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Author Topic: Imitation is Flattery, right? (Lightroom copies MC interface)  (Read 2233 times)

RobOK

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While many posts here urge MC to copy other programs, here is one program (Lightroom) copying MC to good effect.  Beta of v2 of Lightroom is now out, although very rough and discouraged from any real use.

See this posting for screen shots including a new "filter bar" that looks a lot like MC.  I'm happy that Lightroom went in this direction. By the looks, their filter bar is more limited than MC.

http://www.computer-darkroom.com/lightroom_2_beta/lr-2-beta.htm

EDIT: you need to scroll down about half way on that page

Rob.
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hit_ny

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Re: Imitation is Flattery, right? (Lightroom copies MC interface)
« Reply #1 on: April 05, 2008, 01:03:00 pm »

Care to link here which picture you are referring to ?

I can see some similarities but nothing as blatant as this
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Doof

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Re: Imitation is Flattery, right? (Lightroom copies MC interface)
« Reply #2 on: April 05, 2008, 01:23:39 pm »

Somebody correct me if I'm wrong, but I think iTunes might have had the panes before MC did.
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hit_ny

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Re: Imitation is Flattery, right? (Lightroom copies MC interface)
« Reply #3 on: April 05, 2008, 01:57:33 pm »

I've got that same 'feeling' too.

Question is who had it b4 iTunes :)
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RobOK

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Re: Imitation is Flattery, right? (Lightroom copies MC interface)
« Reply #4 on: April 06, 2008, 09:34:42 pm »

I think you wanted me to show the image I was referring to, here it is:  (Lightroom is really nothing like Media Center)

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Doof

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Re: Imitation is Flattery, right? (Lightroom copies MC interface)
« Reply #5 on: April 07, 2008, 10:54:57 am »

I have to say, though, that I really like how they set it up so you can change which fields are used on the panes. I know you can do the same in MC, but it looks easier to do in Lightroom.
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Listener

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Re: Imitation is Flattery, right? (Lightroom copies MC interface)
« Reply #6 on: April 07, 2008, 11:50:56 am »

I have to say, though, that I really like how they set it up so you can change which fields are used on the panes. I know you can do the same in MC, but it looks easier to do in Lightroom.

A good opportunity to describe how to alter a View Scheme or create a new one.

It is quite easy to add panes to an existing View Scheme in MC 12. Right click on the field name at the top of a pane and choose "Add pane to left" or "Add pane to right".  Choose the field you want in the new pane from the drop-down list.

For more extensive changes, choose "Edit View Scheme" and make changes in the dialog that appears.  In the Step 1 area, add change or remove fields that are to be panes.  The panes will appear in the order listed - Topmost will be leftmost.  You can change the order using the "Up" and "Down" buttons at the bottom of the list area.

You can define a new view scheme by  right clicking on "Audio" Video" or "Photos" in the tree view at the left side of the MC window. Choose "Add New View Scheme" and choose fields in the dialog that appears.  You can edit existing View Schemes by right-clicking on their name in the tree view and choosing "Edit View Scheme".  You can also create a new View Scheme under an existing on in the tree by right-clicking and choosing "Add New View Scheme".

In that Dialog to create/edit a View Scheme, note the checkbox "Filter in both directions".  If this is checked, choosing a value in any Pane will filter files AND limit the entries shown in other panes. This allows a single View Scheme to be used to browse in different orders. If this checkbox is not checked, Panes will filter files and panes to the right only.

For me, being able to create the View Schemes I wanted was the reason to use MC 12.

Bill
 
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Doof

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Re: Imitation is Flattery, right? (Lightroom copies MC interface)
« Reply #7 on: April 07, 2008, 01:00:49 pm »

For me, being able to create the View Schemes I wanted was the reason to use MC 12.

Same here. I could use just about any other app if I wanted, but MC's customizability is the best. With that said, it could always be easier. For instance, rather than opening an Edit.. box to change the panes, why not use something like the little drop down buttons (like in Lightroom) to let you quickly change the field for that pane? Why not allow users to drag the panes left and right? You can already do this in the details view, why not in Panes? The Edit View Scheme window would still be available for the more detailed work, but for the quick and dirty "I just want to change this pane from Genre to Date" or "I just want to move this pane to left" I don't see why it couldn't be simpler.

For instance, right now, if you wanted to move a pane to the left, it would require, at minimum 7 clicks. If the panes are more complicated, like trying to swap two expression based panes, for instance, it gets much more complicated. If the panes could be dragged right and left, this could be done in one click. Just a thought.
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newsposter

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Re: Imitation is Flattery, right? (Lightroom copies MC interface)
« Reply #8 on: April 07, 2008, 02:53:52 pm »

y'all should look at Kodak Photo Deck (for their pro-level DSLRs).

Same kind of 'interface' and it dates back at least a decade.

Having worked at Xerox PARC in the 1980s, I'm of mixed feelings on the patent-ability of the visual aspects of user interfaces.
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hit_ny

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Re: Imitation is Flattery, right? (Lightroom copies MC interface)
« Reply #9 on: April 07, 2008, 03:38:44 pm »

Having worked at Xerox PARC in the 1980s, I'm of mixed feelings on the patent-ability of the visual aspects of user interfaces.

Absolutely, where would the Mac have been otherwise ;)

Forget computers, just look at cars, seems they borrow a bit from each other to the point each one within the same range, regardless of vendor is more or less the same.
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