Beta testers for calibre 3.0 needed

[kovidgoyal]

@theducks: The buttons in the toolbar are also all flat as are the entries in the Tag browser, I dont recall anyone not realizing they are clickable. The combination of icon + text is pretty clear.

@BR: I just forgot to flatten the search highlights button, thanks for reminding me. Up/down arrow keys in the find box will be fixed. And I'll fix the shortcut names.

@Terisa: Dont worry the separators are not going away.

[Terisa de morgan]

Originally Posted by kovidgoyal

@Terisa: Dont worry the separators are not going away.

Thank you. Yes, a user "used" to calibre interface doesn't need them, but I think they make sense.

And I talked before about button / label and the main reason is that "Virtual library" and "Tag browser" are both together, both with icons near them, but you have to hover to see that it is a different behavior.

[kovidgoyal]

@Terisa: sure, but if the user clicks on Tag browser and nothing happens, it is no great loss, she simply wont click on it again. Having buttons near the albel is pretty unavoidable there, unless you make the tag browser very wide.

[m.s]

I just forgot to flatten the search highlights button, thanks for reminding me.

The "Close the virtual library"-button (left from the search bar) is also not flattend. And is there a difference to the close-button on the virtual-library-tabs?

[jony08]

@kovidgoyal: I think that the 'Manage, authors, tags, etc.' in the Tag browser settings could be moved to the Status bar, next to the Layout button. It is hard to find now.

[kovidgoyal]

@m. s. It is flattenned in 2.99.13 and it is only visible if you have not enabled virtual library tabs (this is the same as in calibre 2.x)

[PandathePanda]

Something I saw in the terminal, and have no idea what I did to produce it, thought it might be of interest (but since I can't reproduce it I'm not sure if it's a bug of calibre or linux)

*** BUG ***
In pixman_region32_init_rect: Invalid rectangle passed
Set a breakpoint on '_pixman_log_error' to debug

[kovidgoyal]

As far as I know, calibre does not use pixman, I dont even know what that is. From a brief google, it seems to be a pixel manipulation library, probably used by some component on your system.

[BetterRed]

Originally Posted by kovidgoyal

@Terisa: sure, but if the user clicks on Tag browser and nothing happens, it is no great loss, she simply wont click on it again. Having buttons near the albel is pretty unavoidable there, unless you make the tag browser very wide.

How about using a lighter font weight and/or italics for 'Tag Browser' and any other similar labels - ie strings that don't respond to a click. Just an idea.

Any chance of a kb short for Layout? Then I can forget the ones I have for toggling Tag Browser, Book Details etc and use Shift+Alt+L and down arrows.

BR

[davidfor]

Originally Posted by BetterRed

How about using a lighter font weight and/or italics for 'Tag Browser' and any other similar labels - ie strings that don't respond to a click. Just an idea.

It does feel like something is needed. And I didn't think of the tools icon as a button. I also started to grab the "title bar" and undock the Tag browser.

The things that looks out of place new is the virtual library tabs and the Virtual library button. The first tab is above the tag browser and is about the same width. Because of that, it doesn't feel connected to the other tabs. And the Virtual library button feels like it is disconnected from the tabs that it controls. Should it be at the start of the tabs?

[JSWolf]

One issue I have is that the the Preferences icon is being used in multiple places and that just doesn't work. You need different icons because they mean different things.

[BetterRed]

Originally Posted by jony08

@kovidgoyal: I think that the 'Manage, authors, tags, etc.' in the Tag browser settings could be moved to the Status bar, next to the Layout button. It is hard to find now.

I agree with this up to a point. One shouldn't have to open the Tag Browser in order to maintain User Categories, change some Author Links because an external resource changed, or to rationalise values for a custom column.

However, I suggest the Manage authors etc.... menu be put in to a regular toolbar item so that the user can put it where it suits them best. And if it were possible I would do the same with Layout.

If folks want some action items at the bottom of the main window, for reasons of symmetry perhaps, they can put them in the optional second toolbar.

BR

[BetterRed]

Originally Posted by davidfor

It does feel like something is needed. And I didn't think of the tools icon as a button. I also started to grab the "title bar" and undock the Tag browser.

The things that looks out of place new is the virtual library tabs and the Virtual library button. The first tab is above the tag browser and is about the same width. Because of that, it doesn't feel connected to the other tabs. And the Virtual library button feels like it is disconnected from the tabs that it controls. Should it be at the start of the tabs?

Or decorate the VL tabs, e.g. Office Tabs in MS Word



Or give the Tag Browser tools bar a 1 pixie border.

Using a blue sprocket (that's what it looks like to me) for the advanced search icon doesn't seem to be very intuitive - how about resurrecting the binoculars icon.

Does anyone have a rationale for why this Ikea flat pack look has taken hold, my theory is that it's a reactionary response to Windows Aero.

BR

[chaley]

Originally Posted by BetterRed

Does anyone have a rationale for why this Ikea flat pack look has taken hold, my theory is that it's a reactionary response to Windows Aero.

No idea, and I wish it hadn't. Now one must sweep the mouse hither and yon to find active regions of the screen. For the life of me I can't see why it is better then visually obvious buttons.

And yes, I am an old fart who doesn't like change, especially change that seems to be only for change's sake.

[davidfor]

Originally Posted by BetterRed

Or decorate the VL tabs, e.g. Office Tabs in MS Word

Attachment 157297

Yes, something like that would work. Even a little shape would do it.

Or give the Tag Browser tools bar a 1 pixie border.

Using a blue sprocket (that's what it looks like to me) for the advanced search icon doesn't seem to be very intuitive - how about resurrecting the binoculars icon.

When I first saw it, I thought it was to maintain the saved searches. Or open the search preferences.