Title: Menu Management UI Author: scribu Published: January 17, 2010 --- [ ](https://profiles.wordpress.org/scribu/) [scribu](https://profiles.wordpress.org/scribu/) 9:00 pm _on_ January 17, 2010 Tags: [video ( 6 )](https://make.wordpress.org/core/tag/video/) # Menu Management UI Here’s a quick preview of the new menu management adminadmin (and super admin) page( still alpha stage). It highlights the dropdown section, which is the only unfamiliar element. All the rest are borrowed from the widgetWidget A WordPress Widget is a small block that performs a specific function. You can add these widgets in sidebars also known as widget-ready areas on your web page. WordPress widgets were originally created to provide a simple and easy-to-use way of giving design and structure control of the WordPress theme to the user. management screen. Feedback on the UIUI User interface is very welcome, either here, or on the dedicated ticketticket Created for both bug reports and feature development on the bug tracker.: [#11817](https://core.trac.wordpress.org/ticket/11817). [#video](https://make.wordpress.org/core/tag/video/) ### Share this: * [ Threads ](https://make.wordpress.org/core/2010/01/17/menu-management-ui/?share=threads) * [ Mastodon ](https://make.wordpress.org/core/2010/01/17/menu-management-ui/?share=mastodon) * [ Bluesky ](https://make.wordpress.org/core/2010/01/17/menu-management-ui/?share=bluesky) * [ X ](https://make.wordpress.org/core/2010/01/17/menu-management-ui/?share=x) * [ Facebook ](https://make.wordpress.org/core/2010/01/17/menu-management-ui/?share=facebook) * [ LinkedIn ](https://make.wordpress.org/core/2010/01/17/menu-management-ui/?share=linkedin) 1. ![](https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/5217257bb3ceb5b056e1b36f32494139525507cc2f62b5074e5383ad45c76ba8? s=32&d=mm&r=g) 2. [Jane Wells](http://jane.wordpress.com) 9:08 pm _on_ January 17, 2010 3. A couple of things. In the widgetWidget A WordPress Widget is a small block that performs a specific function. You can add these widgets in sidebars also known as widget-ready areas on your web page. WordPress widgets were originally created to provide a simple and easy-to-use way of giving design and structure control of the WordPress theme to the user. code, you can have multiple sidebars open. Here it looks like you can only have one open at a time, but it seems like it would make sense to be able to see them all at once. So the dropdowns adding to“ the open menu” feels potentially awkward. Would the add have an automatic save, would the item need to be saved, would the menu need to be saved… what’s the ‘ go live’ mechanism? 4. The dropdowns seem to perform the same function as “available menu items,” so am wondering of function of latter. Inactive menu items seems unnecessary, since it’s not like widgets where there might be a lot of custom code you want to hold on to. 5. In the menu items themselves, it’s cool you can change the display name, but there should definitely be a place in the there to show the actual page/categoryCategory The 'category' taxonomy lets you group posts / content together that share a common bond. Categories are pre-defined and broad ranging. name so that users don’t wind up accidentally confusing themselves by renaming things. 6. Also, the dropdown 7. * ![](https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/1efc344036f54cbe066a5bf3883426a2ef7c7e457757b38e24465b7be626b1e0? s=32&d=mm&r=g) * [scribu](http://scribu.net) 9:21 pm _on_ January 17, 2010 * Looks like your comment was truncated. * Don’t really know how to tackle the “multiple open menus” problem, short of including the dropdowns in each menu. * Related to the available menu items section, I was thinking of putting all of them in a “Other items” dropdown. * Agree on the “inactive menu items” section: it will be removed. * I plan to include some sort of preview link for pages and categories, probably at the bottom of each widgetWidget A WordPress Widget is a small block that performs a specific function. You can add these widgets in sidebars also known as widget-ready areas on your web page. WordPress widgets were originally created to provide a simple and easy-to-use way of giving design and structure control of the WordPress theme to the user.. - ![](https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/5217257bb3ceb5b056e1b36f32494139525507cc2f62b5074e5383ad45c76ba8? s=32&d=mm&r=g) - [Jane Wells](http://jane.wordpress.com) 9:23 pm _on_ January 17, 2010 - Hm, weird. Yes, looks like it was truncated, and can’t for the life of me remember what it said. I’m getting old! 