some work on the edit connection workflow explanation and connedit page. This needs a lot more attention, but it was screaming for any improvement in documenting why we tell you that the permissions have been changed but not saved.

mod/connedit.php

@@ -444,32 +444,34 @@ function connedit_content(&$a) {
 				'url'   => $a->get_baseurl(true) . '/network/?f=&cid=' . $contact['abook_id'], 
 				'sel'   => '',
 				'title' => t('View recent posts and comments'),
-			),
+			)
+		);
 
+		$buttons = array(
 			array(
 				'label' => (($contact['abook_flags'] & ABOOK_FLAG_BLOCKED) ? t('Unblock') : t('Block')),
 				'url'   => $a->get_baseurl(true) . '/connedit/' . $contact['abook_id'] . '/block', 
 				'sel'   => (($contact['abook_flags'] & ABOOK_FLAG_BLOCKED) ? 'active' : ''),
-				'title' => t('Block or Unblock this connection'),
+				'title' => t('Block (or Unblock) all communications with this connection'),
 			),
 
 			array(
 				'label' => (($contact['abook_flags'] & ABOOK_FLAG_IGNORED) ? t('Unignore') : t('Ignore')),
 				'url'   => $a->get_baseurl(true) . '/connedit/' . $contact['abook_id'] . '/ignore', 
 				'sel'   => (($contact['abook_flags'] & ABOOK_FLAG_IGNORED) ? 'active' : ''),
-				'title' => t('Ignore or Unignore this connection'),
+				'title' => t('Ignore (or Unignore) all inbound communications from this connection'),
 			),
 			array(
 				'label' => (($contact['abook_flags'] & ABOOK_FLAG_ARCHIVED) ? t('Unarchive') : t('Archive')),
 				'url'   => $a->get_baseurl(true) . '/connedit/' . $contact['abook_id'] . '/archive', 
 				'sel'   => (($contact['abook_flags'] & ABOOK_FLAG_ARCHIVED) ? 'active' : ''),
-				'title' => t('Archive or Unarchive this connection'),
+				'title' => t('Archive (or Unarchive) this connection - mark channel dead but keep content'),
 			),
 			array(
 				'label' => (($contact['abook_flags'] & ABOOK_FLAG_HIDDEN) ? t('Unhide') : t('Hide')),
 				'url'   => $a->get_baseurl(true) . '/connedit/' . $contact['abook_id'] . '/hide', 
 				'sel'   => (($contact['abook_flags'] & ABOOK_FLAG_HIDDEN) ? 'active' : ''),
-				'title' => t('Hide or Unhide this connection'),
+				'title' => t('Hide or Unhide this connection from your other connections'),
 			),
 
 			array(
@@ -542,11 +544,15 @@ function connedit_content(&$a) {
 			'$notself'        => (($self) ? '' : '1'),
 			'$self'           => (($self) ? '1' : ''),
 			'$autolbl'        => t('Apply the permissions indicated on this page to all new connections.'),
+			'$buttons'        => (($self) ? '' : $buttons),
 			'$viewprof'       => t('View Profile'),
 			'$lbl_slider'     => t('Slide to adjust your degree of friendship'),
 			'$slide'          => $slide,
 			'$tabs'           => $t,
 			'$tab_str'        => $tab_str,
+			'$perms_step1'    => t('<p>Step #1. (Completed).</p><p>Create connection with minimal or no permissions.</p>'),
+			'$perms_step2'    => t('<p>Step #2. (Incomplete).</p><p>Review and/or edit the default individual permissions on this page, if desired.</p>'),
+			'$perms_step3'    => t('<p>Step #3. (Incomplete).</p><p>Submit this page to apply the selected permissions.</p><p>Until this is complete, this connection may have insufficient permission to communicate with you.</p>'),
 			'$is_pending'     => (($contact['abook_flags'] & ABOOK_FLAG_PENDING) ? 1 : ''),
 			'$unapproved'     => $unapproved,
 			'$inherited'      => t('inherited'),
@@ -598,12 +604,8 @@ function connedit_content(&$a) {
 			'$ignored'        => (($contact['readonly']) ? t('Currently ignored') : ''),
 			'$archived'       => (($contact['archive']) ? t('Currently archived') : ''),
 			'$pending'        => (($contact['archive']) ? t('Currently pending') : ''),
-			'$hidden'         => array('hidden', t('Hide this contact from others'), ($contact['hidden'] == 1), t('Replies/likes to your public posts <strong>may</strong> still be visible')),
-			'$photo'          => $contact['photo'],
 			'$name'           => $contact['name'],
-			'$dir_icon'       => $dir_icon,
 			'$alt_text'       => $alt_text,
-			'$sparkle'        => $sparkle,
 			'$url'            => $url
 
