javascript - How to create an N:N relation editor in web page? -


i have create small "who what" web application incoming letter routing:

  • there relatively long list (about 600 items) of employees;
  • there short list (about 5 items) of tasks;
  • when assigning task employee, due date must specified;

as result, need list (sequence of items matters in case, since first employee in list considered "main responsible person"):

  • john smith - write response letter - 20.01.2010
  • frederica minoso - review incoming letter - 18.01.2010
  • robert geer - review incoming letter - 18.01.2010

if had, say, 10 employees, design quite easy - drop-down list of employees, drop-down list of tasks, date picker due date, "add list button" alt text http://naivist.net/tmp/layout.jpg
, of course, add result list "move up"/"move down" buttons besides it.
however, drop-down list of 600 items much; means user searching name, surname, department must take place.

i skilled enough technically create application (javascript, jquery , ajax requests being friends), trouble - how design interface of web form users understand doing? how lay out items in form? show in beginning, hide?

maybe there there modern ui form patterns use here? instance, maybe text box user can type in , auto-suggest closest matches drops out? maybe draggable/droppable pattern can applied (for instance, after have entered user's name, drop on appropriate task)? how users typically adopt such non-standard interfaces?

to state question - how people typically solve kind of data input problems? have seen examples of somewhere on web? tell me, because can't think of right now.

sorry, there many questions , many of them discussable. should mark "community wiki"?

as saw problem, thought autocomplete. since thought same, obvious solution problem. "to" field of emails has same issue - how select 1 person 1,000s of contacts.

yahoo has accessibility considerations sure autocomplete field works in manner obvious , consistent typical behavior.

since task contains 5 items, drop downs acceptable. recommended upper limit drop downs 7 items, within limit. 1 suggestion end tasks "by" or "on" line reads sentence - john doe writes response letter on 22/01/2010. also, including little visual aid in drop down increase conprehension in situations.


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