Re: gEDA-user: german article in the linux magazin online now

[Kai-Martin Knaak <kmk@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

On Tue, 27 Jan 2009 01:30:20 +0000, Peter Clifton wrote:

> I've wondered in the past.. would people (users / developers) object to
> making the GTK HID for PCB more in line with gschem's GTK UI. (Or vica
> versa)

Object? Did I miss a smiley? GUI differences in protel were minor 
compared to gschem/pcb. Yet, they were a constant source of annoyance.


> I'm not quite sure how we'd get round the key-bindings, but perhaps one
> idea would be to ship two (or four) sets. PCB: (classic PCB / gEDA
> like), or gEDA: (classic gEDA / PCB like). Clearly if we did this, a
> brand new install ought to default to a coherent set.

I don't care about install routines. These are one-off jobs. Most users 
will use their preferred distro anyway.


> If we had to nail down what it is about gEDA and PCB which make them
> feel like different applications, what is it?
> 
> Keybindings?

definitely. This is the one that really hurts. Can't count the number of 
times I typed [n] in pcb to start a track. Or [n] in gschem to change a 
text item. 


> (those are the ones which trip me up moving between them)
> Colours?

nah. 


> Grid style / behaviour as it zooms?

I hardly change the grid in gschem. So this is a none-issue to me. 


> Zoom style? (about point / warp to centre)
 
This certainly is an item that makes the GUIs feel different. Add pan-at-
the-edge to the list. I miss pcb edge panning in gschem. 


> Graphic style of toolbar
> icons?

No. I'd even say, a different look is a goodthing(tm). I find the 
superficial similarity of eagle layout and schematic tool irritating. 


> Dialogs?

Yes. I miss properties dialogs in pcb a lot.


> Menus?

Both should conform closer to common practice. E.g. Search and replace is 
well hidden in both. 


> Object selection styles?

Should be the same. However, I don't remember being trapped by 
differences. 

While I am in wishlist-mode: Please add more optical feedback to both 
applications. Change of mouse style when near the end of a track was a 
huge step forward. This should be generalized -- Every kind of action 
should correspond to its own mouse shape. In addition, I miss handles on 
selected objects. There is a reason, why about every other graphics tool 
I know, uses them.

Big thanks for pushing geda forward!
 
---<(kaimartin)>---
-- 
Kai-Martin Knaak
http://lilalaser.de/blog



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