EXPORT DIALOG: Less than perfect UI

[Tvon-users]

Off the top of my head:

* No file browser
* No indication that anything has happend when you
perform the export (regardless of writing over existing
files or not)
* No choice in exported file format

[Bryce Harrington (bryce)]

Please elaborate on what you'd like to see implemented.
E.g., what sort of indication should be returned when an
export is performed, what file formats should be provided
as choices, etc.?

[Tvon-users (tvon-users)]

I'm working on a UI mockup in glade....so at some point I'll
toss ye a screenie of what I'm thinking (keeping in mind
I've never worked on anu UI stuff outside of web interface
design, so it might be a while coming)

As for filetypes, I think the 'common' ones like PNG, JPEG,
GIF...maybe others....anything the library (whatever would
be used for this) supports....the more the merrier I think
(is there a reason I'm wrong in my assumptions here?). Some
things would require special attention. For example, the
binary transparency in GIF (how to handle alpha-gradients),
the lack of transparency in JPEG (how to handle alpha
anything) and such...

As far as feedback, I think it should work pretty much like
a 'Save As' dialog. This the sort of walk-thru I'm thinking of:

* User selects 'File -> Export' from the menu
* User chooses a filetype and a filename (details of this
need some thought)
* User clicks 'OK' or similarly labeled button
* File is then exported, or if the file already exists, the
user is prompted with the appropriate choices (either:
"overwrite it or select a new name" or "overwrite it or
cancel").
* If its a new file, behave in the same manner as if you are
just saving it (close the 'Export' dialog and go on with
your business).

While there is no real notification when the export is
performed here I guess, it is better than the current setup
which lets you click the 'export' button and has nothing
change in the screen that the user is looking at. With this
setup, at least the 'Export' dialog would close which would
give the user at least some indication that the task had
been completed.

[Njh-users (njh-users)]

I've created a prototype of your proposed new interface in
experimental/export-dialog/export.py Can you check it out
and check it out? It should respond when you change the
file name etc.

Is there anything I've missed?

[Tvon-users (tvon-users)]

Look good. Some notes:

*) I think there should be a drop-down of the supported formats
*) logically, I think this drop down should come before the
format-specific part of the dialog (to keep the users flow
moving down instead of down and back up). I think this
would go best directly after the file browser.

[Kidproto (kidproto)]

There really needs to be a meshing of this export dialog
with standard GTK file chooser. There should/could also be
some form of preview inside of this dialog of what is being
exported.

[Kidproto (kidproto)]

Export Changes: Preview, Save As, Other Formats, and More
The Export option should have two additions:

A file dialog like the ones used in save so that you
can choose where to put it. Just having a line relative
to the root window is not very convenient.

A preview button. (If you've used it, think of
illustrator and photoshop with the save-for-web option)
If possible, ahve the ability to show multiple file
outputs simultaneously for comparison, as well as the
original. This is extremely useful if you are using
this to make web-graphics and need to pay attention to
the quality-size ratio. (Also, show the output file
size with a preview, for the purposes of the previous
paragraph)

The output should be able to be to more formats than
PNG. JPEG, GIF, WBMP, EPS, etc... (I don't really know
how the status is on that GIF patent, so maybe not
that, but at least JPEG).

Currently, the ratio of height-width is loose in the
top frame (export area) and locked in the bottom are
(bitmap size). This should be done by having a 'Lock
Aspect' button beside the ratio on the top and skip the
bottom frame
(I guess you'd have to leave the 'dpi' box, but I'd
move it to the top and put the preview on the bottom.
Actually, put the preview on the top and the 'save
file' dialog on the bottom with the 'export area' in
the middle, as well as a file-type option with
compression levels and all that jazz. Not that I want a
lot or anything, just a total redesign with lots of
specialness and featurality. I'm not greedy. Really.)

The other solution (partial solution) to the previous
problem is to at least allow the height to be edited on
the locked ratio (that in the 'bitmap area' frame).
Sometimes, you need to define it by height. For
example, I usually want all buttons I make to have
identical height, as they will be aligned horizontally.

Also, the export option (and all other measurement
options, I believe it was the grid-units option that
bugged me) should have a measurement in pixels. You
only use pixels a few times, but it is a valid and
common measurement which is often quite important for
web-graphics.
(Note that this change is needed if you combine the top
and bottom, as I mentioned earlier)

Okay. I'm done, for now. Sorry that took so long, and I
really love this product. It helps calm my desire for
the AI that I cannot afford.

<email address hidden>

( NOTE: originally in sodipodi RFE tracker as RFE # 775244 ,
Date Submitted: 2003-07-21 13:00, comments in sodi tracker )

[Acli-users (acli-users)]

Regarding the first comment, intuitively, the export dialog
should disappear if the export is successful (i.e., save as
"save").

[Buliabyak-users (buliabyak-users)]

Two of the original suggestions are implemented (browse
button, progress bar). Format is not selectable because we
don't have code for exporting to anything but PNG.

[Buliabyak-users (buliabyak-users)]

Export formats are not an UI issue, so this can be closed.