Django web framework ships with very powerful admin interface for site managers. Default interface is generated from model's metadata and can be customized using many hooks. This presentation is about customizing and making admin interface faster and more user friendly.

1. Django admin
Python meetup
Ines Jelovac
Zagreb, 14 June 2016

2. Django Web Framework
● High-level Python Web framework
● MVC
Django admin
● Automatic interface
● For site administrators
● Reads model metadata
● Customizing:
○ Layout
○ Filters
○ Actions

3. Model example
class Article(models.Model):
author = models.ForeignKey(settings.AUTH_USER_MODEL)
title = models.CharField(max_length=200)
lead_text = models.CharField(max_length=300)
content = models.TextField()
publish_date = models.DateTimeField()
image = models.ImageField()
section = models.ManyToManyField(Section)
def __str__(self):
return self.title

4. Model metadata
class Article(models.Model):
...
class Meta:
verbose_name = _('Article')
verbose_name_plural = _('Articles')
ordering = ('-publish_date',)

5. Default admin interface
app/admin.py
from django.contrib import admin
from articles.models import Article
admin.site.register(Article)

6. Default list interface

7. Customizing objects list: list_display
● List objects page
○ Default: str() of each object
● list_display option
@admin.register(Article)
class ArticleAdmin(admin.ModelAdmin):
list_display = ['title', 'publish_date']
● list_display_links option

8. Customizing objects list: list_display

9. Customizing objects list: empty_value_display
@admin.register(Article)
class ArticleAdmin(admin.ModelAdmin):
list_display = ['title', 'publish_date']
empty_value_display = '(unknown)'

10. Customizing objects list: empty_value_display

11. Customizing objects list: list_filter
● Model field
● Foreign key attribute lookup
● Custom querysets
● preserve_filters option
@admin.register(Article)
class ArticleAdmin(admin.ModelAdmin):
list_display = ['title', 'publish_date']
empty_value_display = '(unknown)'
list_filter = ['section', PublishedListFilter]

12. Customizing objects list: list_filter
class PublishedListFilter(admin.SimpleListFilter):
title = 'published'
parameter_name = 'publish_date'
def lookups(self, request, model_admin):
return (
('published', 'published'),
('not_published', 'not published')
)
def queryset(self, request, queryset):
if self.value() == 'published':
return queryset.filter(publish_date__isnull=False)
if self.value() == 'not_published':
return queryset.filter(publish_date__isnull=True)

13. Customizing objects list: list_filter

14. Customizing objects list: date_hierarchy
@admin.register(Article)
class ArticleAdmin(admin.ModelAdmin):
list_display = ['title', 'publish_date']
empty_value_display = '(unknown)'
list_filter = ['section', PublishedListFilter]
date_hierarchy = 'publish_date'

15. Customizing objects list: date_hierarchy

16. Customizing objects list: search_fields
● Model field
● Foreign key attribute lookup
● Operators
○ ^ to match starting at the beginning of the field
○ = for case-insensitive exact matching
○ @ operator to perform a full text match
@admin.register(Article)
class ArticleAdmin(admin.ModelAdmin):
list_display = ['title', 'publish_date']
empty_value_display = '(unknown)'
list_filter = ['section', PublishedListFilter]
date_hierarchy = 'publish_date'
search_fields = ['title']

17. Customizing objects list: search_fields

18. Customizing objects list: list_editable
@admin.register(Article)
class ArticleAdmin(admin.ModelAdmin):
list_display = ['title', 'lead_text','publish_date']
empty_value_display = '(unknown)'
list_filter = ['section', PublishedListFilter]
date_hierarchy = 'publish_date'
search_fields = ['title']
list_editable = ['lead_text']

19. Customizing objects list: list_editable

20. Default edit interface

21. Default edit interface
● Default buttons
○ Delete
○ Save and add another
○ Save and continue editing
○ Save
● save_as option: if set to True “Save as new” replaces “Save and add
another” button

22. Customizing edit interface: fields
● fields option
○ List of fields in model edit form
○ Change order
○ Group in same line
@admin.register(Article)
class ArticleAdmin(admin.ModelAdmin):
fields = [
'author',
('title', 'lead_text'),
'content',
('publish_date', 'image'),
'section'
]

23. Customizing edit interface

24. Customizing edit interface
● exclude option
○ List of fields not shown in edit form
● readonly_fields option
○ Field or method
● fieldsets option
○ Group fields
● form option
○ Replace default Form with custom
● view_on_site option
○ Boolean - calls get_absolute_url
○ Callable

25. Customizing edit interface: many to many
● filter_horizontal option
● filter_vertical option
@admin.register(Article)
class ArticleAdmin(admin.ModelAdmin):
…
filter_horizontal = ['section']

26. Customizing edit interface: filter_horizontal

27. Customizing edit interface: inlines
● TabularInline
● StackedInline
class GalleryInline(admin.TabularInline):
model = GalleyImage
extra = 2
@admin.register(Article)
class ArticleAdmin(admin.ModelAdmin):
...
filter_horizontal = ['section']
inlines = [GalleryInline]

28. Customizing edit interface: inlines

29. Customizing admin interface: actions
● Functions that get called with a list of objects selected on the change list page
● Simple logic: use function
● Complex logic: redirect the user to another view in function
def delete_publish_date(modeladmin, request, queryset):
queryset.update(publish_date=None)
delete_publish_date.short_description = "Delete published
date for selected articles"
@admin.register(Article)
class ArticleAdmin(admin.ModelAdmin):
…
actions = [delete_publish_date]

30. Customizing edit interface: actions
Customizing admin interface: actions

31. Optimization
● show_full_result_count option in list view
○ Eliminates expensive count
● list_select_related option in list view
○ Django will use select_related in query
● raw_id_fields option in edit view

32. There is more
● Overriding default templates
● Overriding methods
● History view
● Decorator @staff_member_required

33. ljudski_potencijali@styria.hr