New GUI for OpenEMR: Default theme

zhhealthcare wrote on Tuesday, March 01, 2011:

Freinds,

We have developed a new GUI for OpenEMR. Please see the link https://sourceforge.net/tracker/?func=detail&atid=1245239&aid=3179156&group_id=60081

There is a consensus to make the sliding menu the default: However we are seeking user opinions on what the theme should be.  You can find the themes in the demo site under preferences.  Select each and save to see the theme.

Thanks and regards
Shameem

tmccormi wrote on Tuesday, March 01, 2011:

I had a thought, perhaps we could have the user select a theme (and menu style choice) during the setup process?

PS: I don’t think menu style 1 (top menus)) is supported by anyone any more and we should drop it.  I think radio-button style may still be fine, but none of my customers use it so I’m not sure about that one.

-Tony

zhhealthcare wrote on Tuesday, March 01, 2011:

Tony
What would be the default in our demo site?  That is the question.  :slight_smile:

Shameem

mukoya wrote on Tuesday, March 01, 2011:

In my opinion, the both traditional and radio buttons should be dropped.

Letting one select at setup (if setup means installation) is not fair unless accompanied by screenshots of each theme and directions on where to change once logged in.

Suggestion: Make sliding menu and style_oemr default for demo server and for new installation. I believe most people will be able to easily find the theme options page without further help as they set up the software. alternatively, present a wizard at first log-in.

Mukoya.

sunsetsystems wrote on Tuesday, March 01, 2011:

Guys, you can’t just toss out the older menu styles based on your own opinions or preferences.  I know of people using them, but don’t know offhand how important it is to them.  Need more of a process for that besides just a show of hands from whoever’s in the room.

Rod
www.sunsetsystems.com

tmccormi wrote on Wednesday, March 02, 2011:

We only have the people in the room and who they represent to ask.  So if you have people that want the old stuff going forward then you need to represent them or they need to speak up.  None of my customers want anything but the new sliding menus.  I don’t have any problem with the old stuff being there, but the top menu is not being maintained, to my knowledge, and I do have a problem with stuff the doesn’t work being there.

-Tony

sunsetsystems wrote on Wednesday, March 02, 2011:

The top menu is maintained by definition.  If it’s not working, then someone broke it and they need to fix that.  We don’t drop a feature just because some programmer can’t be bothered to support it when making a change.

The point is that dropping it is a policy question that needs some time so others have a chance to speak up… it’s not just about my clients and I don’t claim to represent everyone who has a stake in it.

Rod
www.sunsetsystems.com

zhhealthcare wrote on Wednesday, March 02, 2011:

Rod,
What do you mean by this?

We don’t drop a feature just because some programmer can’t be bothered to support it when making a change.

Shameem

sunsetsystems wrote on Wednesday, March 02, 2011:

It means that the community needs a chance to weigh in on decisions to remove existing features.  Everything in OpenEMR is there because someone put it there, often at considerable expense.  It’s vital for developers to be sensitive to that.

Rod
www.sunsetsystems.com

tmccormi wrote on Wednesday, March 02, 2011:

This is the place for the community to weigh in, and I hope they do.  That’s what this thread is about.  No one is dictating a solution, just asking the question and putting in their opinion.

-Tony

zhhealthcare wrote on Wednesday, March 02, 2011:

Rod,
Then use those words.  Scouring this thread I don’t see anywhere where anyone has refused to support any existing features.  Your words give an impression that it was refused by ZH Healthcare or that we couldn’t be bothered to do what is right. Sensitivity should work both ways.
Shameem

sunsetsystems wrote on Wednesday, March 02, 2011:

Shameem, nobody singled out ZH and there’s no need to scour.  Tony said he didn’t think the top menu was working.  My response was if that is true, then someone broke it.  That someone, if they exist, is the person to whom my comment is directed.  My apologies if it appeared otherwise!

Tony, my suggestion regarding process would be to start a thread in this forum specifically for the purpose of asking if anyone objects to removing the old-style “top” menus.  Then give it, oh, 30 days?  What do you think?

Rod
www.sunsetsystems.com

mukoya wrote on Wednesday, March 02, 2011:

Suggestion: If they are working and not interfering with anything, we could keep the old menu styles but use sliding menus as default because changing to old style is very easy for anyone who is still interested. For now all developers try to keep the code for all original menus intact. This will help the (i believe very few) guys who still want to stick with old style to also enjoy other new features in OEMR.

For anyone already using tree view, it is almost certain they will enjoy sliding menu without getting lost as the menu items are exactly the same except more appealing to the eye.

I highly doubt if anew client will opt for old over newer style-but again, this forum is about hearing from as many people as will post and as Rod says, talking to other users who may not be able to post and representing their views here. As we talk to our clients we allow them to make an informed decision after they have a chance to see the new sliding menu (e.g by logging into demo server).

Mukoya.

bradymiller wrote on Wednesday, March 02, 2011:

hey,

To clarify the objective of this thread:
zhhealthcare has contributed code that adds a new layout (sliding menu) along with several working css style themes. Their contributed code does not break any other layout.

We all seem to be in agreement that it makes sense to have the sliding menu become the default layout (Rod, weigh in if you don’t agree). The question is which css style theme to use as the default. So far style_oemr.css is winning with one vote.

Here’s code that will make these options default (also safely removes the style_default.css stylesheet since it’s rather ugly with the sliding menu, and is very similar to the skyblu style; of course, this decision is up to the community):
http://github.com/bradymiller/openemr/commits/set-default-style_1

-brady

-brady

tmccormi wrote on Wednesday, March 02, 2011:

Rod: Starting a separate thread on the Top Menu topic is fine, I shouldn’t have mixed the topics, my fault, sorry, it’s so tempting.

Brady: I agree with your suggestions re style.  (personally I prefer the one called metal, but I think the one called ‘oemr’ makes a better default.

-Tony

bradymiller wrote on Thursday, March 03, 2011:

hey,

Committed above described changes to sourceforge:
http://github.com/openemr/openemr/commit/6035985252879ffd4a489e33c01127b8e5184ba2

thank you Ajil and Shameem for this contribution,
-brady

sunsetsystems wrote on Friday, March 04, 2011:

Just want to say, the sliding menus and new default theme look really nice.  You guys at ZH did a great job and we really appreciate the way you took the time to understand and work with the existing code.  Thanks!

Rod
www.sunsetsystems.com

zhhealthcare wrote on Friday, March 04, 2011:

Thank you, Rod, for the kind words.  We are building on the foundation that you guys laid. 

Regards
Shameem

jcahn2 wrote on Friday, March 04, 2011:

As the grandkids would say,  “Awesome, Shameem!” 
Jack