[Libreoffice-ux-advise] [Bug 81475] Meta: enhancing Writer's standard and formatting toolbars

https://bugs.freedesktop.org/show_bug.cgi?id=81475

--- Comment #9 from Jay Philips <philipz85@hotmail.com> ---
(In reply to comment #7)
> Hi Jay,
> That's quite a mouthful. I'll try to comment on all of it.

Hi Mirek2,

Thanks for taking the time to read and comment on it.

> Step 1
> ======
> * +1 for removing everything you listed (provided all the changes required
> for getting rid of "Edit File" happen)

The 'Edit File' bug has been added to the menu and an infobar to indicated that
the document is in read-only mode seems like it will be pushed through. 

> * Additionally, I would propose to either get rid of the "Font Name"
> dropdown or at least condense it into a drop-down menu with an icon. It's
> bad practice both to use more than 3 fonts per document and to hard-format
> fonts instead of using styles.

The concept of styles are foreign to many users and they will stick with using
the font names dialog to select fonts they want to use and i doubt there is
anything that will change this behaviour unless styles are introduced in a new
manner that is very ease to grasp.

> Step 2
> ======
> a)
> * +1 to having a "Word functions" split button
> * I disagree with having a Spelling menu item -- the current approach that
> lets you work with the selection, the paragraph, or all text makes much more
> sense to me.

Well i suggested the spelling menu, as a means of grouping spelling related
items into the Tools menu, similar to having a language menu item in the Tools
menu. I didnt quite get what you meant with 'work with the selection, the
paragraph, or all text' when it comes to spelling.

> * Not keen on building Google or Bing into LibO. Wouldn't mind extensions
> for this, though.

This was only a hope that something would show up like this in the future, as i
think it would help many translators (especially those working on the release
notes for LibO :D). If an open source alternative is around, i'm all for it,
but was just suggesting how this drop down might get expanded in the future.

> * Error navigation is better suited for the "Navigate by" feature.

Where can i find this navigate by feature?

> b)
> * Given that several of the alignment options are commonly used, I would not
> make them into a group button. Because we have the Properties pane now, we
> should just have individual buttons for the more important features in the
> toolbar.
> * The same with "Bullets and Numbering".

These are commonly used buttons, but unfortunately they take up more space than
the more used trio - bold, italics and underline. In the alternative mockup i
have suggested the use of a two button approach so it takes up the size of 2.5
buttons rather than 4 (this mockup also keeps the buttons and numbering
separate). 

> Step 3
> ======
> a)
> * I'm torn about whether to add "Find" or "Find and Replace". Though
> "Ctrl+F" is relatively well-known, 15% of users used the toolbar button
> (more than "Undo", "Cut", "Copy", or "Paste"). The toolbar is also more
> comfortable to use, already links to "Find and Replace" if it's needed, and
> has navigation features not found in the dialog. I'm also hoping some basic
> replace functionality will be added to the toolbar.

I was initially going to suggest a group find button, but unfortunately space
was a limiting factor. The group button was going to have Find, Find & Replace,
Goto Page (dialog), and Navigator.

> * Subscript/superscript should be individual buttons. (There's space freed
> by the "Font name" removal suggested above.)

Yes if there is space, i'd have these as separate.

> * A single "Size Change" button would be hard to implement, it would feel
> alien as it's not a native widget, and the small version would be hard to
> target. It'd be preferable to replace the font size combo box (which
> shouldn't be used anyway -- styles should be used for sizing text) with
> "Increase font size" and "Decrease font size" buttons. Clicking one of these
> buttons should show the new font size in a tooltip below the button.

Well i was going to suggest the 2 increase and decrease font buttons located on
either side of the font size combo box, but space was an issue. I dont think
eliminating the combo box was good as it would mean users couldnt jump to a
particular size that they wanted and would have to waste time clicking till
they got to the correct size. I think the combo box could be reduced as it
seems that it has enough room for 4 characters, when most font sizes are only
only 2 chars, except for '10.5'.

> b)
> * An "Insert Media" group doesn't seem necessary to me. It's extremely
> unlikely for sounds or videos to be inserted into documents, spreadsheets,
> or drawings, and, from my own experience, it's pretty rare for
> presentations. The Gallery is in the sidebar and shouldn't have a toolbar
> button (see [Bug 73151]). Fontwork should basically never be used. The only
> buttons remaining are Insert Image ("From File...") and "Scan Image" -- the
> former should be in the toolbar, the latter is, IMHO, not used frequently
> enough to warrant its own button.

This proposal was limited to just writer. The ability to open up the gallery,
whether it be in the current location or in the sidebar, from within the button
group is still a useful feature, as it is possible that the user doesnt have
the sidebar enabled or open. This would be no different than having the button
in the Tools menu.

(In reply to comment #8)
> I would caution against adding any more functionallity into the standard
> toolbar. As it is, it's so crowded it makes it more difficult to navigate
> than a menu in my opinion. This is my idea for how the standard toolbar
> ought to be set up in conjunction with the sidebar: http://imgur.com/a/XyN4O
> , althought I've since removed the spellcheck button, since it's already in
> the status bar.

Yes it is crowded with junk that is rarely used, which is why the first thing
in the proposal is the removal of the trash. Your standard toolbar + sidebar
approach is a similar layout to IBM symphony and Calligra Words and i look
forward to the day that it will be possible with LibO, but unfortunately i dont
think that will happen within the next year or two. Also you will have users
who will choose not to use the sidebar, so i dont think LibO should force them
to do so.

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