🙂 * ![](https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/1efc344036f54cbe066a5bf3883426a2ef7c7e457757b38e24465b7be626b1e0? s=32&d=mm&r=g) * [scribu](http://scribu.net) 9:58 pm _on_ January 17, 2010 * You can have more than one menu open at one time and move items from one to the other. The dropdowns will just add elements to the first open one. * The menu is saved every time you add an item to it (from one of the dropdowns or otherwise), as well as when you rearange the existing items. - ![](https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/1efc344036f54cbe066a5bf3883426a2ef7c7e457757b38e24465b7be626b1e0? s=32&d=mm&r=g) - [scribu](http://scribu.net) 10:05 pm _on_ January 17, 2010 - Maybe you could have a “menu assembly” spot: - You move the menu you want to work on to that spot and use the dropdowns to add elements to it, while still being able to interact with the other menus. - ![](https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/eea2610ca92bce675a16ede7e98f3dd1087b042992cd4e34a86d9a825cac7ac7? s=32&d=mm&r=g) - [Shane](http://bugssite.org) 3:39 am _on_ January 18, 2010 - I was just thinking the same thing. Just like Widgets where they sit there and you drag them over (The inactive section.) Then you can drag them over to the area’s in which you want to place it in. - ![](https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/1a4d9cb12ef03446284f4bae8ba545c29d550c37bfa6fa629a0c4344cc7b19fd? s=32&d=mm&r=g) - [Daryl Koopersmith](http://elastictheme.org) 3:44 pm _on_ January 18, 2010 - Some UIUI User interface ideas in a similar vein… take them for what you will. (After I wrote this, I noticed that you mentioned that you were moving the “Available” section into a dropdown… I’ll post this anyway.) - Consistent UXUX User experience: 1. Make the dropdowns collapsable and their contents draggable (like the “Available” section is now). 2. Or make the “Available” section a dropdown. - —I personally like option 1 more. Users could drag items to whichever menu they wanted. You could use it as a starting point to add a UI to select all children of a certain page, and it’s more in line with what users are used to (i.e. widgetWidget A WordPress Widget is a small block that performs a specific function. You can add these widgets in sidebars also known as widget-ready areas on your web page. WordPress widgets were originally created to provide a simple and easy-to-use way of giving design and structure control of the WordPress theme to the user. adminadmin (and super admin)). It also could result in much fewer clicks for people who are building large menus. - Central Focus: 1. Move all items and dropdowns into one “Available Menu Items” section. 2. Or separate the dropdowns into their own sections: “Special Menu Items” (Home, Link), Pages, Categories, Bookmarks, etc. - —I think option 2 would potentially have a cleaner UI and be a better use of screen real estate. Why should we be cramming everything into a small selection menu? - Also, +1 to the idea to indicate when you’ve renamed a link to a page. * ![](https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/1efc344036f54cbe066a5bf3883426a2ef7c7e457757b38e24465b7be626b1e0? s=32&d=mm&r=g) * [scribu](http://scribu.net) 2:48 pm _on_ January 21, 2010 * For all the people who are asking about nested menu items: * [https://core.trac.wordpress.org/ticket/11817#comment:36](https://core.trac.wordpress.org/ticket/11817#comment:36) 8. Pingback: [WordPress 3.0: Neues Menümanagment - Features, Eindruck, Funktion, Theme, Template-Tag, Screencast - WordPress Deutschland Blog](http://blog.wordpress-deutschland.org/2010/01/18/wordpress-3-0-neues-menuemanagment.html) 9. Pingback: [Wordpress 3 – Admin-Bereich frei anpassbar » admin, anpassbar, bereich, feature, frei, panel, seiten, wordpress 3 » Digital Life](http://digitallife.update-leben.de/2010/01/wordpress-3-admin-bereich-frei-anpassbar/) 10. ![](https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/a4376fc39d8a64196e189b127b00df0aadd57269bf1b77f11b8cbbcd5b8863b4? s=32&d=mm&r=g) 11. [Ptah Dunbar](http://ptahdunbar.com/) 11:16 am _on_ January 18, 2010 12. How/Where are the actual menus created in the UIUI User interface? 