Andreas Karlsson wrote:
Dear LyX developers,
Here are some comments after installing and using LyX 1.5.0 beta 2 on
Windows XP.
A few problems/bugs I found:
1. When choosing File > New from template LyX is VERY slow. It takes
about 25 seconds before the dialogue window appears.
I've seen that too, and for a long time. I thought it was because of
network problems with my Windows installation (when I unplug the network
the file dialog comes up immediately). I think this is due to some of my
share drives which are loosely configured. In any case this is a
Windows/Qt problem, not a LyX one; but we surely need to find a solution
as it is very annoying.
Otherwise, overall this is a great improvement over LyX 1.4.4. A
giant leap for LyX-kind. It's a joy to use it.
However, I have a few comments/suggestions:
1. The new View > Toolbars function is good, but very confusing for a
new user. When I want to include the math toolbar I have to click on
View > Toolbars > Math several times before it appears. It is hard
for a new user to understand that it changes between different kinds
of toolbar appeareances (auto or not auto).
I think this has been fixed recently with a global setting for auto
state. Edwin?
Also, although I love the new math toolbar, there should be a
possibility to include math from menu entries. As it is now, after
inserting a math box, if the math toolbar is disabled, the user has
no possibility to include math symbols.
I agree. The math toolbar should be enabled even outside mathed.
Both of these problems will be very confusing for new users, and
result in many new users that are trying out LyX will stop using it
because they will not understand it.
2. The new tabbed widgets used to display multiple documents are
good, but in would be even better if the tabs had an X in the upper
right corner which would close the open document if clicked on, as in
Microsoft Internet Explorer 7.0
Valid enhancement request but not for 1.5.0 I am afraid. You should try
Firefox some days ;-)
3. For a LaTeX user the Insert > Formatting > Line Break menu entry
is confusing, since it NOT inserts a line break, i.e. the \linebreak
command that stretches the rest of the line over the full linewidth,
but instead inserts a new line, i.e. the \newline or \\ command.
Suggestion: a. let the menu entry Insert > Formatting > Line Break
insert the \linebreak command, and b. let a new menu entry Insert >
Formatting > New Line insert the \newline or \\ command
4. Some special characters that I am missing, which could be included
as menu entries in the Insert > Special Character menu:
Insert > Special Character > \textcopyright Insert > Special
Character > \textregistered Insert > Special Character >
\texttrademark
Valid requests. Please create entries in bugzilla for these.
Abdel.
