Fluid layouts and widgets

[C. Boemann]

On Saturday 11 December 2010 07:47:22 Cyrille Berger Skott wrote:
> Hi,
> 
> I have been thinking about a solution to some of our UI question/problem.
> The idea I am going to propose should allow us to use the same (docker)
> widgets on screens and devices of different size, with different
> configuration.
> 
> == Fluid layouts
> 
> What I am suggesting is that we have the layout and type of widget that
> adjust to different size and orientation. We currently have two examples
> of fluid layout, the toolbox and kspread cell editor.
> 
> The toolbox as you may know organize the icons by groups, and try to
> minimize the space used, in function of the size of the toolbox. I think
> it is working quiet well (at least with the new layout code in 2.3.
> 
> The kspread cell editor is simply switching between a vertical and a
> horizontal layout.
> 
> I had like to extend those concepts to all other dockers, for instance lets
> take the new paragraph docker (which looks really nice :) ):
> http://cyrille.diwi.org/tmp/calligra/words_paragraph_now.png
> 
> Except that on a horizontal display it is losing space. It would be better
> if it looks like this:
> http://cyrille.diwi.org/tmp/calligra/words_paragraph_ideal.png
> 
> But then it would fails when using on the top position. Hence the idea of
> using a fluid layout.
Right, well except the paragraph docker is going to grow with more buttons, 
but your point still stands in general.

> == Fluid widgets
> Fluid widgets are widgets that change of form when their size change. For
> instance lets take the styles docker, currently it looks like this:
> http://cyrille.diwi.org/tmp/calligra/words_styles_full.png
> 
> Which is rather ok if you have a lot of space on the screen, but assuming
> the size you have is smaller, then it would be better to have a combobox
> to select the style, like in the following mockup:
> http://cyrille.diwi.org/tmp/calligra/words_styles_small.png
> http://cyrille.diwi.org/tmp/calligra/words_styles_small_expanded.png
Exactly the kind of thing i was contemplating

> Simillary I would see Krita's tools slider be reduced to a single button
> that would popup the slider. Or if we look again at the paragraph docker,
> the "allignment" buttons could merge to become a single drop down button
> when there is not enough space.
> 
> == Opinion ?
> Personnaly, I think it would allow us to use the same widget on different
> configuration, and different form factor. I don't know what you think ?
> 
> I won't commit myself to do this task... Especially since I tend to do that
> all too often and not have the time :) However, I would suggest that for
> 2.4, the fluid layout is implemented (I am hoping that the current toolbox
> layout code could be easilly adaptable as a widget layout, or at least for
> buttons), I should be able to take care of that. And then for the other
> part, either someone else wants to help in doing it, or I would be willing
> to mentor a new developer (for instance with gsoc) on the subject.
> 
> In any case, if you like the idea, I will go and add it to our wiki.
As far as i'm concerned - Go right ahead