Proposal on new planner layout

[Robert Helling]

Hi,

> On 16.10.2015, at 00:46, Davide DB <dbdavide at gmail.com> wrote:
> 
> 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.


As far as I am concerned this last statement is simply not true. One of the goals of the planner is also as a tool to teach decompression planning and to convey an intuition of the influence of the various choices on the profile. Therefore, I consider the absence of a “calculate deco plan” button as a killer feature of our planner. All our options trigger an instant update of the plan including but not only moving waypoints in the profile by using the mouse. But this also includes gradient factors, ascent rates, gas choices etc etc. Moving this stuff to the preferences (which typically open in front to the main window, so even if they would be instant update - which currently they aren’t - you wouldn’t be able to see since the windows overlap). So if cleaning up the UI means breaking instant update I am totally against this. Just don’t think your use case is the only valid one.

But of course I totally am in favour of cleaning up and simplifying the planner UI. One thing we could experiment with could be foldable sections. You don’t want to change your gas options (like ppO2)? Fold them away. You fixed your ascent rates once and forall? Fold them away, so they don’t occupy screen estate. It would probably even be a good default for new users if all these would be pre-filled with reasonable values and folded away until somebody really wanted to change them. But make that optional.

And yes, all the tables (gas/waypoints) have a lot of room for improvement layout wise.

Let me add, I would like to display some information more prominently: The total runtime of a plan as well as gas usage is only on the bottom of the notes which are often scrolled out of the visible area. Maybe we could show those (at least I often look at them, again, in particular with the instant update feature) in a better place. I would also like to experiment with sliders for the gradient factors instead of what we currently have.

Best
Robert

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Robert C. Helling     Elite Master Course Theoretical and Mathematical Physics
                      Scientific Coordinator
                      Ludwig Maximilians Universitaet Muenchen, Dept. Physik
                      Phone: +49 89 2180-4523  Theresienstr. 39, rm. B339
                      http://www.atdotde.de

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