In many cms systems there are spare 'user fields' available on all sorts of data items (eg templates) so users could add their own data along with the intrinsic fields, for a number of reasons.

So, for example, on a document type, as well as adding tabs, properties and templates, you could enter data into 'user field 1' etc (which native Umbraco wouldn't do anything with, of course, just store it)

There doesn't seem any way of doing that in Umbraco short of creating custom property editors - which would involve huge effort if we wanted the same thing on many different property editors. And I don't think we can do this on document types at all?

Why would this be useful?

One example : A document type has two drop down lists : when the editor selects a value in the first one, it changes the available options in the second.

A nice solution would storing some additional (JSON) data (or on the document type) that defined the dependency from the first to the second.

Using the extra data above, a generic parameterised javascript solution to handle the 'onchange' could then be added as a plugin which could then be re-used many times and would activate when users edited documents.

Other uses :

• storing user types that could not see specified tabs / properties when editing
• css for editing screens
• complex validation based on multiple properties
• additional help / links to online guides etc for specific document types

etc!

Am I missing something, or is there no such simple option which avoids the need for additional core level coding, which without the additional data above would probably involve hard-coding the functionality for each requirement?