Fluid layouts and widgets

[Johannes Simon]

Sorry I didn't reply earlier - I think that having a reusable layout implementation for this concept is a very good idea. Specifically for the chart shape, which has a huge tool widget at the moment - which I am quite happy with on a big screen in fact, but it can't cope with smaller ones or little space - this would be a good base to build a new (or alternative) widget upon.

Johannes.

Am 11.12.2010 um 07:47 schrieb Cyrille Berger Skott:

> 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.
> 
> == 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
> 
> 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.
> 
> -- 
> Cyrille Berger Skott
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