actually after doing a bunch of different templates for print pages view pages etc etc.... what I would find very helpful is a mini section or underlining section that list all the actual field values and options. What I do at the moment is copy the inlining code to a text editor and then sort out all the actual related datafields. It's a daunting task as you have to do this for each project but it works. What would be great to have is something like the following on each page....
Field Name Field Name1
---------------------- -----------------
{Code of field here} {Code of field 1 here}
etc etc, then its a matter of cut and paste, now for the key variances there could be a scrolling list on the right showing you all those values...
{{{{{Side Menu}}}}}}
BEGIN adminarea_link
$adminarealink_attr
END adminarea_link
|======================|
|--------------------------------| Side |
|--------------------------------| Menu|
|---body-----------------------|-------|
|--------------------------------|------|
|================= |-------|
|new code field lists ---------|-------|
|----{Code of fields here}---|-------|
|================= |-------|
|nav controls -----------------|-------|
|================= |-------|
|-------------------------------|--------|
|======================|
etc etc for all instances... listing this on the side and bottom out of the actual editing section would allow people to customize page completly while understanding they have the option to not even touch this, but be allowed with some knowelge to undstand all those related fields are the actual names that are called upon from other scripts. Saving precious time in finding these values and moving them around in your custom edit script.
The problem with the current editor while you can edit fields and variables, trying to change the format can be the ulitmate nightmare. If this was some tool ment for novice individuals I would get the reason for permenement placements on layouts, but as most of us are more then casual and a bit more on the top end just looking for tools that we can use to help our process along, I would see something like the above a huge help over say having new templates to work off of. Let me customize the way I want too , just give me the tools to help speed up that process. So far phprunner does this and well, but it has it limitations that for anyone trying to do advanced work would find daunting to get around. This sort of implimentation would definitly make that allot more easier. Also mapping what comes from where to what file would be nice, doesn't have to be an editor but in the help files, IE $adminarealink_attr is pulled from file "bla".php .. whatever it is. So if needed instead of taking a few hours to dig threw it to customize we can look at a help file and find it.
My 2 cents.