Re: Roadmap for 0.92

[Lars Clausen <lrclause cs uiuc edu>]

On 1 Aug 2003, Alan Horkan wrote:
> On Fri, 1 Aug 2003, Lars Clausen wrote:
>
> > > > UI: * Need some indication on the left/right arrow icons that these
> > > > are for selecting arrowheads.  I've had several bugreports of people
> > > > who couldn't figure that out:(
> > >
> > > dont do anything too complicated, longer term I think something
> > > radically differnt would be far easier to use (i have a few ideas, not
> > > practical in the 0.92 timeframe though).
> >
> > I was thinking of having a vague outline of an arrow for the non-arrow
> > case.
>
> Well I was thinking that the arrow ends should have some sort of an
> active target area and that by clicking neat the end of an arrow you
> could change the shape at the end of the arrow.  Trying to go for the
> direct manipulation kind of idea.

Ooohh, that'd be nice.  Harder to do, but nice.  I was just thinking of the
widgets at the bottom of the toolbox.

> I was also thinking that we might also be able to go for the more
> conventional menu item/dialog approach, Visio, Smartdraw et al. have
> something like Format Line Style.
> I'll try and post screenshots of the behaviours I have seem

Are you saying we should split the properties dialog into smaller pieces.

> > > There is a bug report filed suggesting that we should not have a
> > > Dialogs menu, but I was stopped in my tracks by not having somewhere to
> > > put the python console.  (sorry, i would normally provide a bug number
> > > but I am short for time).  I still think that Layers would be much
> > > better as the last item of the View menu and that Properties should be
> > > the first item of the Object menu.  (dont get me started on what a bad
> > > usability example the GIMP is...)
>
> > There is something to be said for redundancy.  Many programs now have
> > the
>
> To be pedantic this is repitition not redundancy and the thing to be said
> about it is that it is confusing and bad usability.  Not sure if the
> Gnome HIG explictly recommends against duplicate menu items, I'll try and
> find it this weekend hopefully.

Well, ok, it's no biggie.

> > If it's just a question of turning <name> into <_name> etc, then I can
> > send you a perl script to do that.
>
> I think it nearly is that simple.

In that case:

perl -p -e 
's/<name>/<_name>/;s!</name>!</_name>!;s/<description>/<_description>/;s!</description>!</_description>!;' 
<foo.sheet >foo.sheet.in

> > > Aside from adding more shapes there are not any issues of mine that
> > > should hold back the release.  Most of my suggestions are niceties that
> > > could wait but with a reasonablely clear targets and deadlines I will
> > > do my best to put other distractions aside and get some of the stuff I
> > > want done, done in time.
> >
> > Why do you take a crack at Duplicate first, then start going through
       ^^ don't, of course:)

> > accumulated shapes?
> >
> > -Lars
>
> I should warn you that because of work and a certain beligerrant
> Operating Systems Manufacturer refusing to allow me to instal the
> software because they no longer provide support for my perfectly adequate
> operating system that I have been forced to squander many hours upgrading
> to 'Newer Technology' and I expect I will have to waste many more hours
> sorting out drivers and service packs.  <sigh>

Best of luck to you.  I am afeared that I will end up working with products
from the aforementioned Manufacturer eventually, if I can't find real work.

-Lars

-- 
Lars Clausen (http://shasta.cs.uiuc.edu/~lrclause)| HÃrdgrim of Numenor
"I do not agree with a word that you say, but I   |----------------------------
will defend to the death your right to say it."   | Where are we going, and
    --Evelyn Beatrice Hall paraphrasing Voltaire  | what's with the handbasket?