13. * ![](https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/1efc344036f54cbe066a5bf3883426a2ef7c7e457757b38e24465b7be626b1e0? s=32&d=mm&r=g) * [scribu](http://scribu.net) 2:45 pm _on_ January 21, 2010 * You mean in the theme? * It will probably be similar to how widgets are displayed – using a template tagtag A directory in Subversion. WordPress uses tags to store a single snapshot of a version (3.6, 3.6.1, etc.), the common convention of tags in version control systems. (Not to be confused with post tags.): * dynamic_menu() - ![](https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/a4376fc39d8a64196e189b127b00df0aadd57269bf1b77f11b8cbbcd5b8863b4? s=32&d=mm&r=g) - [Ptah Dunbar](http://ptahdunbar.com/) 2:42 am _on_ January 22, 2010 - No, in the backend. In the vid, you have “Menu 1” and “Menu 2”, im assuming those auto appear after calling ` register_menu()`? - ![](https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/1efc344036f54cbe066a5bf3883426a2ef7c7e457757b38e24465b7be626b1e0? s=32&d=mm&r=g) - [scribu](http://scribu.net) 7:57 am _on_ January 22, 2010 - Yeah, it uses register_menu(). The patchpatch A special text file that describes changes to code, by identifying the files and lines which are added, removed, and altered. It may also be referred to as a **diff**. A patch can be _applied_ to a codebase for testing. in the ticketticket Created for both bug reports and feature development on the bug tracker. includes a modified functions. php file in the default theme. 14. ![](https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/b21416f8b1b4a33a2475397babc0a104ed0c11edeedbd42c96ce0cf59e846d3b? s=32&d=mm&r=g) 15. Paul 2:24 pm _on_ January 18, 2010 16. Hi Forgive ignorance. I know how to use tracTrac An open source project by Edgewall Software that serves as a bug tracker and project management tool for WordPress. and svn but was wondering if there is a known standard way to incorporate your. diff files for this menu functionality into the latest trunktrunk A directory in Subversion containing the latest development code in preparation for the next major release cycle. If you are running "trunk", then you are on the latest revision.? Or do we have to wait for it to be committed to the coreCore Core is the set of software required to run WordPress. The Core Development Team builds WordPress.. I am eager to play and test some theme ideas. Many thanks!! 17. * ![](https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/1efc344036f54cbe066a5bf3883426a2ef7c7e457757b38e24465b7be626b1e0? s=32&d=mm&r=g) * [scribu](http://scribu.net) 2:44 pm _on_ January 21, 2010 * Read [How to Submit Patches](https://core.trac.wordpress.org/#HowtoSubmitPatches) * It explains how to apply patches as well. - ![](https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/b21416f8b1b4a33a2475397babc0a104ed0c11edeedbd42c96ce0cf59e846d3b? s=32&d=mm&r=g) - Paul 5:06 pm _on_ January 21, 2010 - Thank You! - ![](https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/b21416f8b1b4a33a2475397babc0a104ed0c11edeedbd42c96ce0cf59e846d3b? s=32&d=mm&r=g) - Paul 6:46 pm _on_ January 21, 2010 - I was wondering whether there is a reason to limit the viewable items to 5? There is a lot of unused white space below the three columns. Why not have up to 20 viewable items so the average blogblog (versus network, site) user will not need to scroll. And blogs with a lot of categories and pages will be a lot easier to manage, as more of the menu structure will be viewable at once. I believe this would enhance usability. - ![](https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/1efc344036f54cbe066a5bf3883426a2ef7c7e457757b38e24465b7be626b1e0? s=32&d=mm&r=g) - [scribu](http://scribu.net) 7:35 pm _on_ January 21, 2010 - Since the size is set through JavaScriptJavaScript JavaScript or JS is an object-oriented computer programming language commonly used to create interactive effects within web browsers. WordPress makes extensive use of JS for a better user experience. While PHP is executed on the server, JS executes within a user’s browser. [https://www.javascript.com](https://www.javascript.com/), we might as well resize them dynamically, by the number of items in each select, but no larger than 20, as you said. 18. ![](https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/7726c1add06a4cd71f0bf5395b5b85b8676f9bef509cf1c1e7ed5e80c3ac0a4a? s=32&d=mm&r=g) 19. [Cristian Antohe](http://www.cozmoslabs.com) 3:44 pm _on_ January 18, 2010 20. What about child pages and grand-child pages? There is no default way of doing this using the WidgetWidget A WordPress Widget is a small block that performs a specific function. You can add these widgets in sidebars also known as widget- ready areas on your web page. WordPress widgets were originally created to provide a simple and easy-to-use way of giving design and structure control of the WordPress theme to the user. UIUI User interface. 21. I think the easiest way to do this is with a dropdown similar to the one you have to select pages. On each “menu element” from the right we have the possibility to select the Parent page. If we select one then the menu order should reorganized and the child menu item should be indented. 22. I hope this makes sense. 23. ![](https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/65b36f8677517a2888c751d2d0488502d94dd88eae70af5a6735f61d7a7cbc1f? s=32&d=mm&r=g) 24. Carl Hancock 4:11 pm _on_ January 18, 2010 25. Is this going to support menu items that have a parent-child relationship (ex. drop downs)? Judging from the UIUI User interface example above it isn’t there, but is it a planned feature? 26. Also, any plans for the functionality that the widgetWidget A WordPress Widget is a small block that performs a specific function. You can add these widgets in sidebars also known as widget-ready areas on your web page. WordPress widgets were originally created to provide a simple and easy-to-use way of giving design and structure control of the WordPress theme to the user. that can then display these menus will offer in the way of features? (ex. show all, only show children of current page for sub-navigation side nav, etc.). 27. ![](https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/1efc344036f54cbe066a5bf3883426a2ef7c7e457757b38e24465b7be626b1e0? s=32&d=mm&r=g) 28. [scribu](http://scribu.net) 4:17 pm _on_ January 18, 2010 29. “Why should we be cramming everything into a small selection menu?” 30. Because some sites will have 100 pages, 30 categories etc., which would take up a lot of screen space. 31. We need a more compact way of displaying items. 32. In the next version, each selection menu will show 5 items at a time, instead of 1. 33. * ![](https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/1a4d9cb12ef03446284f4bae8ba545c29d550c37bfa6fa629a0c4344cc7b19fd? s=32&d=mm&r=g) * [Daryl Koopersmith](http://elastictheme.org) 5:14 pm _on_ January 18, 2010 * Ah, fantastic. That’s basically what I was getting at. Looks great! 34. ![](https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/491c0e1b6b672e81e4c3fe17dcfdda4bed2857f1093957e0106cc4458d1f3bb9? s=32&d=mm&r=g) 35. [Jason](http://www.jasonbobich.com) 4:51 pm _on_ January 18, 2010 36. Amazing! Thanks for the ‘sneak peak’ 🙂 37. ![](https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/4e30f064cf551969e0e9162928d2bb2d413e36aae424ca50c99d54a11cab5572? s=32&d=mm&r=g) 38. Steven 7:37 am _on_ January 19, 2010 39. Looks wicked!! Will this also include an option to create multi level menu structures? 40. ![](https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/58fcb71b5d9696d28af737174cc85f0cefe6944f52db0aa7827add31f52b106f? s=32&d=mm&r=g) 41. [Jean-Patrick Smith](http://www.3rdcornerstudios.com) 9:37 am _on_ January 19, 2010 42. Pretty slick, I’m lovin it 43. Pingback: [WordPress 3.0 Development on Track | WordCast - Blogging news, WordPress help, WordPress plugins, WordPress themes, WordPress news](http://wordcast.bitwiremedia.com/2010/01/20/wordpress-3-0-development-on-track/) 44. ![](https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/a31a95136f84360b8f2f598b6c9060533d850da57bfe3f305d5fa5612dcb9a2e? s=32&d=mm&r=g) 45. [Flavio Paiva](http://flaviopaiva.net) 11:37 pm _on_ January 23, 2010 46. This new feature will take WordPress to a higher level of personalization. I remember this resource from Joomla. 47. ![](https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/b21416f8b1b4a33a2475397babc0a104ed0c11edeedbd42c96ce0cf59e846d3b? s=32&d=mm&r=g) 48. Paul 5:02 pm _on_ January 25, 2010 49. I am too new to leave this on the TracTrac An open source project by Edgewall Software that serves as a bug tracker and project management tool for WordPress. in response to the latest screens. And even here I fear the ‘dunce’ syndrome coming on. But I just cannot help wondering why the new Menu Management could not be a Multiple Instance WidgetWidget A WordPress Widget is a small block that performs a specific function. You can add these widgets in sidebars also known as widget- ready areas on your web page. WordPress widgets were originally created to provide a simple and easy-to-use way of giving design and structure control of the WordPress theme to the user., managed from the widget section. My reasoning is as follows: 1. Can use existing Registered Sidebars instead of additional Registered Menus in themes 2. That means one user of a theme can place a menu in a dynamic area, and another user of the same theme may place a widget. 3. Widgets are already established with menu-like features (Categories/Pages), so less learning curve for WP novices. 4. No need to create an additional adminadmin (and super admin) interface. Menu items could be represented by simple check boxes in the Widget Options panel. I await the eggs (glad I went to school before kids were armed :). 50. ![](https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/1efc344036f54cbe066a5bf3883426a2ef7c7e457757b38e24465b7be626b1e0? s=32&d=mm&r=g) 51. [scribu](http://scribu.net) 5:07 pm _on_ January 25, 2010 52. I would agree with you, if it weren’t for those pesky “check boxes”. 53. It’s not easy to cram all the pages and all the categories in a tiny space, while at the same time making it easy to work with and allow the level of customisation that people want. 54. That’s why we’re going for a new adminadmin (and super admin) page. 55. * ![](https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/b21416f8b1b4a33a2475397babc0a104ed0c11edeedbd42c96ce0cf59e846d3b? s=32&d=mm&r=g) * Paul 5:11 pm _on_ January 25, 2010 * I see. One last shot: What about placing the scrolling list/selection box you have designed, inside a widgetWidget A WordPress Widget is a small block that performs a specific function. You can add these widgets in sidebars also known as widget-ready areas on your web page. WordPress widgets were originally created to provide a simple and easy-to-use way of giving design and structure control of the WordPress theme to the user.. Keep the new method of selection, but wrap it in a familiar widget structure. - ![](https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/b21416f8b1b4a33a2475397babc0a104ed0c11edeedbd42c96ce0cf59e846d3b? s=32&d=mm&r=g) - Paul 5:14 pm _on_ January 25, 2010 - Ignore. I think you are right. 56. Pingback: [WooThemes WooNav Trumps Pagemash Plugin](http://blog.scottwebb.tv/woothemes-woonav-trumps-pagemash/) 57. ![](https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/f55c14a2822ce4fa6a75a2ed0993949fad6a6863b50d645b60e30324ff0a5066? s=32&d=mm&r=g) 58. [Peter Wade](http://www.peterwade.com) 1:00 am _on_ February 1, 2010 59. Will the Menu Management 3.0 provide for external links (outside WP but same URLURL A specific web address of a website or web page on the Internet, such as a website’s URL www.wordpress.org) to go into the menu? Or will this require a pluginPlugin A plugin is a piece of software containing a group of functions that can be added to a WordPress website. They can extend functionality or add new features to your WordPress websites. WordPress plugins are written in the PHP programming language and integrate seamlessly with WordPress. These can be free in the WordPress.org Plugin Directory [https://wordpress.org/plugins/](https://wordpress.org/plugins/) or can be cost-based plugin from a third-party.? 