kicad-developers team mailing list archive

[Wayne Stambaugh <stambaughw@xxxxxxxxx>]

That's a fair question that I'm not sure I can answer.  Can we
reasonably assume that the user expects the default action to be edit as
opposed to view or any other action?  I just don't know.  I do know that
icons should be reasonable (which is always subject to interpretation)
metaphors for the action they represent.  In this case the metaphors are
edit a symbol library and edit a footprint library.

On 7/6/2016 6:10 AM, Simon Wells wrote:
> As the normal is edit is there really a need of a pencil icon as
> opposed to just having the magnifying glass on gerbview as its only a
> viewer?
> 
> 
> 
> On Wed, Jul 6, 2016 at 9:22 PM, Wayne Stambaugh <stambaughw@xxxxxxxxx> wrote:
>> On 7/6/2016 3:20 AM, Fabrizio Tappero wrote:
>>> Dear All,
>>> few years have passed since the last main Kicad icon restyling. In my
>>> opinion, the current icons are serving us quite well except for very few
>>> which could use a little face lift.
>>>
>>> The few icons that make me particularly itchy are the main Kicad icons
>>> for which this very imposing pencil does not play very well. I know that
>>> some of your really want a pencil to suggest that those tools are for
>>> editing. The truth is that now a days icons can be a little more subtle.
>>>
>>> I'd like to propose these new set of icons for the main KiCad toolbar.
>>> Please let me know what you think and please if there is anybody who
>>> wants to help out please, now is the moment.
>>>
>>> Cheers
>>> Fabrizio
>>>
>>
>> Fabrizio,
>>
>> The symbol library editor bitmap is too generic.  We have two library
>> editors, a symbol library editor and a footprint library editor.  Your
>> proposed symbol library editor icon is ambiguous (it just an icon for a
>> library metaphor).  If it had a symbol such as and op-amp superimposed
>> over the top of the books, that may be more clear.  I may also need some
>> edit metaphor (such as the pencil in the current icon) as well because
>> it could be confused as library viewer rather than and editor.  Although
>> our current icon is also ambiguous.  It looks like you are going to open
>> a text editor.
>>
>> Your footprint library editor icon could be confusing as well.  Most PCB
>> layout users are familiar with the concept of component footprints.
>> It's what they do.  The human footprint may be more familiar to
>> non-technical users but I don't think that is relevant for KiCad users.
>> There is also no edit metaphor.  Perhaps you should use your symbol
>> library editor icon with a component footprint and some edit metaphor
>> (pencil?) superimposed over top of it for the footprint library editor icon.
>>
>> Cheers,
>>
>> Wayne
>>
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