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Re: [ui-best-practices-working-group] Should editor show new wizard for empty files?

Let's push the idea with a .java files:

I create a new file Test.java in a project. 

If it's a project without Java nature 
  do nothing and return
  OR
  propose to add Java nature to project?
fi 

if Test.java is not in a source folder
    do nothing and return
    OR
   propose to make parent folder a source folder or to move to existing source folder? if parent is project, propose to create a source folder or move to existing source folder?
fi

open a dialog with wizard proposal (Class/Interface/Enum/JUnit Test Case...)

user fill the wizard value

if the package name does not match the current location
  move the file to correct location (create the directory structure eventually) // should ask for confirmation?
fi

if the class name does not match the current filename
  rename the file // should ask for confirmation?
fi

fill the file with correct content

To me, this seems a more complicated workflow (than the current one) with too many branches to cover all the situations a user may face. Also, it could bring a lot more dialogs than today. 

However, I agree that for many other kind of files, your suggestion may seem preferable, but for Java, it is not.

Cheers,

Le 20 avr. 2017 à 07:25, Mickael Istria <mistria@xxxxxxxxxx> a écrit :

Hi,

I'd like to discuss a UX proposal. If this is perceived as a good idea, then we could plan putting it in some guidelines and adopting it in Platform to lead by example. But first, let's discuss it.

Similarly to the Import and many other places in the IDE, we can probably try to find alternatives to the typical workflow of user immediately facing several dozen of options for a basic task such as creating a file.

Current user stories:
- as a end-user, I create a file with File > New > FIle (basic file) or open an empty file, it opens in the proper editor according to file name. Expected: some edition assistance to initiate page. Got nothing (Blank page syndrome)
The suggestion is:
- as a end-user, I create a file with File > New > File (basic file) or open an empty file, it opens in the proper editor according to file name Got: editor open and showing the New wizard(s) for the current file. The has all possible values pre-set according to the file and project specifics. In case of Java, it could be the selection wizard showing some of the possible nodes to initiate Java files (new Class, new Interface...).
I think this workflow would seem simpler for some users, as it mimics a more typical workflow of text editors, and allows to keep the power of IDE wizards without enforcing their usage too early.

I don't see any technical challenge in implementing this. This could be implemented per editor, I don't think Platform has to introduce new framework or extension points to get started with that. Maybe at some point we'd like to implement a content-type->newWizard registry in Platform for that, but it's not a prerequisite to get started.

What do you think about this proposal? Should we make it a recommendation "In case editor opens on an empty file, automatically open the best New Wizard(s) to initiate this file"?

Cheers,
--
Mickael Istria
Eclipse developer for Red Hat Developers
My blog - My Tweets
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