60. * ![](https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/5399f25a070cafcd146c47375aac64381a10755596cce15490a34453a7ebf1a7? s=32&d=mm&r=g) * sc0ttkclark 6:54 pm _on_ February 2, 2010 * External Links are supported, as shown in the Demo Video as an option 61. Pingback: [The Exciting Future of Wordpress! Part 2 | Fresh](http://welikeitfresh.com/2010/02/02/the-exciting-future-of-wordpress-part-2/) 62. ![](https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/a4da6093dde1099e06f1e3ceb4b92bade4f594d0453a52b0ba679d2571393671? s=32&d=mm&r=g) 63. [Jess Planck](http://funroe.net) 2:55 am _on_ February 6, 2010 64. It has to be one of the biggest requests I get: “I want to add a link to something into the where-ever menu” This will be so very useful. 65. I know a lot of the ui was taken straight from Widgets, and I can see how the open and close options for menu items would start getting cumbersome. Perhaps you can separate the ui for the menu organization and menu items by using a thickbox/ colorbox instead. That might help with some performance and give users an interface to change a menu item properties. 66. For example: A user could visit Appearance > Menus and arrange the menu order. Then click a control for the “About” page item that would open a Thickbox / Colorbox widow where they then change the properties for that menu item to a CategoryCategory The 'category' taxonomy lets you group posts / content together that share a common bond. Categories are pre-defined and broad ranging. Link and change the Link Text to “News”. 67. * ![](https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/db56b772743917a714c77080ac0b009406351c34d6877d1c66aef2d4e1a0f0f7? s=32&d=mm&r=g) * [Alex M.](http://www.viper007bond.com/) 9:13 am _on_ February 6, 2010 * -1 * Lightboxes allow you to only edit one thing at a time, you can’t click elsewhere on the page, etc. * I see nothing wrong with the widgetWidget A WordPress Widget is a small block that performs a specific function. You can add these widgets in sidebars also known as widget-ready areas on your web page. WordPress widgets were originally created to provide a simple and easy-to-use way of giving design and structure control of the WordPress theme to the user. style UIUI User interface. - ![](https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/a4da6093dde1099e06f1e3ceb4b92bade4f594d0453a52b0ba679d2571393671? s=32&d=mm&r=g) - [Jess Planck](http://funroe.net) 2:00 pm _on_ February 6, 2010 - Yea, too true I don’t like the lightbox losing the rest of the screen interface. - The only place the WidgetWidget A WordPress Widget is a small block that performs a specific function. You can add these widgets in sidebars also known as widget-ready areas on your web page. WordPress widgets were originally created to provide a simple and easy-to-use way of giving design and structure control of the WordPress theme to the user. UIUI User interface falls apart is if you go hierarchical or if you want to change menu content types. Perhaps( stealing from Media UI ideas) moving the menu item properties UI to a drawer or using a single UI for the properties. - I would not be opposed to the users I’ve dealt with having to focus on one menu item and one menu at a time. With some of the complex menus I’ve seen( and been forced to create) the end client desire has been more for quick arrangement of the hierarchy not menu item properties. They don’t have any idea the complex differences between a Page, CategoryCategory The 'category' taxonomy lets you group posts / content together that share a common bond. Categories are pre-defined and broad ranging., or Link. But they will get frustrated when they have to; 1. remove a the Category, 2. replace with a Link, & 3 THEN try to move that item to it’s final position. - I guess I should put up or shut up! If I’ve got time I’ll at lest put a wireframe on the ticketticket Created for both bug reports and feature development on the bug tracker.. 