[Qgis-developer] What is "Discourage other labels from covering features in this layer" option in layer properties?

[DelazJ]

Hi all,
Nyall, Thanks for the feedback and the work you've done. I read your
article few weeks ago but didn't try the new functions till last day.

I agree that layer, regardless it is labelled or not, should offer the
option of being an obstacle of any other layer's label. I suppose you mean
that, as far as possible, labels from another layer shouldn't "touch"
interior or boundary of the layer's features. I can easily figure it out
for point and polyline layer but not that easy for polygon (except for
boundaries). You didn't write about but would you mind explaining the
expected behaviour of "Over the feature's interior" - for polygons - in
"minimise placing labels" options. What can be its use case?

Sorry, I'm not an UI expert but what about adding a checkbox "Discourage
other labels from covering features in this layer" in top of the old
checkbox "Label this layer with" in Labels tab ? We then have two
checkboxes:
- the first one manages the relation with the labels of other layers
- and the other one for labelling the layer as we use to (with its current
sub-tabs).
Then the layer can be labelled and/or "obstacled" without interference.
What may be difficult with this schema is that it doesn't handle the
"minimise placing labels" options, unless adding a combobox after the first
checkbox (available for polygons).
I think user should clearly identify whether the obstacle option is within
the layer (in render tab) or against other layers (the top checkbox).

Regards,
DelazJ

2015-09-02 22:57 GMT+02:00 Nyall Dawson <nyall.dawson at gmail.com>:

> On 2 September 2015 at 22:46, DelazJ <delazj at gmail.com> wrote:
> > In QGIS master (524716f), Layer's Properties > Labels, where we use to
> > select in a combobox the field to label, there is now a combobox with
> > options like :
> > - No labels;
> > - Show labels for this layer;
> > - Discourage other labels from covering features in this layer.
> > I'd like to understand why this third option is there and what it does
> > (since choosing it just deactivates labels properties - just like "No
> > labels" option).
> > If it's supposed to set the layer features as obstacles for other layer's
> > labels, shouldn't it be a checkbox in Labels > rendering > Obstacles?
> > Moreover, someone may want to show labels of a layer but discourage other
> > layers to have their labels covering the features of the first layer. Is
> > that possible with this configuration without duplicating the layer?
>
> There's a little more detail about the change here [1]. But basically,
> in the past it was only possible for a layer to act as an obstacle for
> labeling if the layer itself had labels. This isn't ideal - eg in my
> current project I have a water bodies layer which isn't labelled, but
> I still want to avoid labels for roads/features being placed over the
> water features where possible.
>
> So this change was made so that you can now have layers act as
> obstacles without being labelled themselves. I agree that the UI for
> this isn't ideal, but I couldn't come up with a better approach. This
> setting needs to be grouped with the label properties, and it's also
> important to make it clear that if you label a layer it can still act
> as an obstacle layer.
>
> I do have one followup change planned, which is to move the actual
> widgets for configuring the obstacle behaviour (eg the obstacle
> priority and polygon obstacle behaviour combobox) into a new
> "obstacles" setting pane (placed under the existing
> buffer/shadow/placement/... etc panes). Then this obstacle pane would
> be set as the only visible pane when the mode is set to "discourage
> other labels...", since the settings there apply also to obstacle-only
> layers. Make sense?
>
> I'm not tied to this approach, and am open to a better UX for this.
> Mockups are welcome!
>
> Nyall
>
>
>
>
>
>
> [1]
> http://nyalldawson.net/2015/07/recent-labelling-improvements-in-qgis-master/
>
>
> >
> > Thanks
> >
> > _______________________________________________
> > Qgis-developer mailing list
> > Qgis-developer at lists.osgeo.org
> > http://lists.osgeo.org/mailman/listinfo/qgis-developer
>
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