WordPress 3.4 hit release just a few days ago, so I dived into the code of the new Admin system to figure out what may have changed.
As with all things open source, if you have a good idea that stands the tests of use and time, eventually it will find its way into core. As a result, my code is shrinking some with each new release of WordPress. Fewer hacks are needed to whip things into shape. This is a good thing but there's still room for improvement.
The 3.3 and 3.4 Toolbars are now fixed by default; eliminating one of my hacks for this version, but the devs didn't go far enough.
One of the nicest enhancements that I made back when 3.2 was released was making the new Standard Admin Menu that runs down the left of the Admin pages fixed-position in both Expanded and Collapsed modes. So, if you don't have Ozh' menu installed and activated, the Standard Admin Menus along the left side of the screen now stay put when you scroll. Cool. With the new 3.3+ flyout menus; even cooler. Get more work done!
or...
jQuery HoverIntent to the Rescue!
A pet annoyance with 3.2 was that the Admin Bar drop-down menus triggered immediately. Not a bad thing, in and of itself when that's all there is on the screen, but if you have Ozh' Drop Down Menu installed it presents a real, recurring problem. Overshoot with your mouse and the Toolbar drop-down immediately steps on Ozh' menu; forcing you to move off and wait or click elsewhere in the page to dismiss the menu you weren't going for.
That is now a thing of the past. jQuery HoverIntent may be employed by core on the Toolbar but it still triggers too fast, to the point that the minimal delay is essentially unrealized by users. I've made a tweak that chills the Toolbar drop-down's timing trigger just a bit, so you can get what you want right off.
The positioning of the upper page elements in sub-blogs on Multisite has been adjusted so as to more efficiently make use of the space available. (For some reason, the Network Admin screen works the way it should.) The Page Title Header on the left is moved up, so that it overlaps vertically with the Screen Options and Help buttons on the right; instead of dropping below them; creating a big vertical empty space forcing everything else down the page. Being on opposite sides of the screen, hey never get anywhere near each other. Why not overlap them and compress the space?
You should upgrade your WP to the current shipping version anyway, but many people wait or don't get around to it right away. While that is going on, the plugin notifies them that there is an updated version. They're covered back through 3.1
Ozh' Admin Drop Down Menu Activated
Toolbar & Ozh' Menu • Both Fixed-Position
Ozh' Admin Drop Down Menu Deactivated or Not Installed
Toolbar & Standard WordPress Admin Menu Expanded
• Both Fixed-Position
Ozh' Admin Drop Down Menu Deactivated or Not Installed
Toolbar & Standard WordPress Admin Menu Collapsed
• Both Fixed-Position
Ozh' Admin Drop Down Menu Deactivated or Not Installed
Toolbar & Standard WordPress Admin Menu Collapsed – Scrolled
Solved a couple of new natty problems and made it more functional. Check it out. Let me know how it works for you and if there's anything I could improve upon.
Download the latest version at The WordPress.org Plugin Directory.
I hope you enjoy it. And, as always, Thanks to Ozh for encouraging me to jump in and write this.
Like it? Found a problem? Drop a comment and let me know. Coding in the dark is no fun. Well, it is but it's more fun when there's company. And, if you'd like to help a real starving artist, please buy us some cat food for our Bengal and Maine Coon rescues. Thank You.
