Notes menu consolidated into an Inspector panel

[q]

An inspector panel would relieve us from lots of fiddling with menus and dialogs.

Here's an inspector mock up that consolidates most of the features found in the upper half of the Notes menu. It uses existing names and groupings. Eventually some renaming and regrouping would surely improve this first draft suggestion:



q

[q]

I should mention, I'm not suggesting an Inspector panel as a replacement for the present menu/dialog system, but rather as an alternate form of access. The main advantage to the present system is direct access to dialogs via keyboard shortcuts ( i.e. access to a limited number of properties). If we lose that, beginners may feel overwhelmed by the full-on list of properties displayed in an Inspector; veteran users may feel disoriented and find their agility impeded.

However, if keyboard shortcuts could highlight or colorize various portions of the Inspector panel, we may have the best of both worlds: 1) a consolidated collection of properties ; 2) a focused way of accessing them via keystrokes. Many developers use accordion components in an attempt to provide a blend of focus and access, but I think accordions components are usually the worst choice; because they are constantly replacing each other (and jarringly shifting around) they are rarely better than dialogs.

q

[stavro]

I don’t really know what to make of your inspector panal suggestion yet, but I see it overly cluttered. I hope you don’t mind this view, but I don’t want to see Encore follow the path of Sibelius using panels everywhere (at least I think it does last time I tried 3). The dialog approach keeps everything neatly hidden but within reach and stops the user being bombarded with features that they may not understand immediately. As the user becomes more familiar with the program then they will seek out the correct dialog by looking on the menus.

[q]

I don’t really know what to make of your inspector panal suggestion yet, but I see it overly cluttered.

No doubt, a better inspector panel could be designed. I encourage people to submit new suggestions or modify my submission.

My goal was to provide a single-panel example that provides access to all the 'note' attributes and controls.

There's an inherent tendancy for such collections to become cluttered and overwhealming, and we want to avoid needless clutter. Nevertheless, I'd much rather acquaint myself with a dense inspector panel than fuss with the hierarchic submenus in Encore's current Notes menu. That's a tricky slope to traverse ... but there's really no point in an inspector that offers nothing more than a single dialog.

... I don’t want to see Encore follow the path of Sibelius using panels everywhere (at least I think it does last time I tried 3).

There are many ineffective inspectors, and Sibelius gets an average score in my opinion.

The dialog approach keeps everything neatly hidden but within reach and stops the user being bombarded with features that they may not understand immediately.

Precisely. The comments in my previous post (quoted below) address your concerns and affirm your opinion:

... I'm not suggesting an Inspector panel as a replacement for the present menu/dialog system, but rather as an alternate form of access. The main advantage to the present system is direct access to dialogs via keyboard shortcuts ( i.e. access to a limited number of properties). If we lose that, beginners may feel overwhelmed by the full-on list of properties displayed in an Inspector; veteran users may feel disoriented and find their agility impeded.

However, if keyboard shortcuts could highlight or colorize various portions of the Inspector panel, we may have the best of both worlds: 1) a consolidated collection of properties; 2) a focused way of accessing them via keystrokes.

q

[Denkster]

Dear q,
I support your idea to have an inspection panel for notes (and rests?).

• The inspection panel would be an extra interface to access and control the note and rest properties, apart from the existing menu and shortcut approach.
• The user would call the inspection panel by right-clicking the note or rest.
• The panel would give the user access to all the information on all properties of this object exclusively.
• The panel would also allow the user to change all properties of this object exclusively.

Some problems need to be sorted out though.

• The inspection panel you 'mocked up' looks very nice and complete, but it is also
  • large in size
  • overwhelming amount of data
• You did not (yet) include these properties:
  • Marks attached, their distance and placing and effect on MIDI
  • Symbols attached, their distance and placing and effect on MIDI
  • 8va and 8vb signs and effect on MIDI
  • Pedal signs and effect on MIDI
  • dynamic marks and effect on MIDI
  • time signature, influencing the beaming and natural accents
• The objects 'notes' and 'rests' seem comparable, you handle them as such, by collecting all properties of both in one panel. But when it comes to details, (programming..) there are significant differences. Like:
  • stems
  • beams
  • marks
  • ties
  • MIDI
  I think these differences justify design of two separate panels, which can have part of their 'back office' in common. This would also reduce their size.
• Various note properties are interdependent. Examples:
  • Duration = End Point - Start point
  • Duration = % of Face value
  • Stems and beams properties are only significant for face values of 1/4 and less
  Meaning: if you use the panel to change one property, the values of other properties, displayed in the panel, should change accordingly in real time. I think it would be a hell of a programming job to have it performing.
• Alternative to one inspection panel displaying all data in a glance, I suggest we ponder some more about 'tools' dialogs, or panels, giving access in layers. As an example, for inspiration, I hereby enclose pictures of the WordPerfect X3 approach for handling images (these images show only part of the tools available, WP handles images extremely well, and the interface does not feel cluttered ).

