kicad-developers team mailing list archive

[Dick Hollenbeck <dick@...>]

Ken Williams wrote:
> OK, I saw the thread started by Gabriele and I see that it
> my main interests are addressed.
>
> For the record, I was primarily interested in reducing the number of mouse
> clicks for changing layer visibility and this proposal addresses that 
> issue
> by allowing a one-click solution. If it was not mentioned in the thread,
> the technique of going to a modeless dialog box has problems in that
> the dialog box still remains on top making the screen real estate problem
> even worse. Going to a parent-less, modeless dialog box allows the dialog
> box to drop under the drawing window, but presents other window 
> management issues.
> (I tried these methods)
>
> To Gabriele: I have a lot of interest in this issue from recent 
> experience making a PCB
> with KICAD, so I will be glad to take your work and provide feedback, 
> or even make some
> contribution. This was really a number one usability issue during the 
> final during
> the final phase of hand routing a board.
>
> Ken
> ------------------------------------------------------------------------
> **

Ken,

What kind of experience do you have in C++?

What were the specific problems you saw with a parentless modeless 
window or dialog box. You referred to these without explanation.


I see 3 use styles for this color/visibility control:


1) User has dual monitors. He wants the color/visibliity control on 
screen all the time, on the 2nd monitor. Out of the way, but always 
visible. (This would be me.)

2) User wants to doc the control and dovetail it onto the existing 
pcbnew frame. Small size makes this less painful and costly.

3) User cannot afford to give up any permanent real-estate. Wants the 
control to pop up and go away when not in use. (The small monitor crowd.)


Anything that can make everyone happy should be on the table. wxAUI 
docable toolbar may be the answer.


Dick