Andrew M. Lim created NIFI-8467:
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Summary: Improve UX of Add Process Group file upload
Key: NIFI-8467
URL: https://issues.apache.org/jira/browse/NIFI-8467
Project: Apache NiFi
Issue Type: Improvement
Components: Core UI
Affects Versions: 1.14.0
Reporter: Andrew M. Lim
Attachments: import2.png
https://issues.apache.org/jira/browse/NIFI-8260 added the ability to select a
flow definition file to add a new process group to the NiFi canvas. This is a
very useful feature, but I had some thoughts on how to improve the UX:
* The placeholder text says "Enter a name or select a file to upload" which is
ambiguous and doesn't really describe what is happening when using this feature.
I'm assuming that the only valid files to select are flow definitions (JSON
file). So it would be helpful to say "select a flow definition" in the
placeholder text instead. Also, saying "upload" doesn't really describe the
action being taken. If something is uploaded, I assume it is stored somewhere
in the application and can be selected later for future use. That is consistent
with the "Upload Template" functionality we have in NiFi. You upload a template
first. Then, you can add that template to the canvas. So this would be my
suggested new placeholder text if references to "upload" are removed:
"Enter a name or select a flow definition file"
Note: If this change is implemented, the text "File to Upload:" that is shown
after selecting the file should be changed to "Flow definition file:"
* The icon added in the Process Group Name field is the same icon used for
"Upload Template" in the Operate Palette. It would be helpful if we had a
different icon to avoid confusion.
* This is not related specifically to the change from NIFI-8260, but related
to this dialog, the "Import from Registry" icon seems to signify a download
(from the cloud) not an import. Perhaps replace with the icon I'm attaching to
this Jira where the arrow is sideways.
Looking beyond the above minor tweaks to the UI, here are some thoughts that
may require larger changes to address/implement
* I like how the new feature allows the user to choose the name of the new
process group when a flow definition file is selected. But, I found it
confusing when the user doesn't enter a name. In this case, the name defaults
to the name of the file itself. I expected the name to default to the process
group name defined within the JSON file. For example:
{
"flowContents": {
"identifier": "dca9377b-b785-34fe-b594-194f526aa914",
"name": "PG_Name",
"comments": "",
"position": {
"x": 535,
"y": 284
},
When the same flow definition JSON file is imported into Registry. If you then
import this from the Registry, the name of the process group will be "PG_Name".
* I feel like this new feature is more similar to "Import from Registry" and
could therefore be implemented as a "Import from Flow Definition" link which
opens a new Import from Flow Definition dialog. Details for this implementation
would need to be fleshed out.
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