The GUI for configuring lines and plots is not good; it is confusing and inconsistent. For all other parameters, clicking on the label side does nothing -- you must click on the value side to affect the property. For lines and plots the situation is exactly backwards. Clicking on the value side gets you nowhere. You have to notice that the label side is expandable.
I guess I follow the logic of the way it is done, but consider it quite poor. My opinion is probably exacerbated by how badly the Indicators dialog uses space -- it wastes a horrendous amount.
I do have a constructive suggestion: make the value side of a line or a plot look like a drop-down, with a down arrow on its right side. Clicking on that would expand to show the configurable items. They would, of course, not be like a menu -- more like revealing and hiding that area. I think such an interface would work well and would be much nicer than the way it works at the moment.
I could understand an argument that this is not a critical item. Technically it is not, but there is another way to look at it. You really need to get the GUI right before release, because it becomes a Big Deal to change the GUI after a large customer base gets used to the way it is, even if the change would be beneficial.
--EV
I guess I follow the logic of the way it is done, but consider it quite poor. My opinion is probably exacerbated by how badly the Indicators dialog uses space -- it wastes a horrendous amount.
I do have a constructive suggestion: make the value side of a line or a plot look like a drop-down, with a down arrow on its right side. Clicking on that would expand to show the configurable items. They would, of course, not be like a menu -- more like revealing and hiding that area. I think such an interface would work well and would be much nicer than the way it works at the moment.
I could understand an argument that this is not a critical item. Technically it is not, but there is another way to look at it. You really need to get the GUI right before release, because it becomes a Big Deal to change the GUI after a large customer base gets used to the way it is, even if the change would be beneficial.
--EV
Comment