https://www.icyphoenix.com/viewtopic.php?f=35&t=4280&p=29176#p29176
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Chaotic
Sat 14 Jun, 2008 09:57

Re: Hide Empty Fields
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[quote user="Lopalong" post="29145"]I stand to be corrected, but it wouldn't be practical. :(

Apart from a huge re-write of the .php files with [b]if and else [/b]arguments that query the Db to see if the entry has been filled in, it would also have to be programmed with new Block-Vars to return different template options.

That would mean new vars for every field that the user has a choice of filling in or not. :(

Then they would have to be applied to all of the templates that are available to the user <-- Begin Not Filled In Here etc. and <-- Begin Filled In Here etc, so that the correct templates are shown.

Then one would have to start re-writing the .tpl tables to accommodate the switches, and that itself would be a nightmare. :p[/quote]

I understand what you mean, but I think it's more practical than you think.  What is the use of an empty profile field?  It sits there taking up space in the already cluttered profile page.  Any subtraction to the profile page is a plus.

You can't tell me this doesn't look sloppy, unorganized, and completely unprofessional.

[spoiler][img]http://www.icyphoenix.com/files/images/3295/looksbad.png[/img][/spoiler]

Wouldn't you rather your viewtopic look something like this?  Notice how I filled out all my profile information, therefore, everything under my avatar looks nice and neat because my profile is complete.

[spoiler][img]http://www.icyphoenix.com/files/images/3295/looksgood.png[/img][/spoiler]

[quote user="Lopalong" post="29145"]It gets worse - What if the User doesn't fill something in, and the option block disappears - How does one go back and fill it in then ?[/quote]

I'm not really sure if you understand what I mean.  The empty fields are always there when editing your profile.  If you fill out the "Location" field, it will show your location on viewtopic.  If you don't fill out the "Location" field, the whole field won't be shown on viewtopic, but the empty "Location" field is still viewable and empty when editing your profile.  It becomes invisible and erases any mention of a location field.  You can always go back and edit your profile to include your location if you wish to.  There was a mod like this for phpBB2, I just can't remember the title or who the author was.

To be honest, this should have been taken care of in the first release of IP.  IP is brilliantly packed with most every useful modification you can think of, so why not include something as small as this?  It was easily possible and 'do-able' with a vanilla copy of phpBB2.  The profile page is jam packed with information, so why not make it easier on your older user's eyes and brains and simplify the page a little?

/opinion.


