Le 04/02/2016 22:58, Julien NICOLAS a écrit :
Jacques,
Thanks for this detailed email.
My answer in-line.
Le 04/02/2016 19:28, Jacques Le Roux a écrit :
Hi All,
Julien, who created the new Rainbow Stone theme (OFBIZ-6843), privately asked
me (translation from French):
<<Last time you said you like the theme Tomahawk. So I was wondering out of curiosity
what makes you like this theme?>>
Actually the question for me is more why I prefer Tomahawk(and its predecessors) over Flat Grey. I put apart the Bizzness time theme because, in my
opinion, it has still some issues (OFBIZ-2398). I know certain persons prefer it.
I somehow already answered this question at
http://markmail.org/message/hpfgweo4v34glptq
The main point is it's often easier to read text of narrow lengths. For instance that's why (with other reasons) newspapers have multi-columns. And
also why TV prompters show few words by line. For prompters I guess the idea is also not to have journalists/presenters eyes moving (it's coupled
with rolling down text).
At least it's my opinion: it's easier to read a column of options than a line of options. Especially if the number of options is significant. Also
because the words forming the options are not a sentence and we (at least in LTR languages) are used to read sentences from Left to Right. And
reading words w/o relations between them in line confuses your brain. So I don't know you, but it causes me headaches to find menu options in line
like in Flat Grey. When I find it easier in menu options in column like in Tomahawk, where I spot them almost instantly.
This said I think Julien already answered somehow to this point of view.
Because his new theme integrates a mix of features we had so far:
* tabs for 1st web apps (like in the 1st "theme" OFBiz had initially) and
sub-menus
* Drop-down menus for some of the (others) web apps
Thanks for the effort Julien: impressive!
Thanks but the reality is not really the same. The reason is quite simple. Except admin (and developers of course), users don't need to have all
application menu. If you are purchase manager, you are using purchase management. If you are production manager, only production, etc.
Should not roles handle this aspect? If you are purchase manager, you should see only purchase management, etc. It should work at any menu level or
tabs when used for applications.
But I admit that it's a war between people who want a vertical menu and people who want an horizontal one. I prefer vertical for several reasons but
I like the fixed vertical menu instead of drop down menu. I have a lot of reason but I lose the war against my colleague :)
Sincerely from my perspective the better UI we got so far regarding menus is in the Bootstrap theme. Notably when looking at ordermgr, accounting or
facility where you have a quick access to all menus when they take almost any space on screen. We could even introduce a 2nd menu level. For instance
in facility where some entries in the 1st ("Facilities") menu could be grouped, not only in instance app of course.
You also asked
<<Do you have tracks that would allow me to take the best of what exists to put it in
my theme?>>
Yes, there are some points we could improve in this new theme:
* Actually having too much options in a vertical menu is almost as confusing
as having menu options in a line. I like how main web apps were
initially separated from others in the Bizzness time theme[1]. This way
still exists in Tomahawk and I miss it in Rainbow Stone. Maybe we could
have all the main web apps in tabs? I think the screens widths now allow it
(OK not in pads or smartphone, but this is more about backend which I
guess is most used on wide screens). Maybe, as you did, keep only few tabs
and have 2 dropdown menus?
Starting the previous facts, the "more" (+) dropdown menu don't need to be
there. It's even better to not have this drop down menu.
I set by default to 9 entries because of the customer specifications need to
show it on a 1360px width screen and a quite big company logo.
For me the improvement could be to set number of main application easier :)
So how will you show the current menu entries?
* Where are shown the "Last system notes" ?
You're true! I just remove it (because of the customer specifications again...)
I've an idea to show it easily.
This said we still miss to have (an option?) the tabs sorted alphabetically (in
each language) ;)
Yes it could be better to have it sorted alphabetically. In another hand, integration could define the menu sorting. Using "position" parameters in
ofbiz-component.xml
Alphabetical sort is not really the best choice for a good UX but the default
choice at least.
That would be perfect, and even better if not theme dependent. I just created
https://issues.apache.org/jira/browse/OFBIZ-6883 for that
Also you should remove your avatar from the theme images provided ;)
Ho! Yes! it's everywhere in my application setting, so I don't see it any more
;)
Is there a way for users to set their own?
Yes of course, It's already available in OFBiz but never used. Just define a party
content "Logo image url" for your user party.
Also how can contributors from missing countries propose their own flag? Ha,
when you change to some languages nothing appears (like ES or NL).
There are certainly other trivial things I missed...
No, you're true. I had a new css management to have all flag. But it's working
with this format : FR_fr
I manage specific algorithm for FR and EN but all other languages have to be
managed.
As a last note, I finally think choosing a them is more a subjective thing and, like Flat Grey, Rainbow Stone has the great advantage of supporting
RTL, a good mix really!
I don't test rtl yet, so maybe it could be interesting if people use rtl
languages can try it.
I tested, since Rainbow Stone inherits from Flat Grey it works the same, at
least as far as I tested.
Thanks
Jacques
And definitely yes, choosing a theme is more a subjective thing, you're true.
Sorry for the long post :)
No, it's very interesting as always. Thanks again Jacques :)
Julien.
Jacques
[1] Actually in R09.04 the specialpurpose web apps where in the footer.
