Improvements to forum usability on small screens

[xantia_v6]

I am looking into ways of improving the usability of the forum for members who are using small-screen devices such as phones.

I have made one change already, and that is to add some navigation buttons back into the small screen version of the site header. (you won't see any difference unless you are viewing on a phone or similar).

Let me know if you like this (or not).

I will also consider other suggestions for improving usability on small-screens.

[elma]

I like it. Maybe a little ugly but function over looks wins for me on this one.

[CitroJim]

That's good Mike... Looks OK and very functional on a Windows Phone

For me that makes it much easier to use...

As James says, it's not perfectly pretty but who cares. it's function that's important.

Thanks for what you have done here

[GiveMeABreak]

Actually it has had the opposite effect for me Mike. I have now lost my other stand alone menu options replaced with the shortcuts you have put and now I have to access the hamburger drop down even in landscape mode now to access the other features I use like the ACP that used to be there with all the other options. In other words, I did not get a hamburger menu previously as all options were visible. Now I have the few shortcuts you have made and everything else has disappeared back into a hamburger.

[xantia_v6]

Sorry , a little regression bug crept in there, we lost the earlier fix for "request desktop site". It should be OK again now.

[GiveMeABreak]

Sorted, thanks Mike

[xantia_v6]

Any more feedback?

I would be interested to know which (if any) of the search buttons at the top right fo the header are actually used. Personally, I use "Actve Topics" all the time, but never the others.

[GiveMeABreak]

Mike, for me as you know I tend to use Landscape mode so I have all menu options available all the time. In Portrait mode though, I do use NEW POSTS, and also use the SEARCH button (which is also still shown in the hamburger).

[elma]

I use new posts, unread posts and search.

[Mandrake]

I use New Posts and Your Posts - the latter to quickly find any threads I've recently contributed to.

[elma]

Actually I use your posts a fair bit as well.

[xantia_v6]

I have tried a different approach to this, and have now reinstated all of the header buttons in the small-screen mode, but to make them fit, the button text is truncated and padding reduced (depending on the screen size). It should display nicely on an Iphone 4 or anything larger.

What do you think?

[elma]

It's even more useful.
Maybe you could remove unanswered topics.
I can't imagine anyone uses that one.

[xantia_v6]

It's even more useful.
Maybe you could remove unanswered topics.
I can't imagine anyone uses that one.

Personally, I use "Acitve Topics" all the time, but never the others.

[elma]

Unanswered not active.
I know active is handy if its the only button you use.
Unanswered quite quickly goes back to to threads from 1800bc