#Interface advice
25 messages in this thread
I'm looking for some user interface advice. In the new InterChange, our
many converters now have windows that can be opened and closed
independently. (In the old InterChange, all the windows were open all the
time.) The windows typically have a few gadgets that control the
particular characteristics of a given format's translation. We've already
decided the user interface for opening the windows (double-clicking on a
description in a scrolling list box) but the user interface for closing
them is up for debate. Each window does have an ordinary window close
gadget. In the old InterChange, clicking this terminated the converter.
Here's the question: We need to provide separate functionality for a)
terminating the converter and b) simply closing the window, but leaving the
converter running. Right now, we've got an autorequester that says "Really
quit converter? Yes/No". Clicking "No" closes the window and leaves the
converter running. Clicking "Yes" closes the window and terminates. I've
considered simply adding a new button to the window that would simply close
the window, and leave the real border close gadget with the termination
function. If we add a button, what should it look like? Anyone have an
idea for a completely different solution to the problem?
How about a button labelled something like 'Done'?
-larry
That's what I've been voting for. That or a small button in the upper left
of the window pane, below the real close gadget, with some different
imagery that might resemble the concept "close window but don't go away."
Any ideas? 😉
>different imagery that suggests 'close window but don't go away'
Well, 'Done' is the imagery that does it for me, but then I am a sort of a
CLI and literate kinda guy. 🙂
Heck, I resented the changing of the keybard to little arrows in place of
plain, easily understandable English.
-larry
What? The arrows were too, uhm, international for you, and you wanted
"up", "down", etc.? Next thing you know, you'll want to add "eh?" to the
end of all text, too. 🙂
Heh heh… naw… it's the left arrow for backspace, uparrow for shift, and
broken arrow for return that annoyed me. The ciursor key arrows were, at
one time, unique, and that was fine by me.
-larry
How 'bout a small button called "Sleep" or "To Background" or "Pause" or
"Hide"? Close seems a bit less clear to me. Just a suggestion…
.. Tim Trompeter…
John,
Assuming that you're running under 2.04, how 'bout using the "zip"
border gadget. (Or whatever its name is. The one next to the depth
gadget.) The user can click on that, and the window would shrink down to a
minimum size — say, just the titlebar. Click on it again, and the window
returns to normal. Of course, for 1.3 you'd have to add the gadget
yourself. Still, it sounds reasonable at 1:30 in the morning.
We did have one of those on one or two converters in the past. With our new
interface, we wanted to eliminate all extra windows. Even if they're
reduced to a floating titlebar, they're still in your face – getting depth
arranged, obscuring bits of other windows, etc. We still need to run under
1.3, too. Maybe we can abuse the 'zip' notion and put a different gadget
out there…
John,
I understand about not wanting the "floating titlebars" getting in
the way of other windows. It didn't even occur to me when I posted that
idea. They *are* irritating, though. I've a program or two that iconify
themselves, except that the "icons" are really small windows. As you say,
they are forever getting in the way. Hmm… Is there any way to make them
into *real* icons, or perhaps backdrop windows? (Or would backdrop windows
disappear behind the Workbench window…? I'm pretty fuzzy about that sort
of thing — I'm a user, not a developer.)
–dds (dales@teksce.SCE.TEK.COM)
Whappeta-whappeta-Whap!
Add a "terminate converter" gadget. The close gadget on the window should
just close the window and leave the converter running.
Steve
A button that said "terminate converter" would be rather big, don't you
think? I think it should say "Done", that shorter.
I didn't mean put the words "terminate converter" in there, use "kill" or
something like that. I don't think "Done" is a good label to use. It
implies that you're finished making changes to the converters default
values, not that you want to stop the converter from running.
Steve
John,
I'd have the window close gadget just close the window. Then I'd add a
gadget labeled "Terminate" or something like that, that would actually kill
the coverter.
John–
How about using the "iconify" gadget to shrink it down to a small bar? This
would remain within the standard Amiga interface, but unclutter the screen.
Additionally, the user would always know what converters are
running…might forget with the closed window scenario.
Jonathan
– via Whap!
The main InterChange window has a list of running converters, you
double-click on entries in the list to invoke the window. You couldn't have
opened the window unless it was already running. That brings up another
interesting idea that I won't go into now…
John–
OK, I have a better idea of how windows are brought up now…but I still
have a problem with having a converter 'open' and having its window closed.
Will a checkmark appear next to the converter's name on the list if it is
running? How about having a window open/close switch next to the
converter's name, with a check next to it if it is active?
Jonathan
John, still time to vote? 🙂
I've read the other messages, and think I'm likely in the minority. When I
click on a close box, I figure I'm exiting that part of the program, so my
first impression would be that I was quitting that converter.
I'd suggest that the close box exit the converter entirely, and that
another gadget, right under the close box, just close the window. The
imagery I'd suggest for this other gadget would be a miniture icon of a
window, with the 'NO' circle drawn over it. (you know, the circle with the
line drawn diagonally through it? ie. No Smoking, No Running, etc.) (BTW, I
was just experimenting in DPaint, and think that you could get a decent
looking icon in a 13×13 grid, just FYI) 🙂
To me that would convey closing the window, anyway. And it would be pretty
universal (ie. language independent) too, I'd think?
BTW, once I've closed the window, how am I gonna open it again if I want to
make some changes to the parameters of that module? I'd suggest just
reselecting it from the list to reopen the window, if you wondering… 🙂
–jp–seattle–
If you've still got that 13 x 13 pixel icon, I'd love to see it. I agree
with you completely, this is what I had imagined the button would do. It's
not too late – we had designed the interface to act one way, and then after
a little "play testing", I'm thinking about alternatives. To re-open the
window, you double-click on the format name in the Formats: list at the
bottom right of the InterChange window.
Yeah, I still had it. I played with it in several different sizes, and two
different varieties. I've uploaded it to your AmigaVend section under name
'NoWin.lzh'. They were built with a my color scheme and for a lace WB;
you'll need to work them into your color scheme and redesign for a non-lace
WB. TTFN
BTW, the '.info' files in the LZH file are not the DPaint icons, but are
example icons using the brushes, so you may want to look at those as
well…
–jp–seattle–