[Qgis-developer] tabbed interface

[Tim Sutton]

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Hi

So as Martin said the tabs were removed in the cleanup phase for 1.0
release. The intention was to reinstate them when we had an actual
multi-view implementation to accompany them. I would very much like to
see the composer embedded into a tab instead of popping up a separate
main window. And of course there is the 3d view coming down the line.
I'd also like to see the georef plugin able to funtion as two side by
side map views since the interface is a little awkward at the moment.

As mentioned on the IRC channel we could also consider using dock
widgets instead of tabs because they may give us all the functionality
we want since they can be:
- - stacked like tabs
- - placed side by side for view against view comparison stuff
- - torn of for floating windows

As Martin also mentioned the main thing we need to do is revise the
architecture so that we can have multiple canvases without breaking
existing tools.

One more thing to consider is how to deal with layer instances that are
share accross canvases. I can see these scenarios:

- - add a layer to a canvas and drag it onto another canvas using a
modifier key e.g. ctl to copy it over and keep symbology syncronised

- - add a layer to a canvas and drag it onto another canvas using a
different modifier key e.g. alt to copy it over and keep symbology
UNsyncronised

- - do the same without modifier to move a layer from one canvas to another

- - add a layer using conventional dialog to a canvas and ensure that
registry has a unique instance for each time layer was added

We also need to account for the use case scenario where a user wants two
copies of the same canvas just rendered at different scales - much like
the overview currently does.


We also have to add infrastructure to dynamically change legends as
canvas focus changes, or embed the legend as part of a more complex
canvas widget.

Regards

Tim



Martin Dobias wrote:
> 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
> _______________________________________________
> Qgis-developer mailing list
> Qgis-developer at lists.osgeo.org
> http://lists.osgeo.org/mailman/listinfo/qgis-developer
> 


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Tim Sutton - QGIS Project Steering Committee Member (Release  Manager)
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