Usability: Proposal for "Configuration Snapshots"
Posted: Thu Jul 17, 2008 5:18 pm
XnView has many useful options to customize its use and appearance in order to meet different user needs. But that configurability comes at steep price in Usability when a user needs to employ different customizations during a single session with XnView and is not willing (for whatever reason) to disable the "Use only one instance" option.
The Case
I generally switch between three XnView.ini files based on three basic task groups or modes: Edit, Review/Administer, Present.
Since changing all of these many Options takes a lot of time, I have laboriously built three INI files to match the three modes and three batch files (.bat) to start XnView with the appropriate INI file.
Then, I open XnView in a selected "mode" by launching the appropriate batch file.
OK. So far so good. This works, at least initially.
The Problem
Invariably it happens that I am in the wrong "mode" for the task at hand and need to switch modes. This involves either...
My idea is to have a separate Options page for Configuration Snapshots. A user could define the look, feel, and behavior of XnView, then come to this Options->Configuration Snapshots page and save a named Snapshot. The page would have toggles for which option groups should be saved in the snapshot: Layout mode, Thumbs, Labels, File List, maybe even Favorites, History, Document Tabs, etc. along with a button for a file dialog to name and save the Snapshot. Also, each group could have a "Lock" toggle to prevent Option changes made "on the fly" from inadvertently redefining the Snapshot.
In addition, there would be a View->Open Configuration Snapshot menu item that would list the saved Configuration Snapshots (plus "Save Snapshot", which would open the Options page). The user would select from the list of Configuration Snapshots and XnView would instantly reconfigure itself (i.e., apply the Snapshot).
(Behind the scenes, XnView would simply be saving/restoring/applying INI "snippets" from/to external (*.xcs?) files.)
A positive side-effect of this proposal would be that we could share Snapshots with each other here on the forum. Currently, it is inconvenient to share INI files with everyone because private data must be removed first.
Also, Pierre could distribute XnView with several different "modes" already defined and saved as Configuration Snapshots.
There are many Usability issues to be addressed in this proposal, but hopefully this unfortunately long-winded
post will prompt new ideas and solutions.
The Case
I generally switch between three XnView.ini files based on three basic task groups or modes: Edit, Review/Administer, Present.
- 1. Edit mode: resize, convert, adjust exposure, etc.
2. Review mode: browse, view, copy, move, categorize
3. Presentation mode: Meetings, slide shows, showing off to others
(almost like a kiosk).
Since changing all of these many Options takes a lot of time, I have laboriously built three INI files to match the three modes and three batch files (.bat) to start XnView with the appropriate INI file.
Then, I open XnView in a selected "mode" by launching the appropriate batch file.
OK. So far so good. This works, at least initially.
The Problem
Invariably it happens that I am in the wrong "mode" for the task at hand and need to switch modes. This involves either...
- 1) ...changing the specific Options or Visibilities (bad, because potentially time-consuming and bad, because then the INI remembers the changes for next time, essentially "redefining" the mode).
2) ...or exiting XnView and restarting the appropriate .bat file (bad, because that interrupts my -or my audience's- train of thought and bad, because the new mode frequently already points to a different folder, requiring navigation, etc.)
My idea is to have a separate Options page for Configuration Snapshots. A user could define the look, feel, and behavior of XnView, then come to this Options->Configuration Snapshots page and save a named Snapshot. The page would have toggles for which option groups should be saved in the snapshot: Layout mode, Thumbs, Labels, File List, maybe even Favorites, History, Document Tabs, etc. along with a button for a file dialog to name and save the Snapshot. Also, each group could have a "Lock" toggle to prevent Option changes made "on the fly" from inadvertently redefining the Snapshot.
In addition, there would be a View->Open Configuration Snapshot menu item that would list the saved Configuration Snapshots (plus "Save Snapshot", which would open the Options page). The user would select from the list of Configuration Snapshots and XnView would instantly reconfigure itself (i.e., apply the Snapshot).
(Behind the scenes, XnView would simply be saving/restoring/applying INI "snippets" from/to external (*.xcs?) files.)
A positive side-effect of this proposal would be that we could share Snapshots with each other here on the forum. Currently, it is inconvenient to share INI files with everyone because private data must be removed first.
Also, Pierre could distribute XnView with several different "modes" already defined and saved as Configuration Snapshots.
There are many Usability issues to be addressed in this proposal, but hopefully this unfortunately long-winded
post will prompt new ideas and solutions.
My highly sophisticated technique for switching “workspaces”: