What happens to hidden items? - Post...

User 2488786 Photo


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So if I understand right, you hide items to make a smaller screen look better, but what happens to them?
Are they just not available from a small screen?
Would you add links as a way to access those items?
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User 187934 Photo


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Try not to use display:none to much. I think it's better to make a clean and lean page altering how that content is displayed to the specific screen size and allow users to select the rest of the content they will need to see by making additional pages that are also clean and lean. More pages with more specific content is what I go for. You have to remember that display:none still loads the content so page speed for mobile users is almost the same as those viewing on a large screen pc.
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User 271657 Photo


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With a responsive site, users should have the same content no matter what device they're using – no hiding photos, videos or long content at smaller sizes. They're still there taking up bandwidth, so there's really no advantage to hiding them.

The big exception is menus. It's expected that wide-screen menus will be swapped for mobile versions on smaller screens.

If you have a content-heavy site, you can use "read more" links or toggles to expand/close content to keep things under control if it seems there's too much going on.

It seems RLM uses flexbox, which makes it possible to rearrange content. Rather than removing a large photo near the top of a site, for small screens it could shift lower to put a heading or call to action at the top instead.
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User 10077 Photo


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I see the reasoning behind not hiding elements because it doesn't help bandwidth. So what do you do with regard to something like slideshows with large images? I hide them on mobile so that I can use the screen real estate for more important information. But if I want to save bandwidth, is there a way to make them not appear so that they don't load either?
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User 2484360 Photo


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Rick Williams wrote:
So if I understand right, you hide items to make a smaller screen look better, but what happens to them?


They are set to display:none is the CSS.

Are they just not available from a small screen?


They are not available for which ever breakpoint you hide them in. You can hide something in the main breakpoint and only show it on the last breakpoint. :P

Would you add links as a way to access those items?


With a little JS you could, but they are meant to be hidden unless used in some type of sorting.

But if I want to save bandwidth, is there a way to make them not appear so that they don't load either?


There is a way, and we are working this into RLM with Images, so that on the main breakpoint you load a 200kb image, then the next you can load a smaller image of the same image and so on...
User 2088758 Photo


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There is a way, and we are working this into RLM with Images, so that on the main breakpoint you load a 200kb image, then the next you can load a smaller image of the same image and so on...


That would be an awesome upgrade!
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User 271657 Photo


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From Eric...I think it's better to make a clean and lean page altering how that content is displayed to the specific screen size and allow users to select the rest of the content they will need to see by making additional pages that are also clean and lean.

Content first and keep it simple :)
If your photos or videos aren't needed at mobile sizes, then it would seem they're just being used to take up space on larger screens anyway. But if the visual elements support/enhance the content, then they should be there for any screen size.
We shouldn't be thinking of our mobile layouts as secondary – a fall-back to get by with. They are the main or only access to the web for many users. And for those who do use multiple devices, it could be annoying not to find something while using your phone that you know you saw on your pc.:mad:

From an interesting article (with mobile and pc usage info):
Mobile devices these days have CPUs and GPUs almost at par with desktops. And modern WebKit-based mobile browsers are way better than IE8! So you don’t have to dumb it down for mobiles any more. The real limitations are screen space and download bandwidths.

While I’ve been saying “mobile” first, do note that the principles are not really limited to “mobile” devices. It’s all about better usability, better use of screen real estate and better use of page elements and code – things we should always keep at the forefront, but which often get buried under the bling.

http://www.sitepoint.com/making-case-mo … t-designs/

Will the new RLM feature be making use of <picture> and srcset? :D
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User 2488786 Photo


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190 posts

Thank you all for some great replies, I feel that since more and more people don't even use their computers that the content should be the same.
Not all people are like me and have bad eyes. :)
Now to continue on with the site.
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User 171749 Photo


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Rick Williams wrote:

Not all people are like me and have bad eyes. :)


Yes, but as a generation ages, I think you’ll see some changes and people moving away from those small devices :)
User 122279 Photo


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You've got a point there, Mark. ;)
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