Proposal on new planner layout

[Davide DB]

On Thu, Oct 15, 2015 at 11:51 PM, Rick Walsh <rickmwalsh at gmail.com> wrote:
> Hi Sergey,
>
> On 15 October 2015 at 23:46, Sergey Starosek <sergey.starosek at gmail.com>
> wrote:
>>
>>
>> Hi all,
>>
>> See attached image. With this approach:
>>
>> new planner options may be easily added to the left panel, which is
>> scrollable
>> sections on the left may be collapsible
>> layout seems to be more suitable for lower screen resolutions
>>
>> What do you think?
>
> Thank you for looking at this.  I think a lot could be done to improve the
> layout of the planner, and right now, at the start of a release cycle is a
> good time to discuss what we should do.
>
> One thing to consider, is what it would look like on other people's systems.
> Being entirely selfish, I've attached a screenshot of what the planner looks
> like for me, and my 1366x768 laptop display.
>
> Currently, the planner layout does not suit it very well.  In the attached
> screenshot, you can see that if I size the gas and planner point tables to
> see all the rows, I can only display half the preferences, and the first few
> lines of the plan details.  I'm keen to test it on my system, but I think
> your proposal would be an improvement for me if I shrink the profile plot
> frame, which is completely fine.
>
> Other improvements I think could be gained, especially for people with
> short/small displays, by:
>
> Reduce cell padding, in gas and waypoint tables (actually all tables in
> Subsurface)
> Possibly reduce font size in tables
> Possibly reduce font size in dive plan details / dive log notes
> Get rid of 'Rates' heading in planner preferences, replace 'ascent' with
> 'ascent rates', 'descent' with 'descent rate'
> De-link planner frame sizes from the usual Subsurface display (i.e. when
> showing dive log table, dive details, dive profile, Marble map), so there's
> no need to resize everything every time the planner is opened or closed.  I
> think your proposal implies this because the layout is different.
>


I think that we should completely change approach:

Our first question should be:

- Of 100 setting I have in the current planner windows, how many of
them I change every time I use the planner?

II should then write down a list of settings in three separate
columns/category (maybe two):

- Every time
- Often
- Never

Afterwards I will move the (never/once in a blue moon) lit of settings
in the preference tab.
Just one example: ascent/descent rate groups would be the first one to
be fired (perfect candidate to be moved in a preference tab).
Seriously how many times do you change them? NEVER: once set as your
preference they stay there for a lifetime.

Second candidate: the whole gas option group.

Subsurface planner should not be designed for academic purposes but
for real divers. Nobody change every week the bottom pO2!!! So why I
should have this widget in front of me every run?

Another good suggestion would be to just look at other seasoned
planner UI out there: 100% of them have the above settings buried in a
preference tab.

All tables should be collapsible as all modern UI: gas set should be
just prefs again. Nowadays 90% of tech divers use standard gases so
there's room for some helpful default. But again, sometimes looking at
what is already done by others is enough.

Truth is out there [cit.]

Byeeee

-- 
Davide
https://vimeo.com/bocio/videos