Re: Xcode usability (was Re: Where did the GDB drawer go?)
Re: Xcode usability (was Re: Where did the GDB drawer go?)
- Subject: Re: Xcode usability (was Re: Where did the GDB drawer go?)
- From: Izidor Jerebic <email@hidden>
- Date: Sat, 7 Aug 2004 19:07:27 +0200
On 7 Aug 2004, at 12:03, Dietmar Planitzer wrote:
When I was ready to build a project in PB I hit cmd-B. The compiler
started its business and _only_ when it found some error or warning
would PB _automatically_ open the build tab. I could then click on an
error message and PB opened the offending file in the main editor just
below the build tab. I clicked into the editor and fixed the problem.
Now, when I either had fixed all problems or no longer cared about the
errors I could easily close the build tab with one single click.
The same in Xcode, especially version 1.5, requires more work and is
less intuitive.
I again hit cmd-B. When the compiler finds a problem, the only thing
that happens is that Xcode updates a status message in the upper right
corner and that it starts to display those red triangles and yellow
circles. Naturally, the error and warning markers only appear if the
file you've currently open in the editor contains an error or warning.
If it doesn't, then you're left guessing where the problem might be.
To be fair, in 1.2 this works ok - the build panel is open and if there
are any errors, it remains open (otherwise it closes automatically
after build is finished - really good option, I really like it). When
clicking on errors, you get them selected in main editor window.
Now, my beef with 1.2 is that with this configuration (editor in main
project window) I cannot use detail view, because I want the editor to
have maximal size, and so it goes to the top - oops, detail view is
thrown out. In this way I lose one way of navigation, but others remain
(tree view, find panel, etc...). It is tolerable, because it is a small
project, but for my bigger ones it does not work...
I have not yet started wih 1.5, and since I do not use Java nor
Subversion, I may wait for next release. I really don't like these 1.5
UI changes.
As I have written in other post, there should be separate support for
navigation and support for editing the files.
The problem is that navigation is now split among many panels and also
within main project window, and is not navigation any more, but
standalone activity. Editing comes as an addition to that activity.
Which is wrong.
Primary work is editing, navigation is just finding what you want to
edit (either via main project window, find panel , build panel,
whatever panel, whatever button....), and is always optional (i.e.
navigation panels should not be visible all the time, but should be
easily accessible - via shortcuts or small buttons in editor windows).
After you find what you need, navigation panel is not needed any
more...
A navigation should culminate in an opening a file for editing. But a
single file should be open in a single window in a project, not in
many. The same as clicking on a document opens it in an application or
shows a window with this document, if it is already open.
So, xcode GUI architect(s) should really focus on the two areas -
navigation (especially better support for history) and editing. And
support each of them separately, which would really enable many ways of
working with Xcode...
Xcode should be about three things:
- managing the project
- navigating the project
- editing the files
And all of those activities should be well supported in single editor
or multiple editor model. Not to talk about single editor PER PROJECT,
which is a missing option which I think is quite useful.
I believe that more GUI scenario planning (complete scenarios, even
with using Expose and shortcuts to achieve some goals) would do Xcode
plenty of good. Publishing those scenarios as tutorials for Xcode
would be a beneficial side effect..
All this is IMHO, of course. Xcode is a complex app and it shows
amazing progress, especially in the engine part. I use it with as much
pleasure as the rest of MacOSX. It's just that we mac users are so damn
demanding :-)
izidor
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