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

Wed Jan 6 06:39:41 PST 2016

Hi,
I'd like to know what's the current state of this issue.
I've made a suggestion of design but it was before rule-based labeling
support. Anita asked for a mockup but I'm not sure I can efficiently design
one; so write some ideas

Currently, you can:
- label a layer and discourage labels from other layers to cover its
features
- discourage labels from other features to cover features of a not labeled
layer
But what if I want to label a layer and don't want to see labels from other
layers cover its features? I suppose I need to add it twice (a labeled one
and a "discouraged" one).

To improve the dialog and help fix the issue above, what about :
- adding at the top of the dialog a checkbox with "Discourage other labels
from covering features in this layer".
- and keeping in the current listbox : 'No Labels', 'Show labels for this
layer', 'Rule-based labeling'.
These two options will be independent from each other, meaning that you can
choose to "discourage other labels from covering features" (or not) for
either a labeled or not labeled layer.

(Thinking loudly)
Maybe the "Discourage other labels from covering features in this layer"
could be a checkable group box with the obstacles parameters moved inside.
However, I am not able to see how Obstacles features will behave in case of
rule-based labeling.

Harrissou

2015-10-11 17:22 GMT+02:00 Anita Graser <anitagraser at gmx.at>:

> Thanks for bringing this up again DelazJ!
>
> On Sun, Oct 11, 2015 at 3:26 PM, DelazJ <delazj at gmail.com> wrote:
>>
>> I think this thread may also concern the UX list
>>
>> http://osgeo-org.1560.x6.nabble.com/What-is-quot-Discourage-other-labels-from-covering-features-in-this-layer-quot-option-in-layer-prope-td5222293.html
>>
>
> Is there a ticket for this UX issue yet? We could work on some GUI
> mockups for after this feature freeze.
>
> Best wishes,
> Anita
>
>
>
>
>
>>
>> Thanks
>>
>> 2015-09-10 16:38 GMT+02:00 DelazJ <delazj at gmail.com>:
>>
>>> 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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