 		));

view/css/mod_connedit.css

@@ -14,15 +14,31 @@
 	margin-bottom: 5px !important;
 }
 
-.abook-pending-contact, .abook-permschange, .abook-autotext {
+.abook-pending-contact, .abook-autotext {
 	background: orange;
 	font-weight: bold;
 	margin: 10px;
 	padding: 20px 5px 10px;
 }
 
+.abook-permschange {
+	width: 100%;
+}
+
+.abook-perms-steps {
+	float: left;
+	width: 200px;
+	height: 210px;
+	background: orange;
+	font-weight: bold;
+	margin: 10px;
+	padding: 20px 5px 10px;
+
+}
+
 .abook-permssave {
 	margin-left: 10px;
+	clear: both;
 }
 
 #contact-slider {

view/js/mod_connedit.js

@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 
 function abook_perms_msg() {
 	$('.abook-permschange').show();
-	$('.abook-permschange').html(aStr['permschange']);
+//	$('.abook-permschange').html(aStr['permschange']);
 	$('.abook-permssave').show();
 }
 

view/tpl/abook_edit.tpl

@@ -7,11 +7,27 @@
 <div id="connection-flag-tabs">
 {{$tabs}}
 </div>
+<div id="connection-edit-buttons">
+{{foreach $buttons as $b }}
+<button class="btn btn-sm btn-default" title="{{$b.title}}" onclick="window.location.href='{{$b.url}}'; return false;">{{$b.label}}</button>
+{{/foreach}}
 {{/if}}
 
 
-
 <div id="contact-edit-wrapper">
+<form id="abook-edit-form" action="connedit/{{$contact_id}}" method="post" >
+
+<div class="abook-permschange" style="display: none;">
+<div class="abook-perms-steps"><i class="icon-check"></i><br />{{$perms_step1}}</div>
+<div class="abook-perms-steps"><i class="icon-check-empty"></i><br />{{$perms_step2}}</div>
+<div class="abook-perms-steps"><i class="icon-check-empty"></i><br />{{$perms_step3}}</div>
+</div>
+
+<div class="abook-permssave" style="display: none;">
+<input class="contact-edit-submit" type="submit" name="done" value="{{$submit}}" />
+</div>
+
+
 
 {{if $last_update}}
 {{$lastupdtext}} {{$last_update}}
@@ -27,7 +43,6 @@
 {{/if}}
 
 
-<form id="abook-edit-form" action="connedit/{{$contact_id}}" method="post" >
 
 {{if $self}}
 <div class="abook-autotext">
@@ -40,10 +55,6 @@
 <input type="hidden" name="contact_id" value="{{$contact_id}}">
 <input id="contact-closeness-mirror" type="hidden" name="closeness" value="{{$close}}" />
 
-<div class="abook-permschange" style="display: none;"></div>
-<div class="abook-permssave" style="display: none;">
-<input class="contact-edit-submit" type="submit" name="done" value="{{$submit}}" />
-</div>
 
 
 {{if $is_pending}}
@@ -63,15 +74,6 @@
 
 <h3>{{$permlbl}}</h3>
 <div id="perm-desc" class="descriptive-text">{{$permnote}}</div>
-
-<br />
-
-<input class="contact-edit-submit" type="submit" name="done" value="{{$submit}}" />
-
-<div id="abook-advanced" class="fakelink" onclick="openClose('abook-advanced-panel');">{{$advanced}}</div>
-
-<div id="abook-advanced-panel" style="display: block;">
-
 <table>
 <tr><td></td><td class="abook-them">{{$them}}</td><td colspan="2" class="abook-me">{{$me}}</td><td></td></tr>
 <tr><td colspan="5"><hr /></td></tr>