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[RemyJ]

OK, I've been really busy over the last few months so I haven't really had a chance to play with the action window.  So, tonight I gave it a chance and...it's like working with a keyboard where the keys keep changing positions.   When I click the back button, I don't want to have to move the mouse to click it again.

The image auto-resize when the mouse hovers over the window is also annoying.  The Playing Now window has options to control this behavior (it's in display options/control bars), why can't the action window?

I really think the whole auto-resize thing needs to be reconsidered.  UI Design 101 says "Don't keep moving controls around" for a good reason.  It requires users to make conscious decisions to navigate.  Back to the keyboard analogy...regardless of how the keyboard is laid out, it has to be static or you can never learn to touch-type.

[clout]

Some people like the autoresizing, but I'm with you.
Perhaps there should be a way of locking the AW size.

As far as your comment about the position of controls moving around, they could be put at the bottom of the window so they are always in the same physical location.

[NoCodeUK]

Definitely agree.  If it is going to be kept then we need a way to lock it to a minimum size.  If you are in laying now in the AW and you only have a couple of tracks it is about a cm tall.  I would ather lock it so it is never less than half the avaialble space...

I get scared by auto anything.  Makes methink we are moving one step closer to skynet

Adam

[gkerber]

I get scared by auto anything.  Makes methink we are moving one step closer to skynet

Or AOL....

[phelt]

Are there people who like the auto-resizing? I dislike it greatly. It actively reduces usability.

[RemyJ]

Are there people who like the auto-resizing?

So far, the only positive comments I've seen are from the development team

[jleerigby]

Are there people who like the auto-resizing? I dislike it greatly. It actively reduces usability.

Yep - I love it.  I often change between file properties(detailed), Image and Playing now all of which are significantly different in size.  Auto resizing works really well for me.

[lalittle]

Yep - I love it.  I often change between file properties(detailed), Image and Playing now all of which are significantly different in size.  Auto resizing works really well for me.

But how much more ease of use does this really offer?  Why not just size the window for the biggest thing you ever put there and leave it?  The only thing you lose is space on the tree, but given the pane system, there is a LOT less need for the tree at this point.  The only thing that needs to be added is for the pane system to extend to everything, including iPod and "CD volume" browsing, which it currently does not.

An auto-resize toggle on the AW might be the solution -- a button that alternates the AW between a normal pane (where you simple drag the border to your desired size and it stays) and the current "auto-size" way of working.  This would allow fast access to both ways of working.

I have to say that back/forward buttons are GREATLY hampered when their screen positions jump every time you hit them.  This defeats the whole point of their function, which is to have easy, "always-in-the-same-place" buttons with which to navigate.  Forware/Back/Home buttons HAVE to stay in the same spot in order to allow fast, multiple button hits.

Larry

[nila]

I quite like it auto-sizing too AT TIMES. Again I also liked the auto changing AT TIMES - it can just be a big help to save us having to manually adjust it per screen. There are so many different screens using this one piece of screen real estate that having to manually resize it for each screen change would be a HUGE pain.

But for both of these - there are just times when the auto sizing/changing is a pain.

I've suggested it before and I'll just add it to this thread - a PIN type button like MS Outlook has - click it to turn off autosizing/changing - click it again to turn it on - a simple toggle action would really let everyone be happy and is incredibly simple to use /get to grasps with - anyone familiar with outlook will instantly be familiar with it.


Moving the navigation controls to the bottom of the AW window like in the mock up I drew would also solve the problem of them moving as the AW resized - the AW grows upwards and so putting them at the bottom would keep them static.

[jleerigby]

But how much more ease of use does this really offer?  Why not just size the window for the biggest thing you ever put there and leave it?

...because it doesn't look as good!  I'd have the image shown with a load of space below it and half the tree covered.  When I'm viewing properties on the other hand there is good reason to have half the tree covered.

The only thing that needs to be added is for the pane system to extend to everything, including iPod and "CD volume" browsing, which it currently does not.

That's not going to happen in this release.  So for now auto resizing is need IMHO.

[gkerber]

The only other issue I have with the action window is its use of space.  While the design of the action window is interesting in the way it *grows* out of the left side of the application, the design takes up valuable application space.  The application would be better served if the layout of the Action Window were consistant with the other frames of the applications

I agree, the Action Window "growth" while interesting, makes the program look like a house where someone added on rooms, without it really fitting into the overall design.

The action window woud look better as a normal frame within the left vertical frame, with normal user sizeable controls, just like the rest of the program.


And without "auto sizing" of course....