Formatter settings on display fields tab and in Views [#226154]

I have been bumping up against a limitation which we have not yet addressed in D6. Formatter instances need settings. For example, consider that a date.module only allows a custom date format on the field level. This flexibility is not even available for field instances. I would like a 'configure' link beside each select on the display fields tab when the selected formatter offers configuration. Here, date.module would offer a custom date format. Presumably this configuration form for the formatter would also be available in Views when editing the field. That fixes the second limitation in D5 where Views.module powered dates like node.cerated can have a custom date format whereas date.module dates cannot.

Comments

Comment #1

yched CreditAttribution: yched commented 25 February 2008 at 01:10

Formatter settings are indeed the last 'biggie' we couldn't tackle so far. Mainly because we don't clearly see a good UI (the code itself would probably be reusing known concepts for field and widget settings). A link that takes you away from the 'display settings' page and drops the changes is awkward.

On a semi-related note, we've been briefly discussing with Earl on IRC whether Views 2 UI organization could benefit CCK.
An overview page that lists fields on top and lets you set field settings, widget settings, formatter settings, validators, in a AHAH-updated form below would probably be a great enhancement.
Not sure of the actual implications in terms of Views 2 UI code being factored out (and where to), but Earl seems at least open to the idea.
If some of the 'Views 2 UI' brainstormers are willing to tackle mockups for CCK admin UI, I'd be more than happy :-)

Well, back on topic, 'formatters settings' being an API addition, they can probably be added in a subsequent release without breaking the field modules that will have been ported by then. We're behind enough on the initial release (and I'm personnaly having a hard time dedicating the time it deserves...)

Comment #2

moshe weitzman CreditAttribution: moshe weitzman commented 9 July 2008 at 04:03

Well, cck has now gone x years without formatter settings because "we don't clearly see a good UI." i propose we consider my very basic UI just to move us forward until the right genius comes along and solves this.

Comment #3

Wim Leers

Ghent 🇧🇪🇪🇺

CreditAttribution: Wim Leers commented 19 September 2008 at 16:55

This is definitely something we *really* need. The Money CCK Field module has SIX different formatters, with more requested because of the lack of formatter settings.

I'm willing to help with the UI when a basic UI has been included already.

Comment #4

Wim Leers

Ghent 🇧🇪🇪🇺

CreditAttribution: Wim Leers commented 3 November 2009 at 17:13

Status:

Active

» Closed (fixed)

Comment #5

Deciphered CreditAttribution: Deciphered commented 10 April 2011 at 21:04

Status:

Closed (fixed)

» Active

Apologies for opening a closed issue, but I am curious why it was closed, last time I checked this feature was not available in Drupal 6.

Happy to be corrected though.

However, if it isn't I am curious if there's a realistic chance of the feature being back ported from Drupal 7 as I was considering doing it myself in a separate module, but I thought I'd check first.

Cheers,
Deciphered.

Comment #6

yched CreditAttribution: yched commented 10 April 2011 at 22:19

Status:

Active

» Closed (won't fix)

This happened in D7's Field API and Field UI. This won't be backported to D6.
So it's rather a "won't fix".

Comment #7

Deciphered CreditAttribution: Deciphered commented 10 April 2011 at 23:13

Sure, well I will give it a go myself and release it as a separate module.

Although I must say, I can't see why I couldn't be backported to CCK, but then I haven't started looking into the code specifically either, so maybe there's a very good reason.