[Digikam-devel] New UI mockup on KDE brainstorms

[Risto Saukonpää]

On Tuesday 18 May 2010 08:20:18 Andi Clemens wrote:
> In my opinion the second one has several ideas that are not valid, at
> least for me:
> 
> 1. You already can display only the filename if you want to, and
> display all the other information in the tooltip

Yes, that is possible. But I think the idea is on the style and not on the 
possibility. But for me, I think the lines were adding clutter to UI. If I 
have (as I have) albums what includes even 1700 photos (all rated, 
unwanted deleted so everyone is needed to be stored and find quick if 
needed), I would not like at all such bars between photos. They make few 
things.

1. Adds colors and edges what makes it harder to notice differences from 
thumbnails.

2. Does not look nice when having big thumbnails ( I have fullsize 
thumbnails some computers, on some I have 127px).

3. Would need a more complex theme engine and then multiple themes. This 
is something what could possible be done with Plasma, but would we really 
want to bring plasma to inside digiKam? I dont think so.

But I think we could on some point make the theme tool available again and 
have more options for it than what it had. Maybe possible to have a 
background SVG. But I would like to keep it much as possible as KDE app 
than own kind. Small themeing options like what we now have with color 
styles is good. Just wider possibilities for that would be fine.

> 2. Moving the search bar for the folder view into the status bar is
> very confusing, because now you don't see their relation anymore. You
> have two lineinput fields beside each other, both entitled with
> "search".

It does that but it does as well force user to have the statusbar. I do 
not use it all the time, but I use more often the album search. The 
statusbar in digiKam is currently littlebit tricky one. It has great 
position and tools, but sometimes you want to have all vertical space as 
possible. For such I believe there is one fix but it needs illustrating 
the fullscreen functions more. I think I can littlebit think about it 
more.

> 3. Remove one marble icon: Hmm these are two different panels. We
> should either add a magnifying glass two the left marble icon or
> create a totally new icon, but removing it is wrong. But maybe I
> misunderstood his point, and he was really only talking about the
> icon, not the panel.

I think the marble icon fits there well. Because it is similar then later 
and the function is for GPS, so earth tells well what it is for. Other one 
could be a satelite but as small is almost impossible to do and what would 
a satelite tell the people? Not much. Country flag does not work either. 
We could use something like a pin, but it would be unique, unless we use 
something what Google use. But it is a under trademark. So I would leave 
it as it is. And it fits to KDE SC.

> About the first screenshot:
> I already said that we need an option to turn off those overlays,
> especially the "full size preview" label. They are very annoying. I
> already read complains in some Linux forum that the new digiKam became
> "ugly" and that it throws annoying information at you :-) ...and that
> we don't go the KDE way, that allows to configure your application the
> way you want....

I can agree that overlays do look ugly currently. That is something what 
need to be located somewhere. There is good and bad sides on those. I 
think we could someway move the "Preview" to statusbar but we know we all 
do not use it so it is not good thing. And currently the statusbar has 
next/previous and first/last buttons, so why the double ones. Many tricky 
questions what needs to be taken. I might have a fix for that but it is 
not ready (at all at least on digiKam part, only for partially for 
showFoto).

We need to think good configuration options, BUT very sane good defaults 
so people who start using digiKam, can find it pleasing and easy. In the 
end, we are responsible for advanced and professional photographers to 
offer something what they can not find from other photo management 
applcations for Linux (and other FOSS OS's).