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List:       kde-usability
Subject:    Re: Help with the UI of Lyrics plugin config dialog
From:       Simon Edwards <simon () simonzone ! com>
Date:       2002-07-07 21:42:16
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Hi,

On Sunday 07 July 2002 22:41, Ismael Orenstein wrote:
> I'm the author of the Lyrics noatun plugin in the kdeaddons module and I'm
> having some problems designing it's config dialog.

> What do you suggest? Should I forget about KEditListBox (and throw away all
> the benefits it gives?)? Or there is a way of redoing it's layout so that
> the items properties seem more related ?

The groupbox is letting you down here. Here is how I solve (basically) the 
same problem in Guarddog:

http://www.simonzone.com/software/guarddog/guarddog2_zone.png

The list of 'objects' (search providers in your case) runs down the left also 
with the Up, Down, Add and Remove buttons arranged at the bottom. The list 
should be labeled at the top (but _no_ groupbox) with "Search Providers:". To 
the right of the list put a groupbox called "Search Provider Properties". 
Inside it goes a labeled "Name:" edit box and also a "Query:" edit box with 
the text below. Make sure that the name of the search provider in the list is 
immediately updated when the user types into the "Name:" line edit to help 
re-enforce to the user that the info in the Search Provider Properties 
actually belongs to the currently selecting item in the list.

Also, wouldn't the queries get quite big? Perhaps a multiline text edit thingy 
is a good idea.

> (and on related note, how do I make the text on that label more
> informative?)

I'm not sure what else you want to say... but

"The query can use properties from the multimedia item using $(property) 
format. Common properties are: $(title), $(author) and $(album). e.g. to 
search Google use: 
http://www.google.com/search?q=$(title)+$(author)+$(track)"

Can anyone else on this list do better?

Some more tips. Provide some good default search providers and make sure that 
this config page is documented well in the manual.

That's the best advice I can give. I hope it works. :-)

cheers,

-- 
Simon Edwards             | Guarddog Firewall
simon@simonzone.com       | http://www.simonzone.com/software/
Nijmegen, The Netherlands | "ZooTV? You made the right choice."


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