Re: [Gimp-developer] Search Action dialog feature

[peter sikking <peter mmiworks net>]

Jehan,

let me first of all say this in general about the process we are
doing. at this moment I feel we are still working backwards, i.e.
you are answering to me what the code does.

we have to work forward, else there will be no progress.

this means we write down the goal/purpose/vision that you have
for TITo (sorry, internal code name still rocks for discussions).
you make the choices, I just make sure that what we end up with
1) makes sense in  GIMP context
2) is internally consistent
3) is short, sharp and complete

once we got this goal written down, it is possible to
review the spec to see what is missing and what is getting
in the way of the goal.

> On Tue, Jan 21, 2014 at 12:47 PM, Michael Natterer <mitch gimp org> wrote:
> > On Tue, 2014-01-21 at 00:10 +0100, peter sikking wrote:
> >
> > > 1) you say “action search tool.” is it not menu item search tool?
> > > an _action_ search would search the toolbox tools, the layer
> > > stack and all dockable dialogs too (the latter being super useful).
> > "action" is meant as technical term here. A menu item is a view
> > on an internal action, and they include:
> > - all menu items
> > - all tools
> > - all menu-invokable dialogs
> > - some esoteric stuff which we'd probably filter out to avoid confusion
> Indeed.

if I read that right it still boils down to that you only want to
search menu items. this needs to be called that way for clarification.

now if I am wrong, and you do want to be able to search more
like am the ‘actions’ in the dockable dialogs
(example: Brushes dialog->Create a new brush) then you need to
make that clear explicitly.


> > > 2) you say “natural language text,” the definition of which is
> > > very wooly. similar as with ‘Text-based Intent driven Tool’ it
> > > promises way too much (e.g. user types in “blown highlights” and
> > > TITo responds with “burn tool”). you need to be very precise in
> > > defining how sophisticated you want to be here (want to be, not
> > > describing the actual bit you do right now).
> >
> > Please let's forget about the name "TITO", it was a bad choice
> > to begin with.
>
> Yes! Please all, stop saying "tito", especially if that confuses you.
> TITO does not exist. This is an action search.

I am not confused.

you said “natural language text,” and I told you that is a huge
can of worms if you put that in you goal.

I think it is best to say “text search” for now. interim version:


“The "action search" tool allows to search for, and run, menu items via text search. It is for searching 
tools, plugins and filters in GIMP when one knows they exist but can't find anymore.”


it is better now to concentrate on _all_ the reasons you
want this to be useful for GIMP users.

now is the time for you to decide whether ‘when one knows they
exist but can't find anymore’ is the one and only reason TITo
is valuable/useful for GIMP users. if there is more, you have
to clarify that mow.

thanks,

    --ps

        founder + principal interaction architect
            man + machine interface works

        http://blog.mmiworks.net: on interaction architecture