Sidebar toolbox is too crowded (tracking)
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Authored By

	Nikerabbit
	Dec 16 2012, 1:08 PM

Description

What links here
Related changes
Upload file
Special pages
Printable version
Permanent link
Page information --
Browse properties
Short URL

A rule of thumb is that more than seven +/- 2 units makes a menu harder to use. In this case 7 links already come from core, leaving little to none space for extensions to add their own.

There are two items that are not related to the current page (upload a file and special pages) mixed between items that pertain to the current page.

Some ideas:

Upload a file could be integrated to page editors and removed from the sidebar.

What links here and Related changes could be integrated to Page information

Browser properties could also be integrated to Page information (via hooks, since it is an extension)

Permanent link and Short URL are kind of related, but perhaps they could be accessible from somewhere else then the toolbox. Same for printable version.

Version: 1.21.x
Severity: enhancement
See Also:
T30131: Modernize the look and usability of page histories
T53520: Find a better way to expose "What links here" functionality to readers
T66321: Personal tools are too crowded (tracking)

Details

Reference: bz43170

Related Objects
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Status	Subtype	Assigned	Task
Open	Feature	None	T45170 Sidebar toolbox is too crowded (tracking)
Declined		None	T5575 Usability: Move "print version" to footer, next to "last modified" timestamp
Resolved		TheDJ	T24256 Change printable link to JavaScript `print()`
Open		None	T40863 Put the shorturl in a better place: current design is extremely ugly and confusing
Declined		yuvipanda	T43252 Outright remove of duplicate short URL under title
Declined		None	T46594 Vector: Page-specific items should not be in sidebar toolbox but in actions dropdown
Declined		None	T43239 Remove "Related changes" from the toolbox by default
Declined		None	T53520 Find a better way to expose "What links here" functionality to readers
Open		None	T66312 Move "Permanent link" out of the sidebar toolbox (behind "last modified" timestamp)
Open	Feature	None	T66314 "Cite this page" sidebar link should always be next to "Printable version", e.g. under "Print/export" where available
Open		None	T66315 Move "Data item" link outside of sidebar toolbox
Resolved		aude	T103102 [Story] Take in other projects sidebar out of beta features
Resolved		WMDE-leszek	T73887 [Task] Other projects sidebar should show badges if applicable
Resolved		hoo	T94989 [Story] Other projects sidebar should have ability to include commons category links
Duplicate		None	T103684 Order of interproject links in the left menu
Resolved		hoo	T126960 [Task] Other projects sidebar: Enable Wikimedia Commons link replacement
Invalid		None	T127230 Other projects sidebar duplicates content in corpus of text
Open	Feature	None	T66329 Remove shorturl link from toolbox

Event Timeline

• bzimport raised the priority of this task from to Medium.Nov 22 2014, 12:50 AM

• bzimport added projects: MediaWiki-User-Interface, Design, Tracking-Neverending.

• bzimport set Reference to bz43170.

• bzimport added a subscriber: Unknown Object (MLST).

Nikerabbit created this task.Dec 16 2012, 1:08 PM

"What links here" must be in the sidebar, it's a crucial feature for navigation.
Related changes is related to history (but not in categories).

5-6) Permalink, print version and ShortURL are related and should stay together, as well as they're related to Collection's links; see alsohttps://www.mediawiki.org/wiki/Collection_Extension_2#Wireframe_Layout_for_placing_the_print_and_Collection_extension_buttons

(In reply to comment #0)

What links here and Related changes could be integrated to Page

information

Browser properties could also be integrated to Page information (via

hooks,
since it is an extension)

Note: this was actually meant as a proposal to collate all "tools" about the (status of the) current wiki page in a single (special?) page/location which would then be linked from the sidebar or equivalent. I guess this would need some ideas on how to present all this mass of information, and a way to make it discoverable (starting from a way to call it); which is what I meant with point (1) above.

How popular "What links here" would be if it wouldn't be hidden inside the Toolbox? Once you know it you can't stop using it! It's not only useful for editors, for readers as well. Has there been any discussion about finding a better place for it?

"Printable version", "Permanent link" and "Short URL" could be placed at the end of the content area, right above the footer. It is a usual location for this functionality in blogs.

(In reply to comment #3)

How popular "What links here" would be if it wouldn't be hidden inside the
Toolbox? Once you know it you can't stop using it! It's not only useful for
editors, for readers as well. Has there been any discussion about finding a
better place for it?

Special:WhatLinksHere doesn't filter by namespace by default from the toolbox link. The results can be a lot of internal pages if you (as a reader) don't know how to filter to (for example) the article namespace. If this page/feature became more prominent or reader-focused, considerations like this would need to be made. Feel free to clone this bug, if you'd like.

Yes, there are many issues open related to WhatLinksHere. So many that it would even deserve a focused bug day to see what is actually going on there. If I'm not the only one thinking this feature should be more promoted in the navigation, that is.

(In reply to comment #5)

Yes, there are many issues open related to WhatLinksHere. So many that it
would even deserve a focused bug day to see what is actually going on there.
If I'm not the only one thinking this feature should be more promoted in the
navigation, that is.

Feel free to clone this bug, if you'd like.

(In reply to comment #6)

Feel free to clone this bug, if you'd like.

See Bug 51520 - Morph "What links here" into a "Context" tab next to "Talk"

Is this a tracking bug?

(In reply to comment #8)

Is this a tracking bug?

Not necessarily. There are some specific proposals above which could be done without too much problems.

(In reply to Nemo from comment #1)

"What links here" must be in the sidebar, it's a crucial feature for

navigation.

Related changes is related to history (but not in categories).

5-6) Permalink, print version and ShortURL are related and should stay
together, as well as they're related to Collection's links; see
also<https://www.mediawiki.org/wiki/
Collection_Extension_2#Wireframe_Layout_for_placing_the_print_and_Collection_
extension_buttons>

agreed it's crucial so much so i suggest what links here can be a button next to a page's title, showing a list in a gadget thus displayed.

Quiddity mentioned this in T30131: Modernize the look and usability of page histories.Jun 8 2015, 8:29 PM

Nemo_bis mentioned this in T118338: Consider reader v. contributor view on mobile.Dec 8 2015, 7:10 AM

Nemo_bis reopened subtask T66315: Move "Data item" link outside of sidebar toolbox as Open.Jan 5 2016, 11:57 AM

Restricted Application added a subscriber: Aklapper. · View Herald TranscriptJan 5 2016, 11:57 AM

• Phabricator_maintenance removed a parent task: T4007: [DO NOT USE] Tracking bug [superseded by #Tracking].Jul 28 2016, 2:33 AM

Legoktm mentioned this in T146045: Make Performance inspector opt-in (Beta Feature?).Nov 3 2016, 7:36 PM

Liuxinyu970226 updated the task description. (Show Details)Jan 1 2017, 1:57 PM

Liuxinyu970226 mentioned this in T66321: Personal tools are too crowded (tracking).

Liuxinyu970226 removed a subscriber: • wikibugs-l-list.

Liuxinyu970226 subscribed.

Krinkle closed subtask T24256: Change printable link to JavaScript `print()` as Resolved.May 21 2017, 1:19 PM