| DotNetNuke® Project :: FAQs Module
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FAQ Project
The FAQ module allows you to create a list of questions & answers. All questions are hyperlink buttons and will expand when clicked on. Only one answer is displayed at any given time.
If one throw a lot of brainstorming on the project, it can grow to become both a complex and functionality-rich module. I think a better approach would be to implement a few desireable features first and capture feedback on the path forward for the module.
Here are the first features that we will include in the next version of the FAQ project.
- Use the ClientAPI to avoid postbacks when clicking on a question. A positive side effect of this will be that multiple answers can be viewed simultaneously.
- Allow for the ability to change the View Order of individual questions. Preferably using a visual interface.
- Allow for the ability to hide questions instead of deleting them.
Here are some other goals open for discussion for the long run after these inital features are implemented.
- Submit Questions
- Categories
- Metadata
- Workflows
- Search Filter
- Skinning
- Multiple Views
- Attach relevant links
- Knowledge Base
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May
10
Posted by:
Jan Blomquist
Wednesday, May 10, 2006
The beta of the new FAQ module includes more functionality than I planned for (every developer knows how easy it is to get carried away somtimes :-) . It is also currently in development so I wouldn't put it into a production environment just yet.
Feedback is appreciated. (Bugs, Errors, Comments, etc...)
Here are some of the highlights
- FAQ now features AJAX capabilities and when a user clicks a question, the answer is pulled out from the server in the background.
- FAQ module now supports categories (you need to create at least 1 category before adding Q/A
- FAQ module stores the Click Count on a particular FAQ item.
- The module supports templating of Q/A and a token based approach for injecting the various data items.
- List of tokens include [QUESTION], [ANSWER], [USER], [VIEWCOUNT], [CATEGORYNAME], [CATEGORYDESC], [DATECREATED], [DATEMODIFIED], [INDEX]
- The module also supports paging (disabled by default) and you can select the number of questions pr/page.
- An inline search panel can be displayed (optional) and from here you can apply filtering based on searchQuery, Category or OrderBy. Use the checkbox to activate the various filtering options. (disabled by default)
- Other functionality include Repeat Columns, Default sorting and a Default Template (Resource file)
Features missing or not working correctly that I am aware of
- ISearchable not yet implemented
- No comments in code yet
- Not optimized for speed (still being debugged)
- Paging suffers from minor errors when more than one instance of the faq is being used on a Tab.
Tags:
Re: FAQ *beta* 1 available
Jan,
looks like a big step ahead, congratulations.
I am just a little bit astonished about version numbers - 1.0.0 following 3.1.0 - is an upgrade from FAQ 3.1.0 supported?
By leupold on
Wednesday, May 10, 2006
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Re: FAQ *beta* 1 available
Sorry, No upgrade supported yet. It probably will and this will change the versioning information accordingly.
By janendreblomquist on
Wednesday, May 10, 2006
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Re: FAQ *beta* 1 available
Is this module DNN 4.00/.Net 2.x specific or can also be used in all 3.x versions?
By jlaufer on
Wednesday, May 10, 2006
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Re: FAQ *beta* 1 available
Hello Jan, i'm happy to test your work ! I've installed using the PA and i would like to report a failure running the SQL data provider. I'll report it now on the forum
The new featuresz are really really interesting, and you released me of my "whisch list" about a really good FAQ module.
I will test it and report others bugs, if i found !
Sébastien - FRANCE
By sollier on
Wednesday, May 10, 2006
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Re: FAQ *beta* 1 available
First of all "GREAT JOB"! I would like to put in a feature request: Expand All. I realize it might be tricky since AJAX is involved but I am throwing it out there. Biggest reason for request is what if the user wants to print out the FAQ page, at the moment they have to click each title before printing.
Jan you going to be at TECH ED? If so hope to meet you at Birds of a Feather -Craig
By ccarns on
Thursday, May 11, 2006
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Re: FAQ *beta* 1 available
I don't see the beta download. Where is it? The other modules have a download section, but FAQ doesn't show up there.
Thanks.
By joerattz on
Friday, May 12, 2006
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Re: FAQ *beta* 1 available
You can download the beta under project downloads. I am not sure if I get a chance to get to TechEd this year. About the Show All feature I'll look into it, but my primary focus will be stabilizing the current feature-set.
By janendreblomquist on
Friday, May 12, 2006
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Re: FAQ *beta* 1 available
Thanks, I didn't notice those menus as being specific to the project.
BTW, I get an exception when the page loads after adding the module to a page. I am running DNN 3.1.1. I logged the issue at the bug tracker.
Thanks.
By joerattz on
Friday, May 12, 2006
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Re: FAQ *beta* 1 available
At my first, a great Module. It shows very better than the last FAQ Module. But what I am missing is the Add new FAQ for the users ( for Annonymous too). I can not gife th user rights for the manage Categories. so I think a Link botton is missing for the users of the Portal.
Thanks
By aarsys on
Saturday, May 13, 2006
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Re: FAQ *beta* 1 available
Just installed beta 1 on DNN 3.2.2 and works fine. Few things that I tried to enter to bug controlling system as well (but couldn't) : after expanding the faq's answer it would be great if they could be collapsed as well. Maybe the expand/collapse could work animated as it does with module minimize/maximize function ?
Also after creating a category the "Description" header is a bit off - at least in basic blue skin.
Also the original name of module is "FAQs", not "FAQ" - should this be a problem ? How about upgrading from previous versions ?
Anyway - excellent work so far.
By tomgron on
Saturday, June 03, 2006
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