68. ![](https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/29d7da8d566bfbf61f91236b3bec3c5e1b26a81e7e0e196ee3b721891af09776? s=32&d=mm&r=g) 69. RJ 6:29 am _on_ February 12, 2010 70. I’m really excited for this to make its way into WP 3.0. Having worked with Joomla’s interface, it’s something that I feel makes WP a much friendlier and powerful “ non-blogblog (versus network, site)” CMS. Leaving menu management to a handful of experienced designers is one thing, but it’s another to bring it right into the hands of the least experienced end-user. 71. ![](https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/d4015f6437cf56ccff9d0beb2085f38f94e240969384f8301a540d3eee6d33d4? s=32&d=mm&r=g) 72. kathy 4:02 am _on_ March 15, 2010 73. umm that looks awesome. i was trying to figure out how to code something similar( if basic) that into an options page. can this be available already. 🙂 74. ![](https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/2965b3ee4fc033ad3fc83c6d62dec6db765132cd88d57038afa73f7f9773004f? s=32&d=mm&r=g) 75. [Michael](http://www.blindmikey.com) 10:48 pm _on_ April 6, 2010 76. First, Love this – such an awesome leap. 77. Second, my only BIG issue with this is that (and maybe I’m missing something) the menu’s should not have to be enabled by the user – only managed by the user. 78. For example, as a theme designer, If I build a menu into my theme that’s great– but as a user, when I activate the theme, it doesn’t automatically create the menu. Two issues arise from this. 79. 1. as a theme developer, If my user makes 4 menus, how do I control which menu goes where? 2. as a user, I have to manually create (and name correctly) my menus for them to show up in the proper places in the theme. 80. — 81. I see an simple solution to this, treat the menu management like you treat widgetWidget A WordPress Widget is a small block that performs a specific function. You can add these widgets in sidebars also known as widget-ready areas on your web page. WordPress widgets were originally created to provide a simple and easy-to-use way of giving design and structure control of the WordPress theme to the user. management. 82. * allow theme developers to register menus like they register sidebars, that way the menus will automatically show up in the management area, ready to be filled, AND they’re exactly where the theme requires them to be (all upon activation of the theme). 83. Hopes this makes sense. 84. * ![](https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/86c46ccacac2166f2bfb52a3f2b8a1f61731fa4a4d54c4788a38ad508e890741? s=32&d=mm&r=g) * MadtownLems 6:36 pm _on_ April 12, 2010 * This is the exact problem I’m hitting already. I’m all about coding custom menu displays into the themes; in fact, I’ve been doing this with my own (much simpler) UIUI User interface backend for quite some time. * I need the ability to, when someone activates Theme X, to have it automatically create (register?) the necessary menus and let me hardcode displays of certain menus in certain places. Is there any way to do this currently? 85. ![](https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/4edc1b91d79c5f73350e121aeb5acb61e887e29c7cdce43c82cf7c233c321221? s=32&d=mm&r=g) 86. Acts7 6:09 pm _on_ October 5, 2010 87. Here’s what I just don’t get. Currently we have “Automatically Add Top Level Pages” That REALLLY Needs to be the other way around. As of right now, there is no benefit… when adding a new page … to being able to select the parent page. If you select it… Its not in the menu. Why is that? Auto-Add a parent page … thats one easy click to add. But if its children do not follow. We have saved 3 seconds not adding one parent page. But lose 100 seconds dragging all the children. 88. Pingback: [Menü-Management in WordPress 3.0 | black-forever](http://black-forever.de/blog/menu-management-in-wordpress-3-0) Comments are closed. # Post navigation [← Ticket creation and modification is now …](https://make.wordpress.org/core/2010/01/15/ticket-creation-and-modification-is-now/) [Agenda for Jan 21st 2010 dev chat →](https://make.wordpress.org/core/2010/01/20/agenda-for-jan-21st-2010-dev-chat/)