Usability

[frumpy]

Hi guys,

once in a while some usability issues pop up.

1.
I made a panel, most instruments are in and with a lit up lightbulb (=instrument visible).
I dont like instrument A, turn its bulb off, press "DEL" in order to delete the instrument
off my list, some popup tells me to confirm,
... there goes my panel

For some reason DEL is linked to delete the whole panel!

(if I press "no", the panel remains in place, but the instrument is gone)


2.
Also, I was looking for a panel background. Its called "panel filler", perhaps "background" would
be a better name for it.
Background issues normally happen once I am about to finish a panel - but due to overlapping
its a pain to move all other instruments on top. Better would be if I could move the instrument
up in the instrument list, so it gets loaded first.

3.
Panel is loaded in the background, AM window is on top. I click "add instrument", then close.
I would expect the AM window, yet I am getting the panel.


Thanks guys

[Ralph]

Are you running 2.1.3? If you get a message, then it means you're deleting the panel, if you delete an instrument you won't get a message.

[russ]

Frumpy

I called it panel filler as I intended for it to be used in multiple instances and eac resisted to fill in any blank spots in the layout giving it the appearance of a solid panel. If sized right it can snap to the existing instruments to fill the void. It may take a good number of these rectangles to fill all the goods. I may be misunderstanding but are you using that single filler panel as a backgrounds do putting the instruments in top of them? If so any stray click on that background brings it to the top and overs all the other instruments.

Russ

[frumpy]

Hi Ralph,

yes, exactly. Is it intuitive to you? What I was trying to point out (I study this) is that my mental model
(which may be wrong) sometimes collides with the technical model. It's like with the Cali 757 accident,
FMS gave a different output than expected.
In other words, I pointed out what I would expect and maybe other users feel the same, I don't know. Personally I
prefer the older menu structure over the new one, it was more intuitive and safe to use (I am using 2.1.3 now), but results may vary.


Russ, yes, that makes sense. We have a different mental model
The misclick can be overcome, if the other instruments are "put on top", but this messes up my windows-experience.
Perhaps a checkmark "Gauge is background" (as opposed to "put on top") would help, at least it would take only
one filler gauge instead of several. But either way, now I know your model and it works for me.


edit: I just saw, you have a "feedback" forum. So this thread should have gone there

[russ]

This background issue will be resolved in v2.2 when the entire panel will reside in a single resizable movable wndow that will allow a sold color, transparent, or PNG file as he background . This will simplify things and I believe behnd the interface changes starting I n v2.1.2. Patience, you I'll like 2.2. Currently each instrument is a separate window. That is why they have to be positioned and resized one at a time....a pain.