Some review discussion for:

-------- Forwarded Message --------
Subject: Re: Ready for Review: Plot Page Configuration Revisions / Implicit Save / Symbolic Date Times
Date: Fri, 23 Jan 2015 11:16
From: billo
To: Phil Weinstein

We should consider Yes for:

The database DMI editor dialog is a good example. The editor provides a line edit where users can enter any symbolic date/time or a Rpl function which returns a DateTime. The line edit's context menu has menu items for common symbolic date/times, for example:

When a user edits a symbolic date/time of the form "Start Timestep + N Timesteps" the "N" is automatically selected and the user simply types the new value. The editor provides tremendous flexibility while enabling users to do common things easily.

Bill

-------- Original Message --------
Subject: Re: Ready for Review: Plot Page Configuration Revisions / Implicit Save / Symbolic Date Times
Date: Thu, 15 Jan 2015 11:17
From: Phil Weinstein
To: David Neumann , Tim Magee , Edie Zagona , Patrick Lynn

David, good points.

The original problem: It is unfortunate that configuration changes which the user has already acknowledged by pressing an OK button aren't retained unless the user performs a subsequent "save". But David is correct that some of those types of changes can be effected in a way which didn't have that kind of acknowledgement (clicking "OK").

How do people feel about instead adding these two buttons to the bottom-right corner of the plot page?

(The vertical axis scale issue is a good example of what we're talking about. The "button" solution I'm suggesting would apply to that too -- we wouldn't need to add a configure Y range panel, as such).

Regarding the "selected plot" complication, I propose that a simplified version of the dialog, lacking those nuances, be shown when the plot page contains just a single plot. (I did already propose making that distinction in the symbolic date/time combo boxes).

A third issue: I hadn't considered and explored the idea of using RPL Symbolic Date/Times in this. I suspect that invites a lot of unneeded complexity, but I wonder if anyone thinks we should explore that.

So, THREE decisions to make:

  1. Is the "button" solution -- instead of the automatic implicit save -- good? Should we do that?
  2. Does presenting "selected plot" nuances only when there are multiple plots address David's complexity concern?
  3. Do we need to take some time to consider use of RPL Symbolic Date/Times?

My recommendation is Yes, Yes, and No.

- Phil

-------- Forwarded Message --------
Subject: Re: Ready for Review: Plot Page Configuration Revisions / Implicit Save / Symbolic Date Times
Date: Thu, 15 Jan 2015 10:30
From: David Neumann
To: Phil Weinstein
CC: Tim Magee , Edie Zagona , Patrick Lynn

This line concerns me:
When a saved plot page (having an assigned name) is closed, its configuration is implicitly saved.

I don't think closing a dialog (esp with the red X) should ever apply or save changes. We need some other way... I thought that was going to happen at the time you click OK/Apply in one of the configuration dialogs. That doesn't seem like it will work either though as now I see you can change configuration (like styles or deleting curves) without ever getting to a dialog. Also, what are we doing about the Y axes? If you zoom on the y axis, we shouldn't save that automatically when it is closed. It should only save when some configuration is changed. Do we need another control for "configure y range".

If we are going change this "save" paradigm, we should do it the correct way, which I see as going to an OK/Apply/cancel button for the plot and make it more like model reports and output canvas. One of the issues we are running into is that the viewing and configuring is all in the same place. Maybe we should separate those (like the output canvas)?

Also, the new dialog has too many buttons and toggles at the bottom for "all plots" or "selected plots". I had to read your text to figure out what each would do. This needs to be simplified, not sure how.

David

-------- Forwarded Message --------
Subject: Ready for Review: Plot Page Configuration Revisions / Implicit Save / Symbolic Date Times
Date: Wed, 14 Jan 2015 20:00
From: Phil Weinstein
To: David Neumann , Tim Magee , Edie Zagona , Patrick Lynn

This document is ready for review. (This will later be moved to a Word document, in some form, but it is currently just in HTML):

It's about 2 or 3 days of work, including testing.
- Phil

-------- Forwarded Message --------
Subject: Re: Draft: Plot Page Configuration Revisions / Implicit Save / Symbolic Date Times
Date: Wed, 14 Jan 2015 13:37
From: Phil Weinstein
To: David Neumann , Tim Magee , Edie Zagona , Patrick Lynn

Patrick expressed interest in being involved in part of this review (but a bit later, not at the moment).

I've modified the Configure Plot Page Time Range dialog mockup. The proposal document is still in progress; I'll have it more fleshed out later today with a description of the configuration dialog. But, it would be meaningful to have the current outline reviewed whenever any of you have time to look at that

Here are the prior design documents and images:

- Phil
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