beta: ability to switch to the old UI

• 37 9

  Message de tahutoa le …
  The new user interface just isn't my cup of tea, but I'm enjoying some of the new features that have been implemented. I'd like to request the ability to choose which version of the interface graphics we want to use, "2.0" or "Classic," with the "Classic" setting retaining the appearance of Polyphone 1.8 and prior but maintaining the user's widget colour choices.
  It'll help users like me who don't really like having all the icons rearranged and redesigned to the point of having to relearn the UI, and I dislike needing to open a menu to access the now-obnoxiously large tester keyboard instead of having it small and embedded like before.
  Other things I dislike about the new UI:
  the buttons no longer having labels at all times: it can be annoying if you can't immediately tell what a symbol represents
  the little spider-web graphic over in the left tab can be distracting, and I'd like to turn it off.
  It's also really obnoxious that I can't freely manipulate the size of the Modulators tab and the Sample-Instrument-Preset tab anymore.
  The lack of Menu Bar ("File, Edit, Configure, Tools, Help"). Shoving them all into one box at the exact opposite side of the screen that they used to be on, then putting the "New Preset" type buttons there in its place, more or less, is not conducive at all.
  
  The ability to mix and match elements of new and old UIs could be useful, but at the very least I'd like the option to be able to switch between UIs, as the new interface reminds me far too much of other interfaces that were much more annoying, and by making it the only option you risk losing people who share my preferences but are less willing to compromise.
  
  I also think having the 1.x series be considered a different program from 2.0 would be a good idea, I didn't like that downloading the beta seems to have replaced 1.8 entirely.
• 410 0

  Message de Davy le … 1
  I'm sorry that the new design is not to your liking. It's been made so that the interface is clean, optimizing space and with the options at the right place. The tab disposition is of great help to display different kinds of windows.
  
  An option for the old GUI
  
  The software has been almost entirely redesigned and the old GUI has been removed. Stepping back or re-developing the old GUI is unfortunately not an option due to the resources that are limited. If it happened that the new version is really "obnoxious", everyone can fork the project (since it's open source) and take another direction. But this will not be mine. Improving the new interface can however be done, of course.
  
  Classic menu removed
  
  I assume the choice of removing the classic menu "file / edit / ...". Due to the different tabs that can be open, each tab possibly providing different kind of features, the previous menu was not suitable. Commands are now just at the right place and the menu could have been replaced by a single button, just like the current web browsers. The new button shouldn't be used that much except maybe for "save as" or "export".
  
  Virtual keyboard
  
  It's now always in a separate modal window so that keys are more easily triggered and options can be found just below. I prefer to wait from other user experience to know if it's really impairing the software use.
  
  Button labels
  
  There are fewer buttons than before and a tooltip is displayed on mouse hover. Learning the GUI shouldn't be that hard... Uncommon symbols are: sample, instrument, preset => every user should be used to it since there are the basic elements of a soundfont. These symbols are also in the tree.
  
  Decorations
  
  The cobweb can be removed in the preferences. It was suggested for accessibility to blind users. When using a screen reader, the blue decoration can indeed interfere with the blue selection.
  
  Changing tree width
  
  This feature has not been restored since the tree is now better managed. The text is elided in the middle for instance in the tree has a minimum width. I didn't want to bother users with an extra feature that shouldn't be necessary.
  
  Hiding the modulator area
  
  This feature can be restored if needed but I was thinking that it could be a bad idea. Modulators are part of an instrument or preset and hiding it would prevent us to see everything.
  Edit: I created tickets for this (here  and here )
• 2 0

  Message de Kj le …
  I do like the update, and I appreciate all your efforts to make the program better.
  
  The main thing I miss from the look of the old GUI is the different colours in the main tree view for samples (green), instruments (blue), and presets (red). It was a simple but very effective way of the user being able to quickly identify what they're working on or looking for, very intuitive. In the new look, everything is blue, I'm wondering if it's possible to add the option to use the old colour scheme in this way? I like it, I'm still using v1.9.
• 410 0

  Message de Davy le … 1
  It will be done: https://github.com/davy7125/polyphone/issues/52 

Connectez-vous ou inscrivez-vous pour participer à la discussion.