OCPN 3.3 Options pages Layout

[rgleason]

Petter5 wrote

..O ..configured before use during install.. let default (fresh) install create initial settings so new users can "see" [..many different scenarios with maps, sensors settings etc .. too complicated to configure up front..different hardware, os and sensor]. keep the navigation settings interfaces clean, with a separate configuration interface ...A discussion of what function belonging to which interface.. can be done without making things too complicated.. start OpenCpn with a config switch " opencpn.exe -config " for access to all configuration options in the menu [and permit] start O without the advanced config settings. ..separate launcher for "config" mode can be created during install.

I believe this is beyond the scope of this Caesar / Bdcat effort, however we will need a more complete game plan if there is any chance of implementing these "ease of startup for new user" ideas.

Perhaps you and Gille.. could get together on a new thread and sort out how to make installation easier for new users, while at the same time identify which items are "defaulted" to what values, and which options require user input for a bare minimum configuration with only GPS. ..Maybe we should be including one or two very small ENC and BSB charts as examples... or perhaps a chart downloader that is built in for USA charts etc. Also perhaps you can advise how a special opencpn.exe -config would work.

This effort might be considered as an advanced planning proposal for a future release with a prioritized list of improvements. It would give us all a chance to think about the implementation & would guide developers.
The report could eventually become a planning guideline in Tracker.

[RhythmDoctor]

Originally Posted by rgleason

RhythmDoctor wrote
I am assuming that F11 shortcut still works for Windows Full Screen Display...

Yes, on a Win8 tablet without keyboard, you can bring up the keyboard program, configure it to show function keys (not the default setting), and then press F11 to get into fullscreen mode. The problem is that once you tap on O, the keyboard goes to the background, and there is NO WAY to get it back to exit full screen. You can't even quit out of O because in fullscreen there's no close box or taskbar.

Originally Posted by rgleason

...Yes, we do want to support Tablets, so what are you asking for, another Keyboard Shortcut or a new Toolbar Icon button that can take you into Full Screen?...

All keyboard shortcuts on a tablet are worthless in fullscreen mode for the reasons I described above. I think that, as a general design principle, every command with a keyboard shortcut should also be accessible in either the Options dialog (accessed by tapping the wrench toolbar icon), or a toolbar icon. For fullscreen mode, all I had in mind was a checkbox on one of the Options pages. But if you think it's important enough to warrant a dedicated toolbar icon instead, that would be good. For people who don't want it, it's easy to hide unwanted toolbar icons (see below for more on this).

Originally Posted by bdbcat

...What we need is a way to get into and out of full-screen mode with a tablet, no keyboard.

I propose an item on the canvas right-click menu, shown only when "Tablet mode" is active.

Dave - Although I use O on a tablet, I do not use tablet mode because the larger toolbar icons took too much of my limited screen space. I realize that you have improved on this in the recent betas by moving the button resizing into the "Responsive Graphics" setting, so I may activate tablet mode when sailing season starts up again. But why not just add the command and let the user decide? There may be others like me who choose to use a tablet without activating tablet mode. I realize that you need to keep the context menu as short as possible, so maybe the best way is to add a toolbar icon that is invisible by default, and then if the user wants the icon he can right-click or touch-hold to make it visible.

Or, maybe someone could write a plugin that creates toolbar icons that tablets might want to use. But right now, a fullscreen icon is all I can think of that is missing.

[HappySeagull]

Originally Posted by rgleason

Petter5 wrote
I believe this is beyond the scope of this Caesar / Bdcat effort, however we will need a more complete game plan if there is any chance of implementing these "ease of startup for new user" ideas.

Perhaps you and Gille.. could get together on a new thread and sort out how to make installation easier for new users, while at the same time identify which items are "defaulted" to what values, and which options require user input for a bare minimum configuration with only GPS. ..Maybe we should be including one or two very small ENC and BSB charts as examples... or perhaps a chart downloader that is built in for USA charts etc. Also perhaps you can advise how a special opencpn.exe -config would work.

This effort might be considered as an advanced planning proposal for a future release with a prioritized list of improvements. It would give us all a chance to think about the implementation & would guide developers.
The report could eventually become a planning guideline in Tracker.

That is a good idea. Figure out exactly where new users do go wrong and get frustrated.
by the by, is it just me ? ... I think I see fewer "Help Me!!" posts here on the CF forum nowadays. But these folk may be posting elsewhere or maybe the much-improved help files are having the effect.

[HappySeagull]

Even if I can't agree there is a problem to solve , this is a nice solution easily integrated into a Windows shortcut, like the portable switch. It'd be easier than scrolling an ini file.

This can be done without making things to complicated : give the possibility to start OpenCpn with a config switch " opencpn.exe -config " that gives access to all configuration options in the menu and a normal "opencpn.exe" as today that will start O exactly the same way, but without the advanced config settings available. Also if desired, a separate launcher for "config" mode can be created during install.

