Usability - Revision history

⚠️Wenzeslaus: MoveToTrac

2015-03-04T15:37:47Z

MoveToTrac

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			{{MoveToTrac}}

	== Introduction and Rationale ==		== Introduction and Rationale ==

Neteler: url updated

2009-02-22T23:24:39Z

url updated

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	== Links to other initiatives ==		== Links to other initiatives ==

	* [http://~~developer~~.gnome.org/~~projects~~/~~gup~~/~~hig~~/ GNOME Human Interface Guidelines]		* [http://library.gnome.org/devel/hig-book/stable/ GNOME Human Interface Guidelines]
	* [http://wiki.gimp.org/gimp/GimpUsability GimpUsability - Wilber's Wiki]		* [http://wiki.gimp.org/gimp/GimpUsability GimpUsability - Wilber's Wiki]
	* [http://www.freedesktop.org/wiki/Standards freedesktop.org standards]		* [http://www.freedesktop.org/wiki/Standards freedesktop.org standards]

⚠️Timmie: /* The current usability show-stoppers */ documenation

2008-04-29T20:39:14Z

The current usability show-stoppers: documenation

← Older revision		Revision as of 20:39, 29 April 2008
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	The combination of GRASS (for the analysis) and OpenEV (for an easy visual cross-comparison of results) is ideal. Yet there are time consuming limitations: e.g. exporting from GRASS to some format, careful selection of export parameters etc. Maybe it would be enough to create an easy to use export tool (from GRASS format in... ?) or why not the option to access GRASS' locations from OpenEV? The latter would be of course an OpenEV issue, if at all.		The combination of GRASS (for the analysis) and OpenEV (for an easy visual cross-comparison of results) is ideal. Yet there are time consuming limitations: e.g. exporting from GRASS to some format, careful selection of export parameters etc. Maybe it would be enough to create an easy to use export tool (from GRASS format in... ?) or why not the option to access GRASS' locations from OpenEV? The latter would be of course an OpenEV issue, if at all.

	* -		=== Dokumentation ===

			* Where can I find a indexed search or search the manuals?
			** E. g. I have the following issue " remove mapset", where/how can I search for this issue?
			** Good example for a full text searchable documentation: http://docs.python.org/dev/

	== Links to other initiatives ==		== Links to other initiatives ==

Neteler: /* User interfaces */

2008-04-28T21:22:57Z

User interfaces

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	* Old Tcl/Tk GUI ([http://grass.osgeo.org/grass63/manuals/html63_user/d.m.html d.m], functional but unmaintained)		* Old Tcl/Tk GUI ([http://grass.osgeo.org/grass63/manuals/html63_user/d.m.html d.m], functional but unmaintained)
	* Tcl/Tk GUI (current [http://grass.osgeo.org/grass63/manuals/html63_user/gis.m.html gis.m] GUI, limited new development)		* Tcl/Tk GUI (current [http://grass.osgeo.org/grass63/manuals/html63_user/gis.m.html gis.m] GUI, limited new development)
	* wxPython ([http://grass.osgeo.org/grass63/manuals/html63_user/wxGUI.html wxGUI], functional, but still under heavy development)		* wxPython ([http://grass.osgeo.org/grass63/manuals/html63_user/wxGUI.html wxGUI], functional, but still under heavy development, see also [[WxPython-based_GUI_for_GRASS]])
	: '''Usability improvement efforts should be concentrated on the wxGUI.'''		: '''Usability improvement efforts should be concentrated on the wxGUI.'''

Neteler: cosmetics + links

2008-04-28T21:21:40Z

cosmetics + links

← Older revision		Revision as of 21:21, 28 April 2008
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	There are a number of user interfaces available for GRASS 6:		There are a number of user interfaces available for GRASS 6:

			* Old Tcl/Tk GUI ([http://grass.osgeo.org/grass63/manuals/html63_user/d.m.html d.m], functional but unmaintained)
	* Tcl/Tk GUI (current [http://grass.osgeo.org/grass63/manuals/html63_user/gis.m.html gis.m] GUI, limited new development)		* Tcl/Tk GUI (current [http://grass.osgeo.org/grass63/manuals/html63_user/gis.m.html gis.m] GUI, limited new development)
	* Old Tcl/Tk GUI ([http://grass.osgeo.org/grass63/manuals/html63_user/d.m.html d.m], functional but unmaintained)
	* wxPython ([http://grass.osgeo.org/grass63/manuals/html63_user/wxGUI.html wxGUI], functional, but still under heavy development)		* wxPython ([http://grass.osgeo.org/grass63/manuals/html63_user/wxGUI.html wxGUI], functional, but still under heavy development)
	: '''Usability improvement efforts should be concentrated on the wxGUI.'''		: '''Usability improvement efforts should be concentrated on the wxGUI.'''

