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Poll

Is the 'options tree' used in the tree & view settings of MC 10.0.121 a good thing?

Yes -- it's powerful and easy to use
- 19 (95%)
No -- it's hard to use
- 0 (0%)
No -- it looks bad
- 1 (5%)
No -- other reason (explain)
- 0 (0%)

Total Members Voted: 20


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Author Topic: Tree & View Options in MC 10.0.121  (Read 2493 times)

Matt

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Tree & View Options in MC 10.0.121
« on: April 23, 2004, 11:30:20 am »

We made the switch because it allows us to more easily add and remove options.

It also makes it possible to add more advanced options but nest them away so they aren't intrusive to new users.

Is it a good change?  Should we use the same system in other areas?
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Matt Ashland, JRiver Media Center

Monkeyboy

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Re:Tree & View Options in MC 10.0.121
« Reply #1 on: April 23, 2004, 11:43:21 am »

I like it, it does look slightly out of place at the moment in its style. But I guess thats because its something new that you might implement into other areas.

One thing though, List and Tree starting up expanded baffled me slightly when I first saw it. I think they should all be collapsed when you goto the options.
Rich
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miked

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Re:Tree & View Options in MC 10.0.121
« Reply #2 on: April 23, 2004, 11:43:47 am »

Slightly inconsistant use of icons:
the white on green arrow is used to pop up new preferences windows in  for example "Select Font..."

But the same icon for "Build Missing Thumbnails..." actually starts the process, I thought it was going to popup a preferences window

Mike
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JustinChase

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Re:Tree & View Options in MC 10.0.121
« Reply #3 on: April 23, 2004, 11:49:25 am »

I voted 'yes', but only looked at it briefly, so I might change my mind later, but for now, it seems like a good implementation.

Also, I agree about the green/white arrows just starting the process.  I was a little startled to find that it was going to build nearly 30,000 thumbnails without much chance to think about it, it just started.  I was happy to find that it only took 186 seconds to do this.  It only took 26 seconds when i clicked it abain (just to be sure I didn't miss any sort of warning or 'start'  button)
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lee269

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Re:Tree & View Options in MC 10.0.121
« Reply #4 on: April 23, 2004, 12:39:29 pm »

Initial reaction favourable - a yes vote

Agree on thumbnail building though. You can get caught out. Perhaps all actions should have an intermediate dialog.

Also to echo a recent post about the tree, clicking anywhere in the row containing an option changes that option. Too easy to accidentally change them. Options should only change when you actually click on the checkbox, radio button etc, not when you click in the vicinity of them.

The only downside with this method I can see is that you cannot necessarily see the state of all options by scanning the dialog. You need to click through the tree to check them out. But users always want more options, and this solution seems a good solution instead of trying to cram them into a small area.
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bebop

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Re:Tree & View Options in MC 10.0.121
« Reply #5 on: April 23, 2004, 01:19:28 pm »

I like it, i love it!!  But must agree on the thumbnail bit...took 946 seconds for mine when I clicked on it to see the options!
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Matt

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Re:Tree & View Options in MC 10.0.121
« Reply #6 on: April 23, 2004, 01:20:49 pm »

We'll add a confirmation message to the thumbnail building.

However, there's no harm in just hitting the "Cancel" button.
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Matt Ashland, JRiver Media Center

LonWar

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Re:Tree & View Options in MC 10.0.121
« Reply #7 on: April 23, 2004, 01:24:10 pm »

The font thing would be really cool if there was a settting for the currently playing track   8)
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miked

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Re:Tree & View Options in MC 10.0.121
« Reply #8 on: April 23, 2004, 03:32:00 pm »

Matt, I wasn't after a confirmation message, I just hit cancel,  basically I think your visual clues are wrong.  

For "Build Missing Thumbnails..."  notice you have  "..." at the end which implies to me more options.  You also have the same icon as other settings that do have more options.

I would prefer a different icon and the "..." removed.

Generally the tree is good.

Mike
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cattani

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Re:Tree & View Options in MC 10.0.121
« Reply #9 on: April 23, 2004, 05:03:44 pm »

I don't know what i'm saying. This option are still in other area and i lke them there. I like list style.
In the new look is good because is grouped in one place.
Anyway, is a step forward.


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TimB

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Re:Tree & View Options in MC 10.0.121
« Reply #10 on: April 23, 2004, 08:58:49 pm »

Can you make the "updating thumbnails" dialog the reverse of whatever it is so I can do other things in MC while its updating my 19000 files?  :)

-=Tim=-
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bjsolem

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Re:Tree & View Options in MC 10.0.121
« Reply #11 on: April 23, 2004, 11:43:10 pm »

Yes - Add it to the other option items.  The current screen is harder to find things than the new folder style.

There are some small buttons that have huge effects on how MC behaves.  If you miss something it can be confusing to figure out where/what to change.

The new style helps out a lot.
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Jaguu

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Re:Tree & View Options in MC 10.0.121
« Reply #12 on: April 24, 2004, 01:28:34 am »

Yes, it is a good thing, it is quite a standard way of selecting options in many other applications. You should implement it for all other options too.

A few suggestions for improvement:

Customize Toolbars and Manage Library fields should be more top-level and go to the main options menu. In my eyes it would be more consistent. But you might  think of an even better re-grouping of the main options.

Select font would be more consistent under the general otions menu.
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scott_r

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Re:Tree & View Options in MC 10.0.121
« Reply #13 on: April 24, 2004, 04:30:43 am »

Very nice.

If it's not already the way you're going with this, I'd sugest that you migrate the entire preferences dialog to this style and get rid of the left hand bar completely. Just make each of the options on the left a root level node and have all the options underneath each node.
Also, can you have a reset defaults option?

Scott.

[edit] ps.. When you single click on a non-selected collapsed node, it expands, but when you single click on a non-selected expanded node, it does not collapse.
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