[QGIS-Developer] UX of Raster Legend in the QGIS Layers Panel

[Niklas Alt]

Dear QGIS Developers,

I am a long time user, first time subscriber to this list. I am active 
though for some years within the local
OSGeo Chapter of Germany FOSSGIS (and the QGIS user group), so some 
people on the list might be able
to put a face on this message.

I am always expressing my gratitude to the QGIS dev-community in 
personal, so let me start with a big thank you.
I have been using QGIS for the last 10 years and our community has come 
a long way.

Now to my issue: A few versions back QGIS has started to expand raster 
files with a legend, once they are
added to the layer-panel. We are working mostly with georeferenced 
historical maps, so for the most part
the maps are simple RGB files with transparency. And often we add dozens 
of maps which make up a city.
Leading to long lists of expanded legends informing about the fact that 
all maps are made up of RGB color bands.

Additionaly we are relying on the opacity slider, which can be added to 
the layer tree, allowing for a convenient
way to control the opacity of the added maps. However the slider is only 
visible when the map is expanded in the layer-panel.

I have posted a while back on mastodon and have added some images for 
illustrative purposes:

https://fedihum.org/@oshistory/111821429135997460

Perhaps the following alterations might be considered for an improved UX:

  - new raster layers are collapsed by default (users who need to 
inspect the legend can toggle it)
  - users can decided if they want the legend to  be displayed. This 
could for instance be set within the Legend
    Tab of the Layer Properties panel. In fact, there already is an 
option to use a placeholder, maybe a simple boolean
    checkbox could serve as a graphical control item
  - maybe the legend and other UI Elements (like the mentioned opacity 
slider) could be seperated.

Best Wishes,

Niklas Alt, Marburg, Germany


-- 
Niklas Alt  Wiss. MA. Hessisches Institut für Landesgeschichte
Wilhelm-Röpke-Str. 6C 35032 Marburg fon +49 (0)6421 28-91759 fax -24799

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