Dictionary rewrite - thoughts, please

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bn
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Re: Dictionary rewrite - thoughts, please

Post by bn » Sun Feb 12, 2017 11:46 pm

Hi all,

here is version 0.2 of the dictionary stack. Improved layout of details, example script colorization if the script editor has been opened before, otherwise no colorization.

Comments welcome.

Kind regards
Bernd
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dictionaryStackQuickHack_0_2.livecode.zip
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Re: Dictionary rewrite - thoughts, please

Post by Mikey » Tue Feb 14, 2017 1:51 am

Looks like someone was busy over the weekend, lol. Nice inclusion of the modTableField, too.

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Re: Dictionary rewrite - thoughts, please

Post by Mikey » Tue Feb 14, 2017 3:44 am

First impressions on 0.2:
1) I am really torn on whether we should have a control like an MTF/DG or if we should not have that at all. On the one hand, it's a nice index, but on the other, it takes screen space. I wonder if we should have the detail popover when an entry in the list is selected. Hitting esc would dismiss the popover. I also like the 6.x version, but the list definitely has some advantages when it comes to figuring out exactly what entry I want (or if I just want to see parameters)
2) Until the MTF is part of the IDE (why isn't it part of the IDE, yet?), I think we should use a DG, to keep the controls in straight-up LC.
3) I like the splitter from the documentation in v.6
4) This should be GM-friendly, so the user can resize the docs stack.

I like the ideas, and I like the SE-formatted samples on the bottom. This looks a lot better than the "new" docs, IMHO. After we sort-of settle on a layout, then I have a bunch of back-end stuff I want to do, so it's great that you guys are working on the front-end.

I also think once we settle on a look/feel, we should go out of our way to make the code easy to read (unlike the existing docs) so other people can come along and have at it, too. That's part of what I want to do to the back-end: I want to make it much easier for someone new to figure out how it works and why so they can work on it, too.

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Re: Dictionary rewrite - thoughts, please

Post by bn » Tue Feb 14, 2017 12:01 pm

Hi Mikey,

I like the idea of a Splitter.

Here is version 0_3 with a splitter.

If the full dictionary is showing pane resizing and stack resizing are a bit sluggish. If you type e.g. "add" into the search field then you have far less text in the dict field and it resizes very well.

You can resize the left pane and the two right panes by hovering over the divider lines and the cursor will change to indicate where you are.

Bildschirmfoto 2017-02-14 um 12.02.41.png
the splitter
The darkTheme lightTheme is Hermann's idea.

As always comments are welcome. These are just propositions to try out what another dictionary could look like and work like.

Kind regards

Bernd
Attachments
DictionarySplitter_0_3.livecode.zip
the splitterDictionary
(44.52 KiB) Downloaded 318 times
Last edited by bn on Tue Feb 14, 2017 12:13 pm, edited 1 time in total.

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Re: Dictionary rewrite - thoughts, please

Post by Mikey » Tue Feb 14, 2017 12:07 pm

I woke up thinking about this. If we double-click on an entry it could make the detail area full-window. And if we single-click just put it in a panel.

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Re: Dictionary rewrite - thoughts, please

Post by bn » Tue Feb 14, 2017 12:42 pm

Hi Mikey,

here is a popUp version:

double-clicking on an entry in the dictionary pops up the details field. Double-clicking the details field lets it go back to it's place in the pane.

Double-clicking in the details field in not poped up state pops up the details field. Double-clicking then into the details field lets it go back into the lower right pane.

Changing the right pane while the details field is popped up lets the details field go back into the lower right pane.

Kind regards
Bernd
Attachments
DictionarySplitter_0_4.livecode.zip
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Re: Dictionary rewrite - thoughts, please

Post by Mikey » Tue Feb 14, 2017 8:25 pm

Bernd,
I'm liking this more with each pass.
So why did you go over and under instead of side-to-side this time? I'm just curious.
Also, what is up with the buttons in the left margin? They are partially covered, and partially exposed. Was that just to let everyone know that they are there?
The dark theme probably needs different fonts. The text is hard to read, but that is relatively minor.
Why does the script code only format if the SE has been opened once, so far, in a session? It's cool when it does.

