Sideways scrolling in Font View

[Donn]

Michael, and anyone else who may be interested:
I refer to the comment in line 53 of the krautfont branch in
gui_ScrolledFontView.py:
## Michael: Perhaps scroll x and y? If we have a long sample text, the last
words couldn't be seen.
self.SetupScrolling(rate_y=5)#, scroll_x=False)

I see your point, hear mine and then let's decide:
Personally I do not like the sideways scroll bar because it blocks the visual
flow from the fonts down to the controls underneath. It's ugly. If the text is
bigger than the middle area there are a few things the user can do:
1. Resize the left or right panels to make more room.
2. Make the entire Fonty window bigger (maximize, or resize)

The other problem with sideways scrolling is that the background of each font
item gets chopped-off -- so there is a ragged right that looks ugly.

So, what do you think?

\d
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Font manager : https://savannah.nongnu.org/projects/fontypython/

[Michael Hoeft]

Hi Donn,

I see your objections about sideways scrolling and it is difficult to
refute them.

> The other problem with sideways scrolling is that the background of each font
> item gets chopped-off -- so there is a ragged right that looks ugly.

For me this is the main point to refrain from this idea. But there is
still the problem to display long sample text. The screen is limited
and, may be, some users miss enough space to see all they want to see.
Not really a reason to despair, use other applications like
Inkscape... to view/compare fonts . Otherwise it would be nice to make
this feature possible in FP. I have an idea, but .... - open the image.

:)
:|
:(

You got it? I think on a tooltip-like window, that pops up while the
pointer stands still on the font for a time (Gimp made this image, not
python). So for me there are only two ways left:

a) do something like described above

b) forget everything about long text, scroll_x, ....


Michael

[Donn]

On Thursday 10 December 2009 23:12:26 Michael Hoeft wrote:
> You got it? I think on a tooltip-like window, that pops up while the
> pointer stands still on the font for a time

An elegant solution, but I am not sure how easy that exact sample would be to
do...

I just had a thought - perhaps we can make some kind of 'full screen' button
for the font view alone -- it would hide/show the left/right panels.

Another idea - A 'see more' button on the far right of fonts that are wider
than the middle column. Clicking it (or mouse-over) would scroll the font to
the left.

Easiest is a mutation of your idea: pop-up a new window (tooltip style) of
just the font sample (without the 'a' button and surrounding text) -- on a
timed mouse hover, or on a small 'see more' button for long samples.

If one of those is easy to do, then I reckon we should employ it.

Thanks for the great idea. I liked your mock-up :)

I see krautfont has remained on rev 163 for a while, are you done with your
side? Do you feel like tackling the 'long font sample' problem at the moment?

If you do, then I will wait for that before trying the (scary) process of
merging krautfont into trunk and then making (and testing) the final tarball.

If you are not in the mood, then I will do the merge and get a new version out
as it stands now -- and we can leave the ideas for the next version.

(I want to change direction into a new project for a while. I am also not well
and I struggle to concentrate. I would like to publish Fonty to include your
translations and fixes.)

\d

PS, Saw your wave!

[Michael Hoeft]

Hello \d,

> > You got it? I think on a tooltip-like window, that pops up while the
> > pointer stands still on the font for a time
> An elegant solution, but I am not sure how easy that exact sample would be to
> do...

I fear for non-gtk-geeks it would be (carfully said) not easy. Yet I
will concentrate to the german translation. For me it´s OK to release
FP in the present state include full german (GUI and help). I will do
my best to finish the help file soon.

As I work on the translation, I see in a few details the help doesn´t
fits the actual version:

- the checkbox "include sub-folders" is below not above (see 1)

- "The filter" (see 5) doesn´t consider the new BIR-buttons

I will take care to these points in the german translation. My
suggestion is to send you a translated translation that you might
incorporate in the help file (my "german" english needs certainly some
improvements). As far as possible the english and german contents have
to be indentical.

I hope we can make ourself an christmas present with a new FP-release!

> (I want to change direction into a new project for a while. I am also not well
> and I struggle to concentrate. I would like to publish Fonty to include your
> translations and fixes.)

I wish you will be better soon!!

Have a good time

Michael

[Donn]

On Saturday 12 December 2009 15:03:01 Michael Hoeft wrote:
> I fear for non-gtk-geeks it would be (carfully said) not easy.

I am not sure what you mean, but I take it that you have something in mind :)

> will concentrate to the german translation. For me it´s OK to release
> FP in the present state include full german (GUI and help). I will do
> my best to finish the help file soon.

Cool. I will wait for you to tell me that you are done and then I will try to
merge your branch into trunk. After that I will get it off to Kartik.

> As I work on the translation, I see in a few details the help doesn´t
> fits the actual version:

Thanks, I will fix those.

> improvements). As far as possible the english and german contents have
> to be indentical.

Don't worry about such stringent equality. I will fix the eng help as you
mentioned and I am sure your german help will make sense too.

> I hope we can make ourself an christmas present with a new FP-release!

Heh. I will try. Don't be sad if Santa doesn't drop a URL into your chimney
though!

My net is down today so I don't know when this will send.

\d