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IDProjectCategoryView StatusLast Update
0016066MMW 5Main Panel: Toolbars & Menuspublic2019-11-15 21:08
Reporterrusty Assigned To 
PriorityurgentSeveritytweakReproducibilityalways
Status closedResolutionreopened 
Product Version5.0 
Target Version5.0Fixed in Version5.0 
Summary0016066: Name of the Preview window is unclear
DescriptionReported by Barry at https://www.mediamonkey.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=30&t=95285 :

1a. Users don't know the name of the A&D Window in particular when it's referred to in the Options menu:
i) First problem is that the name of the Window doesn't appear directly in the Window. A fix to improve on this would be that when the user clicks the header (Playing/Selected), the options shown could be 'Preview: Playing' / 'Preview: Selected' (but only show the shortened version 'Playing'/'Selected' in the header).

ii) Add descriptive text to to Options > Layout > Preview so that it's clear:
Set the layout for the panel element displaying details of the currently playing or selected file.

iii) Final issue is the terminology: it was changed to Preview because I'd expected that some users may want to show artwork in the Player (rather than the A&D window) in which case 'Art and Details' might not be the best name since it would be more about the 'details' rather than the Art. BUT, given that the Title of this window is generally not important other than for the purposes of referring to it (e.g. in the Options or when discussing it), perhaps reverting to Art&Details would be better since it's self-descriptive. If we make that change it would imply:
- Changing Layout...(Preview) to 'Layout (Art & Details)...'
- Changing Layout > Preview to Layout > Art & Details
- Changeing 1ai (above) accordingly

NOTE: Changing 1ai)/1aii) (and not reverting the terminology) is probably sufficient to resolving the issues raised by Barry, though I don't feel strongly one way or the other about the name.

1b. Re. Ludek's suggestion in 0015761:0055073 that configuration of the 'Art & Details' / Preview window should only be via context menus rather than via Tools > Options > Layout > Preview:
I think that the current approach makes sense for the reason that it was originally implemented:
- It's consistent with other panel elements (Player, Now Playing)
- It's a one-time setting
- It limits overloading of the context UI
Note: it (along with the Player config) should probably eventually be migrated directly into the Layout screen (i.e. a 'gear' next to the Preview/Player UI element in Options>Layout).

1c. I would suggest a minor change:
- Move '[] Edit mode' below the 'line' (just above Layout (Preview)...)
- Change '[] Edit mode' to '[] Live edits' or 'Allow edits' ('Edit mode' is a bit ambiguous because it can mean that the user has to choose from among different edit modes)
TagsNo tags attached.
Attached Files
Fixed in build2213

Relationships

related to 0015761 closedmichal Improve access to Player and Panel layout config 
related to 0015841 closedpetr Preview window: switching to 'Selected' when video is playing has no effect 
related to 0016005 closedLudek Options: Tweaks regarding Skins and Layout accessability 

Activities

Ludek

2019-10-29 20:01

developer   ~0055137

Last edited: 2019-10-30 09:47

I don't think 1ai) solves much as it presumes that user will click the header, is there a reason why the name should be shown only once upon clicking the header?
Couldn't the header just looks like Preview: Selected [v] instead of just Selected [v] ?

EDIT: Or maybe even better leave the header name just "Preview" and move the Selected/Playing switcher to the three dots context menu?
It looks especially strange when the preview window shows playing video (or visualization) and is showing "Selected [v]"" in the header at the same time.

1aiii) I think that the new terminology of "Preview" is fine, because the panel represents also video content (while playing video) or visualization -- so the "Preview" is more accurate than the "Art & Details"

1b) ok, if we wants to leave the config in the Options as is then the description text (1aii) needs to be added
The suggestion with the gear icon in the Options > Layout would make it clearer, but as raised by Michal here: 0015761:0054325 it adds further extra clicks (which is a usability downside)

1c) I guess that 'Allow edits' is the better terminology ?

1d) Shouldn't we add the '[x] Visualization' checkbox to the three dots context menu?

rusty

2019-10-30 20:18

administrator   ~0055154

1ai) The 'Selected v' toggle needs to be there because toggling between modes is a common operation. Re. display of 'Selected v' in the header while a movie is playing, that should not happen (I remember that was an issue but it had been fixed--I'm no longer seeing it with 2209.

I agree that having only the combo-box display the full name of the dialog e.g. 'Preview: Selected' only on dropdown isn't a perfect solution--the rationale is that including Preview in the header doesn't improve day to day usability and I'd rather that the user focus on the Playing vs Selected heading. Perhaps an additional means of identifying the panel element could be that the overflow menu/context menu can communicate this similarly to how the Main Panel view configurator does (i.e. show 'Preview' shaded at the top of the menu--see 1e below).

