[kplato] Look 'n Field

[Dag Andersen]

Lørdag 21 juni 2008 18:09 skrev Frédéric Lambert:
> Hi !
>
> This is my first feelings when I Open KPlato today (Normal project) after
> months.
First feelings are always valuable :)
>
> - 4 vertical windows : it's too too much i think.
> - Where am i ?
Hmm, these are dockers, aren't they?
I haven't had time yet to look at how to not load (or not show) dockers at 
startup. The koffice libs loads all dockers by default for all apps, but 
since kplato doesn't use them I want to avoid that.

(The dockers state is saved in your personal settigs, so if you close those 
you don't want (which are all except the view selctor) they won't show up 
next time you start kplato.)
>
> I really think the window displayed when user open new project should be a
> help windows. It would tell user which windows do what and where he has to
> start.
Yes, that would be nice!
> Even if user is a "always user" of project managment software, you
> shouldn't let him open on Task Editor.
Hmmm, I don't know a better place (if not a help window) when starting a new 
project.
Note that some context info is saved with the project file, so when opening a 
project it will open in the view that was active when the project was saved.
>
> This is what i found, no matter the order :
>
> Ressources : Add group, Add Resources : Fred. Add Resources : Bobby.
> I Edit the first Ressource : Fred and his details are on the right window.
> Ok. I edit the second and i haven't the details on the right under the
> first ressource, why ? I think it's a bug.
Yes, it's a bug, haven't seen it before so it must be something fairly new.
If you collapse/expand the group things will appear.
I'll have a look at it.
>
> Work & Vacation :
> - Left window souldn't has such vertical length.
> I think Calendar should take all the width and add some colors.
>
> Scale windows :
> - Gantt windows aren't well scaled : % Completed and Start Time to large
> - Task by ressource : Type too large.
> - Work and vacation : timezone too large.
> - Task Status and Task Execution : Name too large.
> - Ressource assignments : Name too small
> - Task by ressources : Name and Tasks too small
This is because the window is split into two using a QSplitter which by deflt 
devides the window into 2 equally large parts.
>
> Dependencies :
>
> Dependencies List :
> - windows aren't in the good order.
> First : Tasks , Second : Available , Third: Results ?
> Because we must select right, then left, and show in the middle ?
Yes, maybe, but I didn't find that very intuitive either because we are 
working with tasks (sucessors) and their predecessor tasks. My idea was to 
have the predecessors to the left the get it organized like
predecessor->dependency->successor
but this goes (like you point out) aginst the more common approach to select 
someting on the left side and get the result on the right side. I have no 
strong feelings about it, any organization (that works) is fine with me :)
> Title are not very explicit.
True
> Middle window has no title : what does it show ?
Dependencies ;)
Well, Parent (task), Type of dependency and Lag
>
> - Can't we merge the two Dependencies windows to be sure of what we do?
> Up : List, Down : Graphic ; whith the possibility to show graphics in the
> full window. At least in the Dependencies List,  a preview gantt windows
> focus on the task selected.
Personnaly I would put my time into the graphics view because I would choose 
to work that way most of the time, and I won't have time for both.
I think the main things missing are:
- Show selectable areas on the task items
- Show the task structure
- Show more info (like WBS code) for each task. (configurable)
- Make it possible to Expand/Collapse summary tasks
- Add a way to edit all dependencies for a task (new dialog)
- Make it possible to do it all with keyboard only
>
> -when adding a new Task (Task Editor), Why can't we choose to start a task
> before, After and same time than the X task (Already added) ?
Hmm, don't know exactly what you mean.
In general, you have to calculate a project schedule (in the schedule editor) 
to get a start time for a task. You could of course set a (start) constraint 
but still you have to schedule.
>
> General :
> - Calendar widget in Timezone Editor don't show all dates number.
Do you mean the dialog you open with context menu? In that case it's a bug 
somewhere that paints dates in white. The reason I haven't fixed it is time, 
and I'm not sure wether to keep the dialog or not.
> - Why hide all the informations like in Task Status, Resource assignemts,
> Task by resources and Schedule : Result ?
You mean why items are not expanded by default?
Well, that's the way qt behaves by default ;)
>
> Finaly i think that the most important thing to do is to add a sentence  on
> the top of each window or in the bar in the bottom of KPlato. to :
> 1) Say what current window show and 2) how use it.
> Exemple : i didn't notice we could link task in the depencies graphics
> until moving on a very tiny part of a task rectangle.
(This editor have only the bare bones functionallity yet.)
> Add comment in bottom would be nice.
What about adding a "What's this" to the view selector. Tooltip is allready 
there.
In general there should be a *lot* of "What's this" added all over the place.
Also tooltips are missing in alot of places and some of those present isn't 
necessary very good.
>
> I think kplato is really powerfull and it diserve to be more user friendly,
> I think it will conqueer more people and evoid to afraid them when they
> open KPlato for the first time.
Agree, I'm not particularly good at usability so comments are always wellcome. 
If somebody would also implement it, I would be absolutly thrilled.
>
> I'm done for now.
>
> Please tell me what you wanna modify and i'll do.
Still think you should do the chart first.
>
> Fred.
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-- 
Mvh
Dag Andersen