[Opinion] Alternative button box for task dialog

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openBrain
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Re: [Opinion] Alternative button box for task dialog

Post by openBrain »

adrianinsaval wrote: Fri Mar 31, 2023 2:28 pm Would be a good idea to make a github issue to track all dialogs that have bottom buttons.
Here the current state for those using TaskDialog inheritance.
button_south.png
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paddle
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Re: [Opinion] Alternative button box for task dialog

Post by paddle »

In almost all softwares, the tool dialog have the standard buttons. Here in FreeCAD, the buttons are in the taskview. So you may say the buttons are in the dialog, but this is wrong.

Effectively, the taskview acts as an area in which there are task boxes. And it's the task boxes that acts as actual dialogs.

The task view really only looks like an area where the dialog appear.

So I think the buttons should be inside the TaskBox. In a standard position (which can be on top of the box, or on the bottom if we reverse the alignment of the taskbox to bottom).

I remember I opened a discussion about this already, and some mentioned that a few tools have several taskboxes. Which is true, and they look aweful. IMO all tools should have a single taskbox or the UI consistency is bad and it looks bad.
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adrianinsaval
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Re: [Opinion] Alternative button box for task dialog

Post by adrianinsaval »

openBrain wrote: Fri Mar 31, 2023 3:13 pm Options are a good way to move forward as generally nobody will fight against something different but optional. :)
but for just being on the upper side it seems overkill, is anyone even opposed to the idea? Several dialogs had their buttons moved this dev cycle and there weren't complaints. Same thing with the scroll area, is anyone even opposed to have accesible buttons without scrolling? These seem like ridiculously obscure options.
And could also be problematic if then some new tool or addons don't respect these options, isn't it better to have clearly defined interface guidelines? E.g. use the task panel whenever possible, put ok/cancel/close buttons at the top for all dock widgets.
openBrain wrote: Fri Mar 31, 2023 3:14 pm Here the current state for those using TaskDialog inheritance.
button_south.png
yes, but not all are using this unfortunately, for example geometry check, Edit-> Placement
and other tools use independent panels, but probably should have a consistent interface with the task dialogs, namely the clipping plane and persistent cut tools.
paddle wrote: Fri Mar 31, 2023 3:30 pm I remember I opened a discussion about this already, and some mentioned that a few tools have several taskboxes. Which is true, and they look aweful. IMO all tools should have a single taskbox or the UI consistency is bad and it looks bad.
but the separate task boxes allow collapsing or expanding sections, this can be useful. So merging them all into one doesn't look like a good idea.
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Re: [Opinion] Alternative button box for task dialog

Post by GeneFC »

paddle wrote: Fri Mar 31, 2023 3:30 pm I remember I opened a discussion about this already, and some mentioned that a few tools have several taskboxes. Which is true, and they look aweful. IMO all tools should have a single taskbox or the UI consistency is bad and it looks bad.
Take a look at the Path WB. There are simply too many entries required to include in a single taskbox without endless scrolling.

Gene
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