When Developers Play … JARVIS Is Born.
When it comes to building custom web solutions for our clients, WDG is ready to tackle the problems head-on. With our extensive insight into WordPress and Drupal, it’s no surprise that our developers often go in and build custom details to make the content management systems even more user-friendly.
Recently, I was able to nab our Senior Developer’s attention long enough to learn a little a bit about a tool he’s created to make Search an awesome possibility within the administrative end of WordPress websites!
Read on to learn about how we make it simpler to move around WordPress as an administrator.
WHAT is Jarvis?
Jarvis helps WordPress administrators to maneuver around the content management system quickly and find things from anywhere within the backend. The purpose of Jarvis is to get exactly what you want whether you’re trying to find that settings page for permalinks that hides in a secret corner or just wanting to quickly job to a post you’ve been working on throughout the day.
HOW does one use Jarvis?
Currently (this is definitely in the testing phases of our newer projects right now), it works by pressing the forward slash (“/”) on your keyboard to open the Jarvis Search within a light box. The light box appears with a search text field and a text cursor ready for you to type away. As one types, results auto-populate below the search box. The auto-populating results are compiled mainly of two sets of data:
Links within the left or top nav-bars,
Any post, tag, or category items currently within the CMS.
What parts of each kind of data does Jarvis look at and search?
For links, Jarvis will look at the link href and parent title. For posts, tags and categories, it will search through the slug, guide, title and content of those data types. Jarvis leaves no stone unturned.
Are results weighted?
What an oddly specific question to ask!!! Short answer: Yes. Results are weighted in order of importance. If whatever you typed is a results SLUG, then that said result will occur before a result that has a query within the title. Results are being tweaked according to importance. We can make it an option down the road as I fine tune this baby.
What else goes into having Jarvis?
The admin bar of a client’s WordPress CMS will have an icon indicating Jarvis is present. This icon, aside from acknowledging the presence of Jarvis, will also be how administrators can activate Jarvis in lieu of the keyboard shortcut.
When a search result is selected, a spinning pinwheel icon will appear to let the user know the system is working to direct them to their selected destination. This is more to help make users patient as their desired result is loading. If you don’t have a sense of action taking place, you can get a tad antsy and grumpy because you don’t visually seeing anything happening. Which probably, in the user’s mind, means something is broken.
I am also looking into adding the ability to cache. Done correctly, it will provide a better user experience for Jarvis results. Another future addition could be the possibility of having particular icons differentiating the types of content/data within the auto-populated results.
Nice! Is there anything other than auto-fill results?
Nope! Jarvis is intended to be quick and easy. Click the button, Type what you’re looking for. Find and select the desired result. Boom. Bam. Done. Everyone is happy!
Enjoy learning about our newest WordPress tool, Jarvis? Keep in touch with us on Twitter and Facebook to stay up to date on our developers and what’s happening in their playground! Want to chat with us about how WDG can build beautifully functional solutions for your web needs? WDG is an innovative web agency specializing in UX/UI Design, and WordPress & Drupal development. We are cozily situated alongside the Potomac River in Old Town, Alexandria and love hosting clients at our space! We’re easy to reach by phone, email, boat and car!
