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List:       kde-usability
Subject:    Re: Panel Arrangement KCM
From:       Benoit Walter <b.walter () free ! fr>
Date:       2004-02-11 19:12:29
Message-ID: 200402112012.29657.b.walter () free ! fr
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On Wednesday 11 February 2004 18:15, Aaron Seigo wrote:
> On February 11, 2004 4:37, Benoit Walter wrote:
> > On Tuesday 10 February 2004 01:21, Jamethiel Knorth wrote:
> > > A little suggestion about this module. Currently, it is extremely wide
> > > due to having twin columns. The left-hand side has the position,
> > > length, and height, while the right-hand side has a preview.
> >
> > And the situation is worse when you use several panels (which adds a new
> > column on the left with the list of panels...).
>
> the only important metric w/regards to width is that it fits within 640px.
> being wide isn't automatically a bad thing.

On my system, the window size is 625x574, but we usually use this panel from 
kcontrol, which makes it unusable on a 640x480. So yes it is too large and 
too wide.
Having too many columns is also a problem, we have 3 ones, plus the list view 
of kcontrol.

> > > The position consists of a box made of buttons, for placement along the
> > > edges. If the screen preview is moved inside the box of buttons, the
> > > module then fits into smaller screens. Also, the usage of the buttons
> > > become more immediately clear. This requires a slight shrinking of the
> > > screen preview or enlarging of the button box.
> >
> > Yes, I think it would help and as you said would make the usage of
> > buttons clearer.
>
> this was tried. it didn't work. in fact, it was like this in the very first
> revision of the UI... testing it showed how much that idea sucked =)

Can you explain how?

> > There are quite a lot of things that could be improved in this panel,
> > such as:
> > - using a combobox instead of a listview for the list of panels
>
> a combobox is slower to access.

As it would be in any place where we use a combobox. If you take for example 
the background dialog, you use a combobox, too, although it would have been 
in these case useful to quickly change the backgrounds...
But in the case of panels, I don't think you need to access very quickly to 
this action. You just choose the panel you wish to configure and change the 
settings.

> > - making the dialog smaller
>
> by...... ?

... using a combobox.

> > - moving settings between appearance and hide when appropriate
>
> which ones?

Appearance->Advanced:
- Hide button size (should be close to show/hide hide button)
- Allow drag'n drop resizing of panels (should be close to panel size)

> > - get rid of the advanced button in the appearance tab
> how?

I think Jamethiel Knorth has made a few screenshots which, even if they are 
not perfect, show that this can be possible.

> > - the menu section should have its own module as the KMenu is not only
> > related to kicker but can be shown when clicking on desktop or pressing
> > alt+F1, too.
>
> this is a technicality. people tend to perceive the menu as part of the
> panel.

That's not that obvious. That's the case from a developper point of view as 
the code for kmenu is located in kicker. But users who click on the desktop 
to display the menu will never find it in the 3rd tab of the panel kcm...

It could be found anyway when right clicking on the panel ("Configure 
Panel..."). For the moment, we have 2 sections:
- Layout (with 4 tabs: Arrangement, Hiding, Menu and Appearance)
- Taskbar

The layout section is not really ideal for the configuration of the kmenu. 
OTOH, it would be much easier and more logical to find it in its own section 
as it is the case for the taskbar.

In the control center, it is even more difficult to find it in the panel 
section. I usually think it is good to reduce the number of modules, but the 
"Desktop" has only 5 modules and Multiple Desktops is likely to be moved to 
another place.
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