Problems in building complex page structures - please help

[Florian Wanoschek]

Hi all,

we standardly use complex page structures on server confluence. To test if we could/should migrate to cloud, we tried to rebuild those page structures in cloud version (free version). But we had several severe problems doing that.

Are some of those problems known, has anybody suggestions for a solution?

1. We use table filter and charts app. When we try to place a macro from that app inside a panel macro or an excerpt macro, it does not work - the table macro always "jumps" out of the excerpt macro.
2. We use tabs horizontal and vertical (usually content formatting app). Sometimes we structure that into each other (for example horizontal tabs inside  a vertical tab). I tested several apps which contain tabs and did not find a possibility to do that.
3. We now installed Aura app, because it is one of the few apps which offer vertical tabs and you can place table macros within the tab (it is not possible in composite tabs for example). But when we place table macro content inside the tabs, it is not rendered properly. Charts for example are compressed so they cannot be read. 
4. Inside Aura tabs, expand macros do not work.
5. We standardly use section and column macros. They are not available on cloud.
6. When you address a parent page in a page hierarchy macro you have to type in the concrete page title. We would like to type in a free text  -  we use an interface to export data into confluence and standardly use placeholders to do that.
7. A page takes relatively long to load, slow performance.

Ideas are very welcome, tx in advance!

Cheers
Florian

[Katerina Kovriga _Stiltsoft_ · Accepted solution]

Hi @Florian Wanoschek ,

The Table Filter and Charts for Confluence app, that you've mentioned in the first use case, is our add-on, so we feel somehow involved. )))

Due to the new Cloud editor limitations, you can't nest macros (put macros with bodies inside each other). It seems that because of that there are no section and column macros for Confluence Cloud - you won't be able to nest them.

What concerns our app, it's available both for Server/Data Center and Cloud instances. All the macros provided by the app remain the same. The only difference is that for Server you wrap our macros directly inside each other and for Cloud you need to use the Table Toolbox to nest the macros (the Table Toolbox macro is provided with the Cloud version of the app).

[Florian Wanoschek]

Hi @Katerina Kovriga _Stiltsoft_ ,

tx a lot for this answer and for feeling involved :-)). Your answer explains a lot ...

Unfortunately this makes it impossible for us to migrate to cloud. We like to group charts, reports etc. in tabs and other structuring tools (section/column macros as an example). Nesting macros is absolutely necessary for us...

Do you / does anybody know if there is an issue existing for that?

PS: Katerina, actually I did not mean to criticise your app (hope you did not understand it this way) - we really appreciate it.;-) I already have found the table toolbox - nice trick!

[Katerina Kovriga _Stiltsoft_]

Oh, don't worry - I see that the the problem is not in our app.)))

You are not the first one to experience difficulties with Confluence Cloud after working with Server/Data Center. 

But as far as I understand, the old Legacy Cloud editor is still available on demand - please, check this thread. It looked more like a Server version.

And here is a roadmap with feature descriptions of the New and Legacy editors along with issues gathering interest. Here is the issue about nesting.

[Katerina Kovriga _Stiltsoft_]

I've checked the old editor on our test instance - there are Section/Column macros and I can nest our macros provided by the Table Filter and Charts app without the Table Toolbox macro.

So, it seems that the Legacy editor will do the trick. But there is one huge disadvantage - as I understand, all the new Atlassian features, macros, etc. are developed for the New editor and won't be implemented in the Legacy editor.

[Florian Wanoschek]

@Katerina Kovriga _Stiltsoft_,

thank you again - now I know much more, very helpful!

[Bill Bailey · Accepted solution]

I have been running on server for a decade. I have had to work on Cloud for a client. It is very frustratiing as so many functions dont exist. The four biggest items missing are:

• No support for custom domains (open request for 10 years)
• Lack of custom CSS
• No user macros.
• Very limited page layout options

If you were new to Confluence, Cloud might be the ticket, but if you have any experience with the server version and have done any customizations, you will be very frustrated. 

[Florian Wanoschek]

Hi Bill,

there is no reason for hooray, but tx for the answer: good to see that I am not alone...

[Bill Bailey]

@Florian Wanoschek  Sure. And the other issue I forgot to mention is configuration control. With Cloud, you always get the latest version, even if it deprecates a function you are using or breaks your processes.

It would have been really nice if Atlassian had addressed all of these issues before trying to force people off server.

Cloud has a lot of advantages for Atlassian -- not so many for the user, sad to say.