column selector / saving columns per query

[robzilla]

Hi All,

I'm working on revamping the "Choose Columns" functionality in my 
installation of Bugzilla.  I want to eventually submit a patch since it 
cleans things up real nice and provides functionality for saving displayed 
columns per query, but since it changes a couple things, I wanted some 
feedback.

What I've done is:
- get rid of the "Change Columns" link at the bottom of the buglist page
- in the query page, add a "column selector" section (collapsed by default, 
has an "expand" button).  The column selector is a typical layout: two 
listboxes (available/selected columns), and buttons for moving between the 
list boxes and changing the column order (screenshot at 
http://rob.siklos.ca/bz/10049.html)

When you submit the query, it adds the 'columnlist' parameter to the 
buglist.cgi query string.  This specifies which columns should be displayed 
and in which order.

The cool part is when you save the query, you also save the column display 
information (since it's part of the URI)

Implications:
Since I got rid of the "Change Columns" page, there's no more support for 
"default columns" (saved in a cookie).  I didn't really see this as a 
problem, since the default columns are now saved with the default query (if 
you create one).

But there's a couple holes:
1) you don't get to save a default query unless you have a login ID
2) it only works for the "Advanced" search, and not the "Find a specific 
bug." page

For #1, I was thinking that we could give users who aren't logged in the 
option to save a default query, but it would be saved in a browser cookie 
instead of in the database.

For #2, I'll have to think about it some more, since i've never used that 
page.  Suggestions welcome :)

Most of the backend functionality is already there, but there's no 
interface.

What do you guys think - is this trunk material, or better left as a 
personal customization?

Rob Siklos.

P.S. can't post any code yet until we get clearance from our legal 
department, but it should only be a couple weeks.