Some_WPX3_Image_Tools.jpg (225.99 KiB) Viewed 1097 times

[q]

Thanks Eveline!

Excellent evaluation. Your list extensive list of additions and cautionary concerns is quite thoughtful.

Dear q,

I support your idea to have an inspection panel for notes (and rests?)

• The inspection panel would be an extra interface to access and control the note and rest properties, apart from the existing menu and shortcut approach.

Agreed. I don't think anyone wants to delete interface elements from Encore, such as dialogs and keystroke shortcuts.

The user would call the inspection panel by right-clicking the note or rest.

The panel would give the user access to all the information on all properties of this object exclusively.

The panel would also allow the user to change all properties of this object exclusively.

Regardless of selection (which could be a single note, a group of notes, or an empty selection) I envision a unique keystroke for invoking the Inspector.

Regarding selection:

• When multiple notes are selected, and properties match, the Inspector shows the common value.
• When multiple notes are selected, and properties are of mixed values, the Inspector shows grayed/blank/disabled values or controls.
  
  This is a common approach and therefore likely to be understood.

Some problems need to be sorted out though.

• The inspection panel you 'mocked up' looks very nice and complete, but it is also
  • large in size
  • overwhelming amount of data

Informational always requires space and organization. The point of an inspector is to show as much information as possible, while simulaneously balancing quantity with organization. Tabs may serve to help further categorize, but if we break it down again too far then essentially we're back to dialogs.

I think of the Inspector as a power user tool, for those who won't wilt in the face of dozens of setting and parameters. But there probably ways of showing more or less information based on user preferences.

You did not (yet) include these properties:

• Marks attached, their distance and placing and effect on MIDI
• Symbols attached, their distance and placing and effect on MIDI
• dynamic marks and effect on MIDI
  
• 8va and 8vb signs and effect on MIDI
• Pedal signs and effect on MIDI
• time signature, influencing the beaming and natural accents

Indeed. Beautiful list!

I definitely want to see the x/y coordinates of marks!

And how did I forget??? We should be able to see the much requested x/y 'user offsets' that someday Encore will factor in at the last stage of Align Spacing! Among other things, this would allow the user to position a note differently than Align Spacing dictates. Align Spacing would always honor the user's override, and the user could see, edit or clear this value in the Inspector.

You did not (yet) include these properties:

• 8va and 8vb signs and effect on MIDI
• Pedal signs and effect on MIDI
• time signature, influencing the beaming and natural accents

I'm not sure that I concur that these are (or should be) note properties. Please explain. (For one, they don't appear to attach to notes like Marks can.)

The objects 'notes' and 'rests' seem comparable, you handle them as such, by collecting all properties of both in one panel. But when it comes to details, (programming..) there are significant differences. Like:

• stems
• beams
• marks
• ties
  

Not sure I follow. I've included buttons that would reflect that state set by Command-R. This dictates whether encore displays the object as a note or a rest. Obviously, when displayed as a rest, stems an beams are turned off.

MIDI

I think these differences justify design of two separate panels, which can have part of their 'back office' in common. This would also reduce their size.

Various note properties are interdependent. Examples:

• Duration = End Point - Start point
• Duration = % of Face value

Correct! And as I intended it to be understood.

Stems and beams properties are only significant for face values of 1/4 and less

Meaning: if you use the panel to change one property, the values of other properties, displayed in the panel, should change accordingly in real time. I think it would be a hell of a programming job to have it performing.

A healthy amount of databinding should do the trick.

Alternative to one inspection panel displaying all data in a glance, I suggest we ponder some more about 'tools' dialogs, or panels, giving access in layers.

Do say more. Are you're suggesting an Inspector panel that dynamically/contextually recreates itself to show only relevant values? I see pros and cons to that, the biggest con being the constantly shifting appearance.

q

As an example, for inspiration, I hereby enclose pictures of the WordPerfect X3 approach for handling images (these images show only part of the tools available, WP handles images extremely well, and the interface does not feel cluttered ).

Some_WPX3_Image_Tools.jpg