".. a display/view setting that is dependent on how people searched or sorted, is ... if they search or sort by Year, say, then the references that return are by default displayed in such a way that Year is visible or even that each reference starts with the year. If they search by who created the records, then the references that return are by default displayed such that the creator of the records are visible. And likewise if someone sorts a bunch of references by any field, then that field ought to be visible in the display, by default.
If having different default views is difficult to do, this can be skipped as long as the user can customize the view. For instance, you could have just one default view, but then have a view or display setting where the user designates what fields are shown and in what order (e.g. there is a list of field names associated with boxes and the user enters a number in each box that is to show in the display). Another option, simpler but with less versatility, is to have some preset views with a toggle switch among them-- i.e. the user checks "Author - Title - Year" or another setting with other fields shown. "
".. a display/view setting that is dependent on how people searched or sorted, is ... if they search or sort by Year, say, then the references that return are by default displayed in such a way that Year is visible or even that each reference starts with the year. If they search by who created the records, then the references that return are by default displayed such that the creator of the records are visible. And likewise if someone sorts a bunch of references by any field, then that field ought to be visible in the display, by default.
If having different default views is difficult to do, this can be skipped as long as the user can customize the view. For instance, you could have just one default view, but then have a view or display setting where the user designates what fields are shown and in what order (e.g. there is a list of field names associated with boxes and the user enters a number in each box that is to show in the display). Another option, simpler but with less versatility, is to have some preset views with a toggle switch among them-- i.e. the user checks "Author - Title - Year" or another setting with other fields shown. "