User interface issues

[C. Boemann]

On Tuesday 23 August 2011 10:43:14 Boudewijn Rempt wrote:
> Okay... This is what I came up with for a proposal to send to Celeste. Any
> comments?
> 
> -------------------
> 
> Calligra Season of Usability Project Proposal
> 
> As asked, here's a short writeup of what I think Calligra really needs now
> in terms of usability work. First what we don't need: a study that
> examines how certain tasks can be executed now in a certain Calligra
> application. The purpose of this project is to create an interaction
> design for the creation and manipulation of objects.
> 
> _Introduction_
> 
> Currently, there are two ways to create objects in Calligra:
> 
> * from the "Add Shapes" docker
> * using a tool that can create shapes
> 
> Originally, adding shapes from a docker with a collection of shapes was
> intended to make it easy to create and save new default settings for a
> particular type of shape. Then the new shape would show up in the docker.
> We do not have a suitable interaction for actually creating the new shape
> defaults, sorting, ordering and tagging them, although the basic code does
> exist to create shapes from saved parameters (in several different ways,
> even, we couldn't agree on the right way).
> 
> Creating shapes with the a tool was intended to be used only for vector
> shapes like lines and calligraphic lines where a user would create many
> shapes by drawing on the canvas.
> 
> After creation, the settings of a shape can be manipulated in two ways:
> 
> * by selecting the shape and changing some settings in one or more shape
> option dockers * by selecting a tool that can manipulate the shape. Some
> tools come with option widgets that set properties on shapes directly.
> 
> By now, more and more option widgets are migrating to tools.
> 
> _Problems we face_
> 
> * Selecting a shape is quite difficult. Depending on the active tool, a
> click can select a shape, manipulate a shape or do nothing. One proposal
> is to show a border on hover that when clicked will always select the
> shape and that will allow basic manipulation such as dragging and changing
> geometry.
> 
> * Creating new default settings for creating new shapes. We don't have
> anything for this, with the result that the Add Shapes docker always shows
> a set of rather boring defaults and cannot be customized.
> 
> * When working, it's useful to be able to set values and have those values
> carried over to the next object you create. We do not support that either.
> 
> _Goal_
> 
> The goal of this project would be to create an interaction design for
> creating and manipulating shapes. The start should be
> http://community.kde.org/Calligra/Usability_and_UX/Common/Dockers_vs_ToolO
> ptions. Thomas Pfeiffer can work with the students to arrive at a full
> plan, while I am volunteering to help with the implementation.
Maybe explain what we mean with values/defaults

and remove the: (in several different ways, even, we couldn't agree on the 
right way)

other than that i'm ok with it being shown to celeste