Fields choice and arrangement on submit - as allowed by admin (?)

Can you describe paractical example? I am not quite sure I got an idea.

Ok.

From an author point of view, the result of an article can be viewed as a "mini-webpage".

You add text, image, sound, video, links etc. - you "make a webpage".

Cobalt has the huge power of individualising each possible element of this "webpage", BUT, at this point it forces the author to use a "hammered" type, in which admin says (for example):

• you are allowed a text field first
• then you are allowed a piece of audio
• then you are allowed an html formatted piece of text
• then you are allowed a video
• then etc

In other words, you writer are allowed to build your page in this particular order and exactly as admin wants.

My suggestion is (if ever possible) for admin to say:

Hey author, here's what you have (for example)

• a bunch of 50 text fields
• 10 audio fields
• 3 html fields
• 5 video fields
• 50 URL fields

Use them in any order you want, and build your webpage exactly as you want

In this way admin gives the possibility to author to create original mini-pages and even his "mini website" literally.

Cobalt becomes a sort of "mini wix" - but smarter, more organised, e-commerce ready etc.

As I said, "something" like this could be created just by html editor, but much more difficult than simply dragging fields one by one, moving them up and down as author wants.

I'm sorry if not possible and too complicated, this came to me simply from an author's perspective focused mainly on content rather than the technicality of writing.

Technically possible, but I think this far away from a build-in feature in Cobalt.

Actually, what you describe would be a visual layout editor or dynamic template. This is already an idea and request for Cobalt's general template system... and it would require to store and parse the positions in a total different way.

Your idea is even one step further, because the template positions and parameters would have to be stored per user!
Not impossible, but I don't see it as a build-in feature in the near future. (IMHO)

Agree it sounds bloody difficult...

I just mentioned an ideal setup for an author, but looking again from Cobalt perspective, it looks as if each user should be able to create his own "type" on the go - which I assume not easy.

geojoomla an ideal setup for an author

Understand your point of view. I've heared similar requests and client questions. A client/author often thinks in "pages". And they wonder what the CMS actually does for their site, if it can't build simple pages (with different layouts ;)

This is a domain for tree-based CMS's, which often have a tree navigation structure and according "page" logic. Pages can all be different. Like a printed newspaper or magazine.

geojoomla each user should be able to create his own "type" on the go - which I assume not easy.

Indeed... a very complex task and workflow question.

BTW, you might be interested in Drupal CMS... which has some interesting but complex addons:
Search for Panels/In-Place-Edit, Panelizer, or Panopoly distribution.

I afraud this idea little bit beyound the scope of Cobalt features.

Sergey I afraud this idea little bit beyound the scope of Cobalt features.

Don't want to contradict, but Cobalt is already doing fields very well. Two things are missing from what I asked: - author to repeat a field as needed (which I understand more people asked and is doable) - author to re-order/arrange fields as he wants (which I understand is probably not possible)

pepperstreet BTW, you might be interested in Drupal CMS... which has some interesting but complex addons:

Search for Panels/In-Place-Edit, Panelizer, or Panopoly distribution.

Thanks @pepperstreet, I didn't dare go into Drupal, but I looked a bit into the "panels/panelizer" as you suggested, and for such specific "authoring" purpose I have to agree - it looks really powerful.