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List:       kde-core-devel
Subject:    Re: Detailed menus: a solution for 3.1
From:       Stephan Kulow <coolo () kde ! org>
Date:       2002-01-22 11:01:22
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On Tuesday, 22. January 2002 09:24, Matthias Elter wrote:
> Thomas Zander wrote:
> > On Tue, Jan 22, 2002 at 08:59:36AM +0100, Rob Kaper wrote:
> >>Just had an idea on how we could solve the detailed menu entries with
> >>descriptions for 3.1.
> >>
> >>While a user uses the k-menu, the rest of the panel is pretty useless,
> >>especially the application icons. We could use the panel area to display
> >>more detailed information about an application, keeping the menus tidy
> >> and yet providing a nice way to show extra information, in a place that
> >> is always the same for the user.
> >>
> >>See http://capsi.com/~cap/snapshot-kmenu.jpg for a crude attempt to make
> >>this work.
> >>
> >>I think it should be sufficient to just use the application buttons area,
> >> it is big enough and keeps items that might have some use visible, such
> >> as the taskbar.
> >
> > Nice idea; but my kicker is competely full, and looking around the office
> > I am not the only one. Mine also autohides.
>
> Empty space on the panel is not the problem, we could simply hide panel
> containers for a few seconds. Just like MS does it with their "<-- Click
> here to start" (or similar) message.
>
> My main concern about Robs idea is that the comment should appear
> somewhere "close" to the menu entry. Try searching an application by
> reading the comment with Robs approach. Your eyes have to switch between
> the panel and the menu all the time. This just does not make sense.
>
> Autohide is not a problem by the way, as the panel does not hide while
> the menu is open.
>
> I plan to add a user friendly (call it XP like if you want to) menu to
> kicker for KDE 3.1. The new menu will be the default and the current
> menu (without comments in menu entries) will remain for advanced users.
>
I like the idea, but I agree with Matthias that the comment should appear 
closer. The idea we discussed here was to replace the actual menu entry with
a twice as large entry while you're over the mouse. If just I could use gimp, 
I would show you :)

The problem is with the approach that I can't tell how it feels to use it 
with the mouse. Theoretically it shouldn't be a problem, but without 
implementing it I can't say :(

Greetings, Stephan
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