	* Text based command line interface (CLI)		* Text based command line interface (CLI)
	: The CLI is in pretty good shape WRT modules, due to the near universal use of G_parser() and the [http://grass.osgeo.org/grass63/manuals/html63_user/g.parser.html g.parser] module. Option and flags could perhaps be more consistent between modules (e.g. sep= -> fs=) but these are frozen between minor versions.		: The CLI is in pretty good shape WRT modules, due to the near universal use of G_parser() and the [http://grass.osgeo.org/grass63/manuals/html63_user/g.parser.html g.parser] module. Option and flags could perhaps be more consistent between modules (e.g. sep= -> fs=) but these are frozen between minor versions (will be fixed in [http://trac.osgeo.org/grass/wiki/Grass7Planning GRASS 7]).
	* [http://~~grass~~.osgeo.org/~~devel~~/~~index.php#prog~~ The C API] - it can be a bit inconsistent, but it's not ~~exposed~~ to users.		* [http://trac.osgeo.org/grass/wiki/HowToProgram The C API] - it can be a bit inconsistent, but it's not intended to normal users but developers.
	* [[GRASS_and_Python#Python-SWIG-GRASS_interface\|SWIG interface]] (Python, Perl, ..) to the GRASS libraries		* [[GRASS_and_Python#Python-SWIG-GRASS_interface\|SWIG interface]] (Python, Perl, ..) to the GRASS libraries

	* Modules could make better use of guisections (tabs).		* Modules could make better use of 'guisections' (tabs).

	== The current usability show-stoppers ==		== The current usability show-stoppers ==

⚠️Timmie: /* status of usability review updated */

2008-04-28T20:55:23Z

status of usability review updated

← Older revision		Revision as of 20:55, 28 April 2008
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	This augmented visibility will bring many new users to GRASS who may have known GRASS for long but never dared to use it for one or the other reasons. Other may be totally new to GIS and geospatial analysis or drawn to GRASS by its great capabilities. GRASS should have the best possible user interface to provide a appealing working environment to the new and experienced users to enable them to do their work effectively and without reading tons of documentation and mailing list archives.		This augmented visibility will bring many new users to GRASS who may have known GRASS for long but never dared to use it for one or the other reasons. Other may be totally new to GIS and geospatial analysis or drawn to GRASS by its great capabilities. GRASS should have the best possible user interface to provide a appealing working environment to the new and experienced users to enable them to do their work effectively and without reading tons of documentation and mailing list archives.

	== The great Chance ==		== Usability Review ==
			=== The great Chance ===

	[http://openusability.org OpenUsability] the initiative that promotes usability in free and open source software (F/OSS) development has a call open until February 20th for interested projects to benefit from the work of willing students to review and improve overall usability or the usability of special parts of a program just as Google Summer of Code does it with new program feature.		[http://openusability.org OpenUsability] the initiative that promotes usability in free and open source software (F/OSS) development has a call open until February 20th for interested projects to benefit from the work of willing students to review and improve overall usability or the usability of special parts of a program just as Google Summer of Code does it with new program feature.
	GRASS should strongly consider applying and take this nice opportunity for the reasons mentioned above		GRASS should strongly consider applying and take this nice opportunity for the reasons mentioned above.

			=== Current Status ===

			The organisers of the OpenUsability Initiative told the GRASS informed on 17.03.2008 that GRASS wasn't selected for the 2008 review phase.
			Nevertheless, we should bear in mind that improvements in th usability will significatly raise the workflow efficieny and visibility og GRASS.
			We should therefore continue to list and discuss usability blockers on this page and convert them into enhancement requests on the bug tracker.

	== User interfaces ==		== User interfaces ==

⚠️NikosA: /* Workflow related */

2008-03-30T20:48:13Z

Workflow related

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	To exemplify, OpenEV (Edit Toolbar... > Link Views/ Cursor) is a very good tool to do this work. It's light, supports almost everything (based on gdal/ogr), smooth panning/ zooming, quick digitising and more.		To exemplify, OpenEV (Edit Toolbar... > Link Views/ Cursor) is a very good tool to do this work. It's light, supports almost everything (based on gdal/ogr), smooth panning/ zooming, quick digitising and more.

	The combination of GRASS (for the analysis) and OpenEV (for an easy visual cross-comparison of results) is ideal. Yet there ~~some limiatations that~~ are time consuming (e.g. exporting from GRASS to some format, careful selection of export parameters etc) Maybe it would be enough to create an easy to use export tool (from GRASS format in... ?) or why not the option to access GRASS' locations from OpenEV? The latter would be of course an OpenEV issue, if at all.		The combination of GRASS (for the analysis) and OpenEV (for an easy visual cross-comparison of results) is ideal. Yet there are time consuming limitations: e.g. exporting from GRASS to some format, careful selection of export parameters etc. Maybe it would be enough to create an easy to use export tool (from GRASS format in... ?) or why not the option to access GRASS' locations from OpenEV? The latter would be of course an OpenEV issue, if at all.

	* -		* -

⚠️NikosA: /* Workflow related */

2008-03-30T20:46:17Z

Workflow related

← Older revision		Revision as of 20:46, 30 March 2008
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	To exemplify, OpenEV (Edit Toolbar... > Link Views/ Cursor) is a very good tool to do this work. It's light, supports almost everything (based on gdal/ogr), smooth panning/ zooming, quick digitising and more.		To exemplify, OpenEV (Edit Toolbar... > Link Views/ Cursor) is a very good tool to do this work. It's light, supports almost everything (based on gdal/ogr), smooth panning/ zooming, quick digitising and more.

			The combination of GRASS (for the analysis) and OpenEV (for an easy visual cross-comparison of results) is ideal. Yet there some limiatations