Option for adding new species to My Fish from within the My Fish page?

[Timothyzek]

I think its strange that you can only add a species from the catelog page and not when you are in my cats

Moderator comment: This was previously posted in another (off topic) thread, so I moved it to its own new thread.

[Jools]

I think its strange that you can only add a species from the catelog page and not when you are in my cats

Moderator comment: This was previously posted in another (off topic) thread, so I moved it to its own new thread.

How would this work? I mean, how would you select what species to add from a "My Cats" page?

Thanks,

Jools

[bekateen]

How would this work? I mean, how would you select what species to add from a "My Cats" page?

To help @Timothyzek out here, I can envision it working by providing the user two options, both modeled after the admin functions for adding species to the CLOG:

1. display a blank entry field for the user to type an exactly correct species name then press enter (like admins use for adding old species), and
2. display a series of three pull-down fields whereby the user selects family, then genus, then species (like we start with for entering new/undescribed species).

I would start on the My Fish page by thinking about how the My Aquaria page works: Either at the very bottom of the user's My Fish list (like with My Aquaria) or at the very top of the user's My Fish list, I would insert a command link to "Add a new species to My Fish". That link would take the user to a new page that displays both of the optional methods I described above, and underneath all is a single submit button to complete the transaction.

Hopefully, if done this way, the programming can take advantage of the current codes for the admin functions.

Cheers,
Eric

[Jools]

OK, I understand. So, on

1) This has to be spelled 100% and is a bit unforgiving (OK for admins, frustrating for others).
2) This works, but requires the user have a good knowledge of families, genera and so on. Plus it's three clicks and a lot of scrolling.

Once you're on your "MY Fish" page or whatever, why would you not type the name (scientific name, common name or synonym) into quick find, go to the species page and, without scrolling, click on "Add to My Cats"? Is that not quicker as it's two clicks? Maybe it's not obvious enough.

Only way I could speed that up is to put add to my cats, (wishes and spots) icons within the quick find window?

Cheers,

Jools

[bekateen]

I see your points.

But to be the devil's cynic, I'd suggest anyone can just use the quick find from the PCF home page then select a cat and use the normal Add to My Cats option in the clog. No need for you to do anything then.

Second concern, if you do use the quick find function... Or at least when I use it, I can't always tell what I'm looking at in the thumbnails unless (1) the fish is distinctive and (2) there is only one entry presented with same name. But I can envision people making lots of mistakes, adding the wrong fish to their personal list, if they are adding directly out of the quick find results.

To be clear, I'm not advocating for any change here; I'm just trying to think of how it would work. Honestly, after talking this out, it's my impression that things are best left as is. Any mechanism for adding a random new species from the My Fish page will either require great knowledge of family, genus, and species or require exact spelling, or risk accidental selection of wrong species.

But it's good to talk it out.

Cheers, Eric

[Jools]

Agreed, I think we have talked it out. Although the OP has not responded, I get the feeling that if they'd known about the quick find method, it would not have lead to the question.

Good question all the same!

I've moved to resolved as I don't think we need to change the design of how this works.

Cheers,

Jools