[GRASS-dev] New GRASS icons

[Robert Szczepanek]

Martin Landa-2 wrote:
> 
> 
>> Michael Barton wrote:
>>  > Second step for new icons:
>>  > http://www.szczepanek.pl/icons.grass/index.php#2
>>  > Please take a look at >layer< and symbols for general actions.
>>
>>  New - I don't know. But I don't know what a good icon for "new" would
>>  be. "*" as a modifier may be as good as it gets. "+" on a "folder"?
> 
> E.g. "create new workspace", "new raster map", etc.?
> 
> -- 
> Martin Landa <landa.martin gmail.com> * http://gama.fsv.cvut.cz/~landa *
> 

Asterix (*) is recently used as synonim of 'new/create'. 
Plus (+) for adding item that already exist.
My general idea is to separate actions from objects. This way creation and
recognition of icons will be simpler.
Create new workspace -> is connection of workspace (object) and create new
(action)
New raster map -> raster map (object) & new/create (action)
This approach should significantly decrease number of primitives. We just
need to prepare set of basic objects and actions. Probably some 70% of icons
can be represented using this method.


Michael Barton wrote:
> 
>> >  Open, save - make sense. But open folder and disk icons have become
>> >  very widely recognized.
> 

I will prepare this option also but there is no much space in 'action' part
of icon (right bottom).


Michael Barton wrote:
> 
>> >  Import, export - look like they mean "forward" and "back". What about
>> >  arrow partly overlapping a folder? Arrowhead pointing towards folder
>> >  and overlapping it (tail extending beyond the folder) for import and
>> >  reverse for export? Something along those lines?
> 

Good idea, I will check it.

An alternative to present toolbar functionality could be context toolbar
i.e. one toolbar with several icons related to the same object (eg. raster
layer). In this case for every object we need separate toolbar and we can
minimize icon information just to action icon. 


Michael Barton wrote:
> 
>> >  Layers: Most GIS people (I think) tend to see maps and layers as
>> >  rectangular so that the edge of the layer lines up with the edge of
>> >  the screen. So the diamond is less easy to understand in the
>> >  abstract. Perhaps color will make it obvious. If so, it is an elegant
>> >  design. I'd go with the left one over the right one.
> 

You are right, but how to make icons for many similar objects. 
We have many objects that in fact are rectangles - layer, workspace, display
monitor, etc. At list the most frequent (like layer) must be very easy to
recognize. So they should be somehow different. This is just one of
proposals.
List of such important 'objects' (especially rectangle ones) with 'actions'
could help me a lot.
http://www.szczepanek.pl/icons.grass/index.php#3

And talking about colors. Accessibility is important, so icon should 'work'
without colors. We will add them at final stage.

Robert

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