Some small changes in the Interface I.E. Icons and Button position

[Martin_fr]

Ok, consistency is a different matter.

For OI the F1 key works.
The other 2 links aren't "help" pages (on IDE_Window:_ in the url). But you are right, they must be added at once ... not

But jokes aside, I am still not convinced the help buttons are a bad idea.
It is obviously bad that they do not work (and do not even give feedback that something went wrong).
However, in this case, at least due to the buttons, it was found that there is an issue. And worse, while for me the buttons work, the F1 key does not (and I  am pretty sure it should...)

Besides (assuming they would work) what is the harm? If this is about saving a few pixel (and I do myself squeeze every pixel out of my setup), then again => if we did have that option to make it icon only, then it would merely take a few pixels horizontally. And with icons only, if you want to be able to read the filename, the toolbar will have superfluous horizontal space.  (As for horizontal space, the toolbar exists anyway, and with icons only would not wrap - assuming the filenames should be readable).
For the "package window", which has more buttons, help could move into the "more" dropdown, and again space would not be the issue.
So then the issue, if it is saving space, is the missing icons-only option - one option for all windows. (still awaiting patches)

Back to joking....

Please apply the below patch, and F1 should work for the component palette (in the main-IDE-bar). Though the wiki page needs to be created, under the new url.

Code: Diff  [Select][+][-]

1. diff --git a/docs/IDEWindowHelpTree.xml b/docs/IDEWindowHelpTree.xml
2. index d302508ef8..7488efcfde 100644
3. --- a/docs/IDEWindowHelpTree.xml
4. +++ b/docs/IDEWindowHelpTree.xml
5. @@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
6.  <?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
7. -<CONFIG Name="IDE windows and dialogs" Path="IDE_Window:_" ChildCount="71">
8. +<CONFIG Name="IDE windows and dialogs" Path="IDE_Window:_" ChildCount="72">
9.    <Node1 Name="TObjectInspector" Path="Object_Inspector" HasHelp="True"/>
10.    <Node2 Name="TfrmCompilerOptions" Path="Compiler_Options" HasHelp="True" IsRoot="True" ChildCount="1">
11.      <Node1 Name="MainNotebook" ChildCount="7">
12. @@ -210,4 +210,7 @@
13.    <Node69 Name="THistoryDialog" Path="Debug History" HasHelp="True" IsRoot="True"/>
14.    <Node70 Name="TMacroListView" Path="Editor Macros" HasHelp="True" IsRoot="True"/>
15.    <Node71 Name="TShowCompilerOptionsDlg" Path="Show_Compiler_Options" HasHelp="True" IsRoot="True"/>
16. +  <Node72 Name="TMainIDEBar" Path="TMainIDEBar" ChildCount="1">
17. +    <Node1 Name="ComponentPageControl" Path="ComponentPageControl" HasHelp="True"/>
18. +  </Node72>
19.  </CONFIG>
20.  

[Martin_fr]

Just to say, you have some good points in your original post. Some may need to be adapted (eg have an option added). But we shouldn't loose them in the discussion about just one item.

As for the "help" button. I state merely my opinion. Others, including other team members, may have a different view. It's a matter if they read it, and if they have the time to take an interest in this.

[Gald]

@Martin_fr
Thanks for your patience!
Each comment is getting more harder for me to describe these things in English.
Just to explain my preview point, if you see my desktop screenshot on Linux, you'll understand what the "help" button is doing to the interface.

But like you said, it's only an idea.
Now you guys can upgrade it.

 

[Martin_fr]

Each comment is getting more harder for me to describe these things in English.
Just to explain my preview point, if you see my desktop screenshot on Linux, you'll understand what the "help" button is doing to the interface.

Well...
1) I am not saying it can't be done. I just say, personally I would keep it. If others in the dev-team agree with you, well ok...

2) Yes, with the text it can add too much to the width, and then it wraps.
But again. The choice is
a- do nothing
c- remove help
c- add global options, to show: text only, icon only, both
d- don't wrap, move overflow to "drop down" (like toolbars in Libre-Office)

"b" will fix it for you => but if you have a "package window", then the toolbar may still wrap.
"c" will also make the toolbar in a "package window" less wide. So "b" may solve more problems.
"d" will also work for "package window" too.

So "b" is fixing only a single window, "c" and "d" fix more.

Now you guys can upgrade it.

Ah, well, oh, .... why "you guys"?

10-  The text "Find" on the left of the TEdit "(Filter)" is useless, it can be removed once the Default text of TEdit says everything, resulting in more space.

If you have used the IDE for more than a week, then I will say you definitely can do that yourself.

- Install Lazarus 2.2 (or "git main" if you are good with git)
- The project is "ide/lazarus.lpi"
- The Form is in the "ide" folder
- You know how to edit a form.
- The IDE can be build via the "Tools" menu.

If you know "git" => create a merge request.
If you do not know "git", or you don't install Lazarus via git => Create a patch (google)

Submit the patch, and tell me. And the "find" text will be gone.

9- The footer with only the CheckBox "Keep open" can be at the top as a small icon side by side to the mouse (Selection Tool) or even with the filter button. No space? Read the 9 below.

If we can find a good icon (eg a "pin"), with a license we can use (e.g. the famfam icons / See menu: Help > About > Acknowledgments), then that is something you can do yourself too (and submit).

The checkbox can become a toggle-toolbar-button.

But there are a few steps, to get the icon, get the icon in all required sizes (IIRC 16, 24 and 32 pixel, but I need to check that).
And then a few other things, but I would be willing to help / guide you.

===> Only, on this change: What about the "use" button? It would still be there, still require the space. And IMHO, it belongs at the bottom...

[wp]

It already has been said, and I only want to confirm: Since some toolbuttons can become very wide with captions, in particular when translated to other languages, there should be a checkbox in the IDE options, maybe on page "General", saying "Show toolbar captions", and "somebody" should go through all IDE forms and property/component editors and adjust the toolbars to follow this setting (maybe with the exception of the two toolbars in the main form which are well-familiar without captions - I don't know...)

Do not remove the help button and some other redundant buttons. Pressing F1 is not so well-known as you think. Likewise, being able to activate a list item by a double-click is quite standard, but not always, and a user-interface having a button "Use" is much clearer to somebody who does not use this feature on every day.

In the Project inspector I do not like to move the two rows into a single row because the the form becomes too wide again - I prefer to have the Project inspector as a narrow stripe right to the editor. And even if this would be done, the "Add"/"Remove" buttons must be at the left, all the component editors have these buttons at the left and having them somewhere else is inconsistent.

[JuhaManninen]

... there should be a checkbox in the IDE options, maybe on page "General", saying "Show toolbar captions", and "somebody" should go through all IDE forms and property/component editors and adjust the toolbars to follow this setting

+1

BTW, there already is a setting for 'Prefer double-click over single-click'. Currently it has an effect only in 3 windows. Maybe it should be supported in more windows.