Design choice concerning components and default values

[mstich0]

For a better user-friendliness, I think we wanted to implement the option to create more predefined components.
I think it would be good to have the option to choose a specific parameter set when opening the component. I would suggest to do that with a dropdown list under the name of the component, at the position as shown below.

For creating these parameter templates and integrating them into the tool I think we should implement an option to "save the parameter set as template" as a button somewhere in the component form, with a typical save file symbol.
When saving the parameter set, there should be a dialog asking whether to save it for this project only or for this account, or "request to add this as a standard template "
This would allow us/the community to create new component templates, with an admin admitting them to the tool.

We should also add some kind of description popup that one can be filled out in the dialog when saving the component. The description would be shown when hovered over an info symbol added to the component.

We therefore need some kind of component databank with different levels:

standard-template: visible for everybody
account-component-template: visible anywhere in the account
project-component-template: visible only in the project (and its copies)

Opinions on that?

[Bachibouzouk]

I like the idea, it goes a bit in the direction of a library of existing component characteristics from the market.

I see a confusion possible with "save as template" and "save and return to design" buttons. Templates need to be updated with latest prices and efficiencies, so the year the template was last updated would be useful here

[bmlancien]

Hopefully this is helping a bit.

So my idea was to have a template dropdown (with no template selected by default).

By selecting a template, there is a hint below that the template has been successfully loaded, an update year and a Description text on hover (or maybe better show the text below on click?). We could also add a blue border to the parameter inputs for 1-2 seconds then fading to show that the inputs have been updated. Not sure if a reset button makes sense here.

Then I also thought that a cleaner way to deal with the options was to have them all displayed already. I think in general it is better to avoid having more than one modal open. So I tried to keep everything in the same modal. Selecting "As standard template" would show more inputs (like template name and description).

[mstich0]

Thanks for picking this up I just saw your reply. Looking good I´d say.
I think the additional information under the template on from where it was loaded and the date would be usefull. This should disappear when a parameter input is changed. Reset button is optional no strong opinion about it.

Some additions/corrections on my first proposal:

-Rename Option 3 to "As standard template for all users" (we will refer to it as "standard template" and/or "for all users template")

-The "Description" should be visible for all options and optional for option 1 (this project) and 2 (my account) but mandatory for option 3 (for all user). There should be an error message telling to please give a good description when wanting to save the template for all users

-When saving with option 3 "For all Users":
--we would need a message like: "Request send for adding this component parameter template as a parameter template for all users. Thank you for your contribution."
--We must then enable some way to release/accept these requests by the OpenPlan developers.
--The component should automatically be saved "for my account"

-We have to think about on how we make sure unique naming of these parameter sets so there is no accidental overwriting:
--All-user-templates will get added " (std)" behind the name
--Account-templates will get added " (acc)" behind the name
--Project-templates will get added " (prj) behind the name
--When saving a template with the same name of an already existing template for this component (in project/account and all users) the users should be asked: " This will change an existing template, are you sure you want to proceed?"

-We need the option for the user to delete Account and Project templates

-We need the option for developers to delete All-user-templates.

-Handling Changes made on parameter sets:
--When a template was changed, this will NOT automatically change the input parameters of any other already existing component with this parameter set nor will any input data be changed when deleting templates
--optional: In the "edit scenario screen (step 2)" we could have a button to either "update all component templates in this project", "update all standard-templates in this project", "update all account templates in this project", "update all project templates in this project" to make it possible to bring your project in an easy way to your "newest assumptions". When trying to update a deleted template nothing should happen.