[bcn]

Originally Posted by HappySeagull

That is a good idea. Figure out exactly where new users do go wrong and get frustrated.
by the by, is it just me ? ... I think I see fewer "Help Me!!" posts here on the CF forum nowadays. But these folk may be posting elsewhere or maybe the much-improved help files are having the effect.

+1

the top runners I see are
- "how can I connect my GPS/AIS receiver (Bluetooth or Prolific drivers are on top)"
- "where do I get charts from and how to see/activate those"

OCPN is not complicated or difficult to use.

[bcn]

Originally Posted by HappySeagull

Even if I can't agree there is a problem to solve , this is a nice solution easily integrated into a Windows shortcut, like the portable switch. It'd be easier than scrolling an ini file.

Why do one want to hide options?
When I install a new software (or better before installing) I will have a look which options do exist. Options are for the user to improve or optimize or adopt his install.
Perhaps this parameters will give you an idea how to make things better.

A one-click install for this multi-platform- zillion different HW and SW configurations and underlying sensors - why??

[Mollymawk]

Originally Posted by bcn

Why do one want to hide options?
When I install a new software (or better before installing) I will have a look which options do exist. Options are for the user to improve or optimize or adopt his install.
Perhaps this parameters will give you an idea how to make things better.

A one-click install for this multi-platform- zillion different HW and SW configurations and underlying sensors - why??

+100. All options should be easily accessible to all users.
We just have to make them easy to find/use and make it clear what they do. And more common options first / on the first page.

[dacust]

A coupla random thoughts:

You could have a button or two at the bottom of each page: "Show only enabled options"/"Show all options". I like to see all options. That way I know "Oh, I could install a (#*(*^ and then look at all the options I can set!

There is no reason you can't have the same setting on more than one page. Like depth units might show on the units page and also the vector charts page. Maybe a note to say "(also on 'Units' page)". Or have the description that says Depth units is set on the vector chart tab. So, if someone looks in the wrong place, they either get redirected or the setting IS there because it's both places.

-dan

[Mollymawk]

Ahoy everyone,

Sorry for the delay. I haven't had as much time to work on this as I hoped.

I am still playing with the layout, but I'd like to show everyone where I've got to and see what you think.

I have, I believe, incorporated Dave's feedback as well as various other people's ideas.

As well as the more minor rearrangement of options I have cleaned up the layout a bit.It looks nicer and is easier to spot individual settings at a glance. (Inspired by the OS X system preferences.)

I have also added a Units tab. (I think a lot of people here will be happy!)
Obviously the idea is to add more unit settings to it in the future, as necessary.

Finally, I have also reworked the Vector Chart Display tab. All the same options are there, but it's much less cluttered.
I'm really pleased with it; I think it's much more usable than before.

So... let me know what you think of all this, and what I should change!

~ Caesar

[Mollymawk]

Oh, I forgot to mention a few things I would still like to change.

I am thinking the UI page could probably become a tab on the Display page. (I have already moved some of its options to Display > Advanced.)

Alternatively, maybe we could even eliminate the UI page altogether.
The Show Status Bar and Show Menu Bar options could go under Display > General and everything else under Display > Advanced.

Also, the Waypoint Arrival options should move from Ships > Own Ship to Advanced.
The Alert Sound settings should probably move away from Ships > AIS, too, since the sound is also used for the anchor alarm and perhaps other things.

I'm sure there's other stuff I've forgotten right now...

~ Caesar

[nohal]

Caesar...
Looks fancy
Can you push the branch to github? I would like to touch it...

Pavel

[Mollymawk]

Originally Posted by nohal

Caesar...
Looks fancy
Can you push the branch to github? I would like to touch it...

Pavel

Here you go...
https://github.com/CaesarSchinas/OpenCPN/tree/options

[rgleason]

Carsat, thankyou. Looks good to me too. I'd support moving all UI to Display Advanced and General. It took awhile but I finally get it. Your other things to change sound fine to me.
Thanks again. I hope otherswill find this to be a good arrangememt.

Sent from my SCH-I545 using Cruisers Sailing Forum mobile app

[HappySeagull]

It is very nice and far less cluttered. I like the units tab.
Much of user Interface might be sprinkled through em I expect fonts could be moved to Display or Advanced as could "enable Transparent Toolbar" etc.

It occurs to me that a good model for any "Settings" dialogue is a Maze.
and designing a simple maze navigated the fastest by the common denominator of "usr-rats" might be an interesting way to see the task....?

[Mollymawk]

Since the next beta is coming soon, this has been committed as-is.
The UI tab has been left alone.
Once the beta has been released we can discuss this more and see if any more changes need to be made. (I would also like to apply the new cleaner design to the rest of the tabs, and do a bit more cleanup.)

Originally Posted by HappySeagull

It occurs to me that a good model for any "Settings" dialogue is a Maze.
and designing a simple maze navigated the fastest by the common denominator of "usr-rats" might be an interesting way to see the task....?

Haha, that's a good way of looking at it actually! :-D