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Re: Dictionary rewrite - thoughts, please

Post by Mikey » Tue Feb 14, 2017 8:37 pm

It's funny how it looks almost just like the 6.x docs now.
Stuff that is still missing:
1) Bookmarks
2) Forward/Back buttons

I also like the popping up. What do you think about maybe having esc be a shortcut when the details is maximized to shrink it back? The other thing that might be good would be a translucent "X" button that appears as you approach with the mouse.

Something else that might be cool: When you pop up the details frame, the entry would be stuck in a header at the top and not scroll. For example, bring up "put", double-click to maximize, then scroll.

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Re: Dictionary rewrite - thoughts, please

Post by bn » Tue Feb 14, 2017 9:08 pm

Mikey,
So why did you go over and under instead of side-to-side this time? I'm just curious.
it was the easiest, did not have to resize the whole thing. And I thought of a workflow where the width of the dictionary is more cumbersome than its height.
Also, what is up with the buttons in the left margin? They are partially covered, and partially exposed. Was that just to let everyone know that they are there?
The partly covered buttons were just a reminder of the left pane and that you can drag it wider or smaller. The buttons itself are what I use for development. But the left pane is a space for all sorts of things, preferences etc. Maybe even like in the LC 6 dictionary.
Why does the script code only format if the SE has been opened once, so far, in a session? It's cool when it does.
I finally found a way (with a little help) how to colorize the Examples without starting the ScriptEditor first. That is in .5
It's funny how it looks almost just like the 6.x docs now.
When you mentioned it I had a look at the LC 6 dictionary and liked the splitter, no wonder it resembles the LC 6 dictionary. And I remembered that I had done a splitter a while ago. So it was easy to implement.
1) Bookmarks
2) Forward/Back buttons
I will have to think about that.
I also like the popping up. What do you think about maybe having esc be a shortcut when the details is maximized to shrink it back? The other thing that might be good would be a translucent "X" button that appears as you approach with the mouse.
Esc will be easy, the "X" button should remain visible maybe at the top right of the popped up field.

Right now I am adding the glossary and try hyperlink from the Details field. Not quite sure how to implement that.

Kind regards
Bernd

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Re: Dictionary rewrite - thoughts, please

Post by Mikey » Tue Feb 14, 2017 9:20 pm

Can't wait!

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Re: Dictionary rewrite - thoughts, please

Post by Mikey » Tue Feb 14, 2017 10:00 pm

I've got another idea, too:
Now that you have the GM going with it, the columns in the list should respect the GM as well, so as you grow/shrink the window, the columns should grow/shink relative to their current proportion so you don't have to spend as much time resizing columns after resizing the stack.
Also, when you close the stack, it should remember its last size and position and restore.

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Re: Dictionary rewrite - thoughts, please

Post by capellan » Wed Feb 15, 2017 4:30 am

Hi All,

How could we use message box to read the text from Livecode dictionary?

It would be really useful to have quick text only access. Maybe something like:

LCDictionary alphadata

will show only text from Dictionary about this property.

Al

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Re: Dictionary rewrite - thoughts, please

Post by Mikey » Wed Feb 15, 2017 12:40 pm

Or even "lookup", or something else short like a question mark

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Re: Dictionary rewrite - thoughts, please

Post by capellan » Wed Feb 15, 2017 5:04 pm

I like the idea of using question marks.
Maybe it would be easier to parse a token
of two consecutive question marks: ??

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Re: Dictionary rewrite - thoughts, please

Post by Mikey » Wed Feb 15, 2017 5:29 pm

What about just using command-slash as a shortcut to bring up the dictionary? Would that be even faster than firing up the message box, then hitting ? and then typing in the term you want to search for?

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