Top navigation bar rework

[5e-Cleric]

Thinking about our top nav bar, there are some inconsistencies/changes that i'd like to make:

1. Change NaturalCrit's and Homebrewery's logo (currently the poll is at a tie)
2. Move Get PDF to the properties editor, besides publish, where it should be
3. Move GDrive/Database save location toggle to Properties Editor #3623
4. Make Patreon really pop out, i was told by users they didn't know we had a patreon at all.
5. Use only icons if possible without losing UX
6. Move recent brews to a separate page generated by the same recent list, but maybe store more brews (25+25?)

All this should reduce the amount of nav items, complexity of the bar, and help users and the tool overall.

Could use discussion on this topic.

[Gazook89]

I really don’t want icons only. That makes it much harder to tell people where to click. I hate that even I tell people to open the Style editor I have to say “open the Style Editor (the paint brush icon above the editor)”.

It’s a desktop app, it should have desktop menus with full text labels.

I could say a lot more about the overall PR but I’m on mobile and making pancakes.

[Gazook89]

Case in point: the patreon button has no text, is icon only, and no one knows about it.

[calculuschild]

1. Change NaturalCrit's and Homebrewery's logo (currently the poll is at a tie)

Agree

2. Move Get PDF to the properties editor, besides publish, where it should be

Often people need to get a PDF out of a share link, which does not have a properties editor

#3623

Sure

4. Make Patreon really pop out, i was told by users they didn't know we had a patreon at all.

Sure, as long as we don't make it annoying or intrusive. It does already animate every time a page is loaded; what else do you have in mind?

5. Use only icons if possible without losing UX

I agree with Gazook89 on this one. If we have the space, we should keep text. But I am ok shrinking to icons-only on narrow windows or mobile like we now do for the snippets.

7. Move recent brews to a separate page generated by the same recent list, but maybe store more brews (25+25?)

How would this separate page be accessed? Many users without accounts still rely on that to track their brews, so it can't go into the user page. Seems the link would end up still occupying a space in the nav bar.

[calculuschild]

Case in point: the patreon button has no text, is icon only, and no one knows about it.

The Patreon button does have text ("Help Out"). But perhaps it should just say "Patreon"

[Gazook89]

Perhaps a simple but nice prompt when hitting the Publish button on a brew that displays the patreon link and some other small relevant message such as “here is your share URL, and buttons for sharing to Reddit, and here is our patreon”. Or just as a cookie based thing that resets once a month or six months.

Honestly I don’t feel super strongly that we need more money but I guess calc can speak more to that. And if we had concrete goals for money that would help (more artist created themes/assets? Image hosting? Fonts? Community donations?). The above was just ideas on how to increase patreon visibility

[Gazook89]

Oh yes, I was wrong, I forgot about the Help Out while running my mouth without checking.

I do think that just labeling it Patreon would be better. I bet psychologically the word “help” feels more burdensome, feeling like I’ll have to spend time or perform some mental effort, rather than just making an online payment. People are familiar with Patreon, and more willing to click it, rather than this nebulous “help out” that sounds more like a link to the contributing.md file in GitHub.

[5e-Cleric]

Often people need to get a PDF out of a share link, which does not have a properties editor

MHMHmhmh, it is still not a navigation option, anymore since print is not there, even if it will come back.

It does already animate every time a page is loaded

Hah, in 4 years, i had not noticed, so..

But I am ok shrinking to icons-only on narrow windows or mobile like we now do for the snippets.

.. we don't, we wrap the two bars, but we don't do icons only for snippets.

Move recent brews to a separate page generated by the same recent list, but maybe store more brews (25+25?)

How would this separate page be accessed? Many users without accounts still rely on that to track their brews, so it can't go into the user page. Seems the link would end up still occupying a space in the nav bar.

Huh, right, 7 was me looking for more stuff, might be too much.

[5e-Cleric]

Perhaps a simple but nice prompt when hitting the Publish button on a brew that displays the patreon link and some other small relevant message such as “here is your share URL, and buttons for sharing to Reddit, and here is our patreon”. Or just as a cookie based thing that resets once a month or six months.

Honestly I don’t feel super strongly that we need more money but I guess calc can speak more to that. And if we had concrete goals for money that would help (more artist created themes/assets? Image hosting? Fonts? Community donations?). The above was just ideas on how to increase patreon visibility

I'm not asvocating for this because "we need more money", but because it is almost invisible, and people who want to contribute might not find it. I do want to make a little change, maybe just change the words to "our Patreon" or something.

[calculuschild]

Often people need to get a PDF out of a share link, which does not have a properties editor

MHMHmhmh, it is still not a navigation option, anymore since print is not there, even if it will come back.

Neither is "Save" or the brew title.

[5e-Cleric]

Often people need to get a PDF out of a share link, which does not have a properties editor

MHMHmhmh, it is still not a navigation option, anymore since print is not there, even if it will come back.

Neither is "Save" or the brew title.

right, save could be moved elsewhere

[dbolack-ab]

2. Move Get PDF to the properties editor, besides publish, where it should be

Consider converting this to an Export pulldown that could have other formats/exporting options in addition to the PDF.

I am not convinced this should be moved of the bar.