[Qgis-developer] tabbed interface

[Martin Dobias]

Hi Maxim

2009/5/3 Maxim Dubinin <sim at gis-lab.info>:
> Hi all,
>
> I wanted to get some ideas about tabbed interface extension for QGIS,
> recently suggested by Lynx_r. Right now the tabs are visible only if
> more than 1 tab is present. Do I understand right that QGIS had tabs
> before? THey are present on some pictures, like this one for example.
>
> [1] http://www.maths.lancs.ac.uk/~rowlings/Software/Spqr/barplot.png

that was quite some time ago when we were considering move to a tabbed
interface. But it never got more work than just the creation of the
tab widget so in some higher version it was removed to same some
space.


> I see it as a feature which can really add to QGIS unique feel and
> look. Right now it allows to have multiple versions of QGIS layer stacks under one
> roof, something like Firefox. It was made to run other type of
> views: for example 3D View. But I'm thinking that Map composer Layout
> and may be Tables, can fit into the tabs too.

This was the original idea: support more canvas views at once (or even
more projects at once) and allow more types of views - just as you
write: map composer, attribute table, georeferencer etc.


> Tabbed interface raises at least two questions:
> 1. Should we adopt changes to project file also? May be make a
> separate "Save multiproject file?" option, available if more than 1
> tab is open?

There's a technical barrier - there's quite some QGIS code that
assumes there's just one active project and there's just one map
canvas view.

> 2. Should we also develop the idea of putting Map Composer into a tab?
> If so, this would probably mean, that some of the tools need to be
> hidden depending on tab type (data view, map layout, table, 3D, etc.)

IMO this is the way to go. I had some further ideas: the views would
come with their own "widgets" that are appropriate to only that type
of view - e.g. legend, overview and editing tools for map canvas view,
georeferencing settings for georeferencer, ...
Moreover, these tabs should be detachable: everyone uses a different
setup - someone with very large screen (or more screens) would prefer
to open some views in separate windows (and see them all at once)
instead of having to switch between them.


Bye
Martin