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Re: [ui-best-practices-working-group] WTP Facets Framework UI Walkthrough Notes

Raev, Kaloyan wrote:

 I have few additional comments. Please see below:
The first wizard page of the Project Creation wizards looks OK and
complies with the Eclipse UI guildelines. http://wiki.eclipse.org/Image:Screenshot_facets_1.png
The idea for choosing the version of the primary facet on the first
wizard page is accepted well.
I haven't heard from UI Expert group about this, but I think this page is overusing groups for single elements. If there is just one element in the group you should be using just plain label and not a group. Then UI would look less crowded.

Also, ordering of fields is somewhat odd. It seems like the primary control there is the EJB facet version (btw, should it be called "EJB specification version" or something like that?), and then if this EJB should be added to EAR or not. Then, perhaps, "Target runtime". And then configuration (is it EJB faced configuration or configuration for the target runtime? also unclear from the UI).
When looking at the Project Facets dialog
(http://wiki.eclipse.org/Image:Screenshot_facets_2.png) and the Project
Facets property page
(http://wiki.eclipse.org/Image:Screenshot_facets_3.png) there are lot of
recommendations suggested.
* locking/unlocking
  - locking of facets is very weird and it seems that nobody (except
Konstantin) knows what exactly it does. It seems like it filters facets
depending on their constraints. - if it is about filtering of facets, it would be much clearer for the
user if there is a global checkbox for showing/hiding the appropriate
facets for the current use case.
It been suggested to investigate if lock/unlock can be replaced with "show all" or "show only valid/available facets"
* validation
  - the idea of showing validation errors is very much liked
  - validation error entries should not be selectable. Currently, they
are and it this implies that the user can do something with this error
(like quick fix), but actually he has no options for actions. - validation errors should not appear in the special widget below the
facets list view, but in the dialog box title, or the property page
title. This is according to the Eclipse UI guidelines.
You can also try to show error decoration on conflicting invalid entries and then show more detailed error on the details tab.
* Configurations drop-down
  - The Save button should have ellipsis :-)
  - It would be better that the Save/Delete buttons are replaced with
Edit/Remove/New/Import buttons like in the Java > Code Style > Formatter
preferences page.
Boris pointed out that it is confusing to have Save and Delete buttons next to "Configurations" drop down (should it be called "Templates"?) and compared this UI with project prefs / Java Code Style / Formatter, which uses "Edit.../Remove" approach (though personally I think it is not the same as facet UI)
  - Save/Delete seems to be rarely used, even never by the ordinary
users. So, it is better to remove them at all.
  - Creating and Deleting of facet configurations should be moved in a
Preferences page. A link ("Configure") to this preferences page could
replace the Save/Delete buttons.
Bob also suggested to have entry like "Save as new..." in the "Configurations" dropdown.
* Runtime view
  - again validation errors are better than filtering. The user should
see all available runtimes, otherwise it may be frustrating why a
certain runtime is not available. When selecting invalid runtime, a
validation error should appear.
Mik and Boris pointed out that it is hard to figure out why certain selections are removed (e.g. removing versions of war facet only when particular tomcat runtime is selected). It been said that in this case it is better to allow user select an invalid combination and show him a error that selected combination is conflicting or invalid.

From myself I also would like to add that it is somewhat confusing to have two somewhat parallel concepts - facets and runtimes. They can be selected independently, but then they also related to each other. Why runtimes aren't facets?

 regards,
 Eugene




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