev branch and a great addition that I think many people will prefer to repeaters. The idea and concept for this field was designed by Apeisa and I think folks will love it. 

I can see these modules as being an essential part of site building with PW.

That's good to hear that you think so highly of these modules!  But since nobody outside myself has developed a site with these modules, they definitely aren't essential to building a site with PW. Though they are certainly useful and big time savers! The tools essential to building great sites with PW will always be core. Like with FormBuilder and ProCache, the intention with premium modules is to provide time and/or resource saving tools for those that make a living from this and want additional tools to support their work. In addition, purchase of premium modules is a way to support the ProcessWire project as a whole (since we don't take donations). 

As far as I understand you will define the labels of the fields on that one TextArea definition field. How would I go about and have that multi language ready? Perhaps it would be better if one could define each fields name, title and description each in their own input field, so it can be multilang.

Where multi-language is needed, ProFields are intended to be used with ProcessWire's language alternate field support. Most ProFields involve lots of inputs and it's not practical to multiply those per language the way that FieldtypeTextLanguage does. Though they can work quite nicely in the language alternate context. Beyond language alternate support, Textareas can be used in a multi-language context, but since you define what each component is, you'd be responsible for defining separate components for each of your languages. Meaning, it's not specifically a multi-language field, but you can choose to use it in a manner that supports your multi-language needs. If we find that there are practical ways to expand upon any of the ProFields for further multi-language support, and there's sufficient demand for it, then we'll certain do what we can there too. 

[alan]

I like the licence model where once I have purchased I may use on any site.

Each model has it's benefits. For me the ease of managing a simple model where if I have bought it I can use it is a big one.

Another thing I like is that if I have bought a module and learnt how to use it then there is nothing reducing my enthusiasm to use it on the next site I work on.

I recognize that there is no 'one size fits all' and that therefore any solution has to be a compromise to some extent with some of the audience, all I can say personally is that the model used feels best to me.

[James F Carr]

This looks great, Ryan. Processwire's modularity is, perhaps, its greatest asset. After working in Joomla and Wordpress for years, it's great to have a CMS that is dead-simple when you need it to be, but scales up easily for more complex sites. Keeping the core as clean as possible also makes it easy for people to get in the door, then add functionality as needed. I also find the current module licensing model to be an excellent compromise. Great work!

Now, when can I give you my money?

[kongondo]

Cool first post @carrdesigns! Welcome to the forums!

[Soma]

Regarding languages for these modules, I don't see language alternative fields (ie: text, text_fr, text_it) being avery usable option. Consider having 5 text inputs, I have to create one field for each language and put them all one after another, that will give me 3x5 inputs scattered over the page editor. For site editors this doesn't feel quite intuitive and is mixing approaches. So creating 5 textfields is still the best way to go and those profields aren't of much usage except for multiple inputs not needing languages like phone numbers, which is very seldom. 

EDIT: Regardless, I also wanted to say thanks for those amazing nice new tools! (just wish that "restriction" regarding languages wasn't there).

[dazzyweb]

These modules won't be part of the core. They are a separate product from ProcessWire in the same way that FormBuilder and ProCache are. However there is one exception: FieldtypePageTable (not FieldtypeTable) is one of the ProFields and this one is being included in the core thanks to a sponsorship by Avoine. I'll be covering more about this Fieldtype soon, but it's already available in the dev branch and a great addition that I think many people will prefer to repeaters. The idea and concept for this field was designed by Apeisa and I think folks will love it. 

That's good to hear that you think so highly of these modules!  But since nobody outside myself has developed a site with these modules, they definitely aren't essential to building a site with PW. Though they are certainly useful and big time savers! The tools essential to building great sites with PW will always be core. Like with FormBuilder and ProCache, the intention with premium modules is to provide time and/or resource saving tools for those that make a living from this and want additional tools to support their work. In addition, purchase of premium modules is a way to support the ProcessWire project as a whole (since we don't take donations). 

I agree that these modules are not needed for building great sites with Processwire and do not need to be a part of the core and I would be willing to purchase them if it helps my productivity and workflow and at the same time supports processwire.

Though there seems sometimes to be a thin line between what could be added to the core and what could be a paid module. There are some cms and ecommerce systems out there with out mentioning any names that do seem to go over the top whereby every new feature or improvement is added as a paid module / add-on. I hope this won't become the case with Processwire.

It could be said that some new features / modules might bring more benefit and funds being part of the core rather than paid modules though this might seem counter intuitive to start with as far as bringing in funds.

The reasoning behind this is that the more versatile and great Processwire becomes at the core then the more popular it will become with more people adopting processwire and in turn purchasing more modules like FormBuilder and ProCach and hopefully many more useful modules in the future which could actually create more sales in the long run of those modules hence increased funds. Theoretical of course

Since it will be part of the core and a great show case on whats possible with PW, people would be wanting to try it out, also newbies.

I have to say that this new module to me seems to be an added feature and improvement to the flexible workings of processwire that attracted me in the first place so personally I would have loved to see it as part of the core with the added benefit of attracting newbies.

Of course I am not a newbie now (but still very new compared to others here) and already sold on Processwire and love it more each day and will more than likely be purchasing these plugins in the future and have no problem with that but I do hope that sometime in the future as new paid modules are developed that modules likes these might be moved to the core to help give processwire the status it deserves.

Anyway the modules look great and can't wait to see the next screen cast of the other modules.

[Nico Knoll]

@ryan: Is it you who talks in the video?

[Philipp]

Really liked what I've seen so far. Great work.

Is is possible to group multiple check boxes into one field? This would he handsome if you want to build e.g. a configuration site or tab.

[peterfoeng]

Will be very useful also for things like shipping and billing as I am using individual fields to store user dafa like first name, last name etc...this is a huge time saver!

Cant wait for it to be available, thanks Ryan!

[ceberlin]

Yes it's funny, but for non-English natives a less cartoonish narration style would distract less from the great news content and it would be easier to follow, i.m.h.o.

[ryan]

Is is possible to group multiple check boxes into one field? This would he handsome if you want to build e.g. a configuration site or tab.

We already have a dedicated Inputfield for this: InputfieldCheckboxes. Use that as your selection when creating a Page field, and you'll have exactly what you are talking about (I use it regularly for that purpose).