1aii) I would suggest the following revised descriptive text:
This panel element displays details of the playing or selected file.

1b) It's true that this adds extra clicks for a one-time operation of changing one setting. However, the more common usecase is that the user makes a number of changes to how the UI is displayed and then never changes it again. For that usecase, the current UI is both faster and cleaner.

1c) OK re. 'Allow edits'.

1d) Good idea re. [x] Visualization

1e) I'd also re-order things slightly from:
[ ] Edit mode
Properties...
Paste
Lookup image...
Remove image
Images >
---------------------
Layout (Preview)...

to
[[[Preview]]]
Lookup image...
Paste
Remove image
Images >
Properties...
---------------------
Layout... (note: text is changed--there's no real advantage to including (Preview) here)
[ ] Allow edits
[ ] Visualization

Ludek

2019-10-31 10:48

developer   ~0055161

Last edited: 2019-10-31 10:58

1aii, 1c, 1d, 1e are fixed in 2210

1ai) I am seeing 'Selected v' when playing a file and visualization is enabled, see: https://www.dropbox.com/s/1hux4dg1gxgv1a0/Screenshot%202019-10-31%2011.37.15.png?dl=0

I still don't understand why the header title couldn't be just 'Preview: Selected v' like this: https://www.dropbox.com/s/p244xzjythbc926/Screenshot%202019-10-31%2011.51.40.png?dl=0
This way several requirements are satisfied at the same time:
- it is clear what is the "Preview" element
- it allows easy toggle between Playing/Selected
- in the "Playing" mode it resolves also 0015758 - where it is confusing when two elements are both titled "Playing"

1b) Maybe the "gear" icon in the Options>Layout could be just shortcut to the Options>Layout>Preview ? Or do you prefer eliminating the Options>Layout>Preview panel entirely (to not overfill Options dialog) ?

rusty

2019-10-31 13:44

administrator   ~0055166

1ai) I don't like indicating 'Preview' for the same reason I don't want a header for the 'Tree' or the 'Main panel'. In most cases it's self-evident what it does.

1f) Re. visualization interactions with the header (Ludek raised at 1ai)
I was testing with Video playback (it switches to 'Playing' when video playback is initiated). But I see what you're saying about Visualization. As soon as the Vis is enabled, the header should switch to 'Visualization' (or 'Playing v').
Note: we could implement this in a couple of ways:
- indicate 'Visualization' in the header whenever it's active (i.e. orthogonal to Playing/Selected config)
- add 'Visualization v' as a combobox option whenever audio is playing (i.e. integrated with Playing/Selected config)--if we do this, there's no need to implement 1d).

1b) Are you suggesting what's outlined below? That's the direction I think we should be moving in as well, but I don't think this is urgent in the short term.
options-layout-future.jpg (45,920 bytes)   
options-layout-future.jpg (45,920 bytes)   

Ludek

2019-10-31 21:22

developer   ~0055171

Last edited: 2019-10-31 21:29

1ai) ok

1f/1b) assigned to Michal.
 I agree that 1b) is not urgent.
Re 1f) I like the latter idea of showing Visualization in the combo box whenever audio is playing (this way 1d can be reverted)

michal

2019-11-05 17:53

developer   ~0055213

1f) fixed in build 2211, used second option, reverted 1d)

I don't like 1b), as it would cause more complicated setting of these layouts and second modal dialog above Options modal dialog. I would not eliminate current solution, it is more straightforward and usable I think.

rusty

2019-11-05 22:46

administrator   ~0055217

Tested 2211 and all seems to be working fine except that now whenever I initiate video playback, the audio starts right away, but it takes about 2 seconds before video appears in the Preview window. Similarly, if one is playing a movie in the full MM window and then clicks the minimize to Preview window, it now takes about 2 seconds for this to occur.

Note: If this is caused by the current implementation of 1f and is tricky to fix, it's fine to use the other suggested implementation.

michal

2019-11-06 09:13

developer   ~0055232

I cannot reproduce at all, but Petr can and it is not related to the last fixes, the issue occurres in the previous builds too. Petr is looking at it.

petr

2019-11-06 10:51

developer   ~0055234

Fixed

rusty

2019-11-15 18:28

administrator   ~0055367

Verified--everything is working correctly in 2212. Just re. 1f) one item wasn't reverted back to the previous implementation:
The visualization checkbox isn't also shown in the Preview Window's overflow window. It should be in the layout section, below '[ ] Allow edits'.

petr

2019-11-15 19:12

developer   ~0055371

Fixed

rusty

2019-11-15 21:08

administrator   ~0055375

Verified 2213.