Re: property dialogs

[Janos Farkas <Janos.Farkas-nouce/priv-#gKOLVfnM2rFS5nTfJZ4hlvyn9oa lk9qw mail eon ml org>]

[Hmm.. shouldn't this go to gnome-gui?  I tried to set the followup
direction, but kept this article here for people to be aware of the
discussion.]

On 1998-03-18 at 16:45:07, Vollmer Marius wrote:
> I think this was more in the context of these annoying "Do you really
> want to..." dialog boxes.  Not popping up such a nagbox but providing
> a way to undo the change seems to be a better way.

Aha, now I remember better, but I still think it's more useful.
Recalling a few GUI systems I looked at, I can't see any particular
setting which would not be more convenient when it's not changed
immediately.  Of course, for a few parameters like (smtp host, cache
server, user name) make no particular sense to change *NOW*, but in this
case, it could mean "for the next use".  GUI elements/colors/background
pictures/font style changes also profit from "instant apply".

As another example, changing a files "properties", for example
permission bits or group in traditional applications look like this:

   - invoke the properties dialog (right button, from menu, whatever)
   - click on flags to change them
   - click on group field to change it
   - click apply[1]
   - click close[2]
   - test the effects (try to execute, etc.)

In "instant apply" style:

   - invoke the properties
   - click on flags (they are changed, check is immediately possible)
   - click on group field to change
   - click close[3]

[1] - but an undo/revert button is still necessary
[2] - I'm implying that apply does not close.  If it does close the
      window, further changes after external feedback ("still can't
      execute") require another invocation of the settings.
[3] - or, of course, revert.

Also, still IMHO, the "instant apply" is closer to the way I work with
the shell.  I tell it to chmod, and it's done, no confirmation, nonvital
information. Presuming the common case (or at least the important case)
is that user knows what (s)he does, and even mouse click counts should
be minimized to increase productivity.

Thinking about it, I can even picture the preview of the gimp plugins as
a "weak" for of this.  If processor power could make it possible, you'd
probably had open the image window, as well as the important plugins
control panel, and as you turned a knob in the "Twirl" panel, the real
image would change (and you could Revert if you don't like the result).
That this is only done in a preview window and a "DO" button is the
result that it's not feasible to do the effects instantly.

> This is not too much related with "instant apply".  You probably have
> to carefully compose a set of settings that you then want to apply all
> at once.  While composing these settings you will probably go thru a
> lot of invalid states that would provoke error messages, or something.

I'm probably blinded by my idea, but I can't see a real example now of
panels like this.  Of course, there should be some implied atomicity
needed for the changes, for example, renaming a file should not happen
as I type the new name, but when I leave the entry widget via
enter/return or mouse click.

-- 
Janos - Don't worry, my address is real.  I'm just bored of spam.