[QGIS-Developer] Default action when layer is double-clicked - GUI behavior discussion

[Vedran Stojnović]

Hi everyone,

I have one big annoyance in QGIS UI which is already programmed so it's not
a feature request, and It's not a bug either, so I'm posting it here for
discussion and not on github.

The thing is when you actually use QGIS to get some answers from data, not
when you set up project, and that is, I believe well over 50% QGIS usage in
practice (real life). For example, you open up project, filter some data
from attribute data, overlap it with other data, again open up attribute
data, calculate something (do many other steps...) and in the end you
export data to some format that you need for your job.

The thing is, that I expect that when you double click on layer (and I
suppose everyone else who is using QGIS) is to open up attribute data
table, because that is where the bigger part of data is.
My assumption is based on the fact that almost every other program on your
computer uses this approach to get to properties panel: "right click > menu
> properties". That is a standard procedure that's baked in to operating
systems, and almost all GUI programs follow it. In QGIS we have, by
default, different approach, double click opens up properties panel, and to
get to features data you have to go to "right click > open attribute data".
Think of this as when you use file manager if you want to open folder you
have to "right click -> open folder" and if you double-click it, it opens
up properties of that folder.
Additional problem is that there is no icon to open attribute data table
just above list of layers, you have to go all to the other way of screen
just to show attribute table. (I'm talking from beginners perspective -
from someone who is using the program for the first time, and that is not
intuitive if you ask me).

So, my proposal is to change default behavior upon installation in
"Settings > Canvas & Legend > Layer legend > Double-click action in legend"
to "Open attribute table" instead of "Open layers properties". This would
satisfy most of regular users, program will be a little bit more user
friendly, and "project managers" (who is working a lot with setting up
projects) can always return to old behavior in settings.

-- 
Kind regards,
Vedran Stojnović.
-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: <http://lists.osgeo.org/pipermail/qgis-developer/attachments/20200429/d1978739/attachment.html>