Description Peter Cigehn 2016-06-01 07:31:32 EDT

Now when the functionality is in place to add multiple parameters to protocol messages, it becomes clear that the layout of the properties view for a protocol maybe needs to be improved, especially in the case of protocol messages with several parameters.

Since the three tables with out, in, and inOut, protocol messages are placed in three columns, which always are the same width, this causes all tables to be wider in case of one of them contains a protocol message with several parameters. This in its turn causes a horizontal scrollbar to appear and the three tables becomes hard to read and get an overview over.

Another choice is to have the three tables positioned above each other, in the corresponding order, i.e. out on top, then in, and last inOut. This on the other hand could make it harder to see all three of them. 

Another choice is to "shorten" the signature label of the protocol message, e.g. using some "..." notation.

Steps to reproduce:

1) Create a UML-RT model
2) Create a protocol in it
3) Create an protocol message for this protocol
4) Add a larger number, e.g. 4-5, of parameters with a longer type name
5) Select the protocol and observer how all three tables have been wider to be equally wide as the table containing the protocol message with several parameters, and how a horizontal scrollbar has appeard.

A third option could be to place the three tables in separate tabs (this is how it looks like in the legacy tooling). The drawback with this is that you cannot get a good overview of the protocol.

I suggest that we start with elaborating on having the tables on top of each other instead.