Print

Please login or register.
1 Hour 1 Day 1 Week 1 Month Forever
Login with username, password and session length

[slikvik]

Hi,

I hope this is OK, but I wanted to post an example layout I had in mind.  I think part should be used in 9.1 (action window,) which I have already mentioned before but the rest is just a variation on your new concept, maybe for v10.

Anyway...

There are four main windows:

TRANSPORT = This is the media control window. Depending on the type of media that is selected, you will get different controls:

DVD - TITLE, PLAY, STOP etc.
PHOTO - ROTATE, NEXT etc
CD - PLAY, STOP, etc.

ACTION SELECTION = This is you main toolbar for selecting what appears in the Action Window. Clicking on the Properties button, expands the properties page. Click on it again and the action window dissapears completely making more room for the Function Window. Click on another Action button and that action window expands. THINK INTERNET EXPLORER (History, favorites.)

ACTION WINDOW = This is the window that lets you do your selected action. Burn CD's, Filling Properties of a file etc etc. Note: The HOME action button brings up the MAIN MEDIA SELECTION action window, which is the one I have drawn in the example. This is where you would select core Media Type. (Free's up the tree.)

FUNCTION WINDOW = This is where the Actions results appear. Select Media libary (see example,) and you get the TREE, PANES, SEARCH, etc, everything to do with Harddisk Media. (I've put the tree subwindow in only to show the layout. Personaly, I think it will just become a media type selection.)

I hope it's clear, what I'm trying to get accross. I have included some basic images of what I mean. The first is with HOME action window selected (viewing HDD media) and the second is with Playlist action windows selected. Obviously I haven't put on these images the resize bars and close buttons that I mentioned on another thread.

I've tried to create an Intuitive system, using M$'s research into gui's and at the same time get rid of the Tree in it's current form which esentially contained items that do not need to be in a tree (TV, Web Media etc)

If you have any questions, let me know.

http://www.fmdplus.com/mc10layout.jpg

http://www.fmdplus.com/mc10layout2.jpg


Cheers

Vic

[jleerigby]

Very nicely laid out.  I think this would be really easy to use.  I presume that although you've not shown it you would have a top menu for the full range of functions.  And a customizable toolbar somewhere.

I like!

[slikvik]

Yep, 'pull downs' at the top.

Additional toolbar buttons would add on to actions toolbar just like IE.

[DocLotus]

Would like it if they finally made all pains floating (completly movable) like some other players have been for years.

I have never understood why all the pains are locked down & non-movable.

I would really like to arrange all the pains the why I want them & not have to use MC the way someone else decided is best.

Of course, there would have to be a lock feature so I could lock them down once I get them the way I want them.

[phelt]

OK, I'll play devil's advocate here. Some opinions:

These images appear to be modeled after a screen resolution of 800x600. At that size more than 50% of the interface is being consumed by buttons, not the actual files and lists one uses the program to organize and play. This doesn't concern me at all since I run a much higher resolution, but it might not be convenient for other users. Docking it out of the way would not be an option for them since you've placed primary nav controls there.

Action Window: I don't like the idea of primary or secondary navigation controls disappearing in order to show data or lists.

One of the things that makes Internet Explorer weak and lame is its lack of tabs or tab-like functionality. I think your Action Window might be better expressed as buttons across the top of the Function Window - less UI space used, same functionality, the space can be reused for 'non-essential' things like Properties and docked when not needed.

[MachineHead]

I'll play devil's advocate

Oh, you certainly are....

'non-essential' things like Properties

[nila]

I just gotta say - I love the images

Very clear pictures of the layout planned even though they dont reflect GUI design at all - a very clear way of doing it.

I do like the idea of seperate controls and layout depending on task (ie browse media library vs. rip a cd, etc).

LOVE the fact you kept the tree - save our environment - keep the tree's!!

[slikvik]

Just to add a little bit more info.

The buttons are taking up space purely for layout purposes, there is no way these buttons would have that much space between them in a working model, or ideed be as big as they are.

I thought a lot about this and at first it appears that losing the HOME action window when you click on HANDHELD for example, seems like a bad move. Basically with all the Actions there would be no need to switch to another Core Media Type from the HOME window. E.g Why would you want to switch to TV when in properties Action window.

The fact is while the Core Media types are in the Tree at the moment, they do not need to be there and they are not used that much. Even if you do need to change, its two clicks, HOME and TV.