View Issue Details

IDProjectCategoryView StatusLast Update
0016883ScribusUser Interfacepublic2023-05-29 16:05
Reporterpmjdebruijn Assigned Tonitramr  
PrioritynormalSeverityminorReproducibilityalways
Status assignedResolutionopen 
Product Version1.6.0.svn 
Target Version1.7.0 
Summary0016883: Ugly/Unreadable Arrange Pages / Document Pages labels
DescriptionSee the attached screenshot montage for clarity.

But the pages shown in the Document Pages section (which master pages are currently being applied to each page) in the Arrange Pages dockable window , typically end up unreadable, unless a two letter prefix is used.

The attached patch applies such a prefix by default to the Normal master pages in Scribus, given these can't easily be renamed by the end user.

I'm guessing this will impact translations though.
TagsNo tags attached.
PatchYes

Relationships

related to 0013297 assignednitramr [Feature] Color Code Master Pages like in Layers dialog (mockup included) 

Activities

pmjdebruijn

2023-01-05 18:19

reporter  

normalmaster.patch (1,441 bytes)   
diff --git a/scribus/commonstrings.cpp b/scribus/commonstrings.cpp
index 66b725631..274cbafc3 100644
--- a/scribus/commonstrings.cpp
+++ b/scribus/commonstrings.cpp
@@ -356,13 +356,13 @@ void CommonStrings::languageChange()
 	CommonStrings::trPageLocRight       = tr( "Right Page", "Right page location" );
 
 	CommonStrings::masterPageNormal         = "Normal";
-	CommonStrings::trMasterPageNormal       = tr( "Normal", "Default single master page" );
+	CommonStrings::trMasterPageNormal       = tr( "N - Normal", "Default single master page" );
 	CommonStrings::masterPageNormalLeft     = "Normal Left";
-	CommonStrings::trMasterPageNormalLeft   = tr( "Normal Left", "Default left master page" );
+	CommonStrings::trMasterPageNormalLeft   = tr( "NL - Normal Left", "Default left master page" );
 	CommonStrings::masterPageNormalMiddle   = "Normal Middle";
-	CommonStrings::trMasterPageNormalMiddle = tr( "Normal Middle", "Default middle master page" );
+	CommonStrings::trMasterPageNormalMiddle = tr( "NM - Normal Middle", "Default middle master page" );
 	CommonStrings::masterPageNormalRight    = "Normal Right";
-	CommonStrings::trMasterPageNormalRight  = tr( "Normal Right", "Default right master page" );
+	CommonStrings::trMasterPageNormalRight  = tr( "NR - Normal Right", "Default right master page" );
 
 	CommonStrings::trPenStyle_SolidLine      = tr("Solid Line");
 	CommonStrings::trPenStyle_DashedLine     = tr("Dashed Line");
normalmaster.patch (1,441 bytes)   

ale

2023-01-17 20:37

manager   ~0049944

well, since you asked for feedback...

i don't think that this patch is very useful. if the are only one set of left and right master pages, the left will be left and the right will be right (ok, as long as you don't delete single pages in a double sided page).
in that case you won't even be really interested in this dialog.
on the other side, for all user created master pages you would have the same issue as you have now (except if somebody copies your naming schema, which she can already do, without this patch...)

but i also think that your patch might have paved the way for a more interesting approach: since the small pages cannot show much meaningful information in the name, we could just show the first letter of each word in the master page name. (instead of the first few letters in the name)
that could be rather simple to implement.

german people won't like that of course : - )

PeterBenedek

2023-01-18 04:56

developer   ~0049945

A language-independent solution is to use a color label... ...but it seems like a lot of work (0013297)

pmjdebruijn

2023-01-18 17:27

reporter   ~0049948

I'm not sure those are strong points though. Just because it's easy to deduce which master page is applied to which actual page, isn't really a good reason for the UI to be unreadable.

Changing the behavior to automatically show the first letter of each word, sounds nice at first, but what if some has master pages that abbreviate to the same letters?

"My" approach (I didn't think of this myself, I saw it somewhere on YouTube, don't recall exactly where). Leaves control with the user, so if several master pages would abbreviate to the same letters, they can choose to abbreviate them L1 R1 L2 R2 etc, or whatever. Also by having the default master page naming like this, it signals to users, that it might be a good idea to name master pages in this fashion. The way it is now, it's not obvious this is a somewhat good idea to begin with.

Same for colors, seems nice at first, but when you have a fair amount of master pages, easily distinguishable colors run out quickly.

PeterBenedek

2023-01-18 18:22

developer   ~0049949

Last edited: 2023-01-18 18:24

" Same for colors, seems nice at first, but when you have a fair amount of master pages, easily distinguishable colors run out quickly. "
Master page worth be used when a template can be used on many pages of a document. Therefore, little is usually needed.
The colors help identify incorrect master page assignments. It is a very effective help for documents with hundreds of pages.

I like your idea, this is how I use Scribus by default (One character designation for master pages.)

jghali

2023-01-19 17:09

administrator   ~0049952

Another solution could be to automatically prefix master page names in the "Available Master Pages section" by a letter (A, B, C, D, ...) (or two in pathologic cases) and use that letter prefix in the "Document Pages" section.

pmjdebruijn

2023-01-19 18:19

reporter   ~0049953

I don't see why that would be better. A semirandom letter does not make for a good reminder for that master page is assigned, as you'd still need to remember what letter presents what master page, which is sortof my point, let the user be in control.

jghali

2023-01-19 23:05

administrator   ~0049955

>> A semirandom letter does not make for a good reminder for that master page is assigned, as you'd still need to remember what letter presents what master page

Not sure why it would be difficult to remember the letter used to represent a specific master page as it would be displayed next to master page name:
A - Normal Left
B - Normal Right
C - My Other Master Page

pmjdebruijn

2023-01-20 18:00

reporter   ~0049958

It totally depend on how many master pages anybody has, but in any case, why make it harder than it needs to be...

"NL - Normal Left" is objectively easier/faster to remember than "A - Normal Left"
"NR - Normal Right" is objectively easier/faster to remember than "B - Normal Right"

The more master pages one has, the more cumbersome the alphabet scheme will become...

So I really think my proposed solution is the optimal one ("least worst"), given the following advantages:
- It's a trivial change, so few chances of regression
- It's immediately applicable if we want it to be (i.e. ready before the next release)
- It hints an easy to remember abbreviation scheme to the end user, but doesn't force anything for additional master pages (so effectively no change there)

PeterBenedek

2023-01-20 20:08

developer   ~0049959

@pmjdebruijn, if it matters anything, i totally agree.

jghali

2023-01-20 21:00

administrator   ~0049960

>> why make it harder than it needs to be...

Because if anyone adds another masterpage, the Document Pages labels are as broken as before.

pmjdebruijn

2023-01-25 16:34

reporter   ~0049976

I think most users will pick up on the hint (some have already), and if they don't they will be no worse off than before.

pmjdebruijn

2023-01-25 16:50

reporter   ~0049977

I still think my solution is the least worst, but even if it wasn't, it provides an immediate improvement, without any hard disadvantages compared to the current situation.
So even if there are more ambition plans for the long term, wouldn't it still make sense to apply in the meanwhile?

Issue History

Date Modified Username Field Change
2023-01-05 18:19 pmjdebruijn New Issue
2023-01-05 18:19 pmjdebruijn File Added: scribus_commonstrings_tr_normal.png
2023-01-05 18:19 pmjdebruijn File Added: normalmaster.patch
2023-01-17 20:37 ale Note Added: 0049944
2023-01-18 04:51 PeterBenedek Relationship added related to 0013297
2023-01-18 04:56 PeterBenedek Note Added: 0049945
2023-01-18 17:27 pmjdebruijn Note Added: 0049948
2023-01-18 18:22 PeterBenedek Note Added: 0049949
2023-01-18 18:24 PeterBenedek Note Edited: 0049949
2023-01-19 17:09 jghali Note Added: 0049952
2023-01-19 18:19 pmjdebruijn Note Added: 0049953
2023-01-19 23:05 jghali Note Added: 0049955
2023-01-20 18:00 pmjdebruijn Note Added: 0049958
2023-01-20 20:08 PeterBenedek Note Added: 0049959
2023-01-20 21:00 jghali Note Added: 0049960
2023-01-25 16:34 pmjdebruijn Note Added: 0049976
2023-01-25 16:50 pmjdebruijn Note Added: 0049977
2023-05-27 16:22 cbradney Target Version => 1.7.0
2023-05-29 16:05 nitramr Assigned To => nitramr
2023-05-29 16:05 nitramr Status new => assigned