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List:       kde-usability
Subject:    Re: KMail and addressing
From:       Andreas Mair <Andreas.Mair () linogate ! com>
Date:       2002-05-27 14:16:05
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On Montag, 27. Mai 2002 14:42, Michael W. Collette wrote:
> On Monday 27 May 2002 02:50 am, Andreas Mair wrote:

[SNIP]

> > Please take a look at the supplied UI file, it shows you how I think the
> > dialog should look. Comments wanted (and needed)!
>
> I take it the concept here is to bring this dialog box each time for the
> different address fields?  If that is the case, it should be made VERY
> clear as to which field is being worked on at the time.  When editing the
> "To" list, some nice big bold text should say as much somewhere on the
> dialog to avoid confusion.

You're right, I re-thought this fact already this day and changed it a little 
bit. Please see the attached file.

> "Remove" may be a bit too strong a word for what the intended function is.
> Perhaps more of a toolbar editing screen kind of implementation would be
> more clear.  Like a simple "<--" button.

I understand your oppinion, but I think a "<--" button should only be used if 
the "-->" buttons "move" the address from the left listview to the right one.
Do others think "Remove" is too strong, too?

> If LDAP is to eventually get integrated into KMail's address lookup, how
> would a dialog like this deal with it?  This is also a factor for those
> folks with enormous address books.  A search field needs worked in there at
> some point. Depending on what kind of network interaction is worked in,
> there may also need to be a way to restrict which books are searched in, so
> as not to glitch things when working off-line.

I thought a search field too. I only hadn't the time to include it yet.
Choosing between addressbooks/LDAP will be thought of in detail, when they are 
integrated in KMail. At the moment I see two possiblities: a) integrating a 
drop-down list like Mozilla to let the user choose the addressbook or b) 
integrate other address sources as new trees in the left listview.

> As to the notion of bringing up this box for each field, I've been sitting
> here staring at this dialog box trying to work out the pros and cons in my
> head here.
>
> Pro:
> Simpler dialog.  An address is either added or not.
> Makes it quite obvious what status of send-to an address is.  The Moz
> layout is more subtle, for the worse, in this regard.
> Integrates into KMail's existing composition a little more logically.
>
> Con:
> Need to bring up the same dialog box potentially three times.

I disliked that too, so I changed it.

> Potentially much more time involved with addressing when large books or
> LDAP get involved.

Why?

> Can't see everyone being sent out to in one place.

Now you can.

> A couple of other suggestions just tossing out here.
>
> Have the dialog present "To", "cc", and "Bcc" in seperate lists on the
> right, instead of Moz's single list for all.  A nice drag and drop
> situation here. Had this kind of setup under a rather nice client called
> "E-Mail Connection" under Win 3.1.  Long obsolete, company outta business,
> no screen shots.

MS Outlook has such a layout too. Nothing to win a price with (my oppinion).

> Leave it as a single list for all, with an obvious dividing line between 3
> send-to types.  The lines shuffling downward as addresses are added to the
> types.  The advantage being that a single scroll bar could be used to go
> through your list.
>
> Keep your basic layout, but add a drop down menu to select the send-to
> type. In that way, you could edit your lists by bringing the box up once,
> yet there would be no mixing the types in the same list.
>
> The very same box that KMail has today, with some twists.  A simple list of
> addresses, with a drop down selection of books directly above, similar to
> Moz.  Then provide a ">>>" button at the bottom that expands the dialog to
> show the selected addresses.  This would enable more functionality to be
> added, without a significant change in the way KMail does things today.
> Keeps the dialog size way down as well.
>
> Hmm, more I think about the possibilities of that last one the more
> appealing it sounds.  I too would be very curious to hear opinions from
> other folks on this matter, so I'll shut the heck up now :)
>
> Later on,

Please take a look at the attached file, I'd like to here your comments...

CU,
Andreas
["kmail_address_dlg.ui" (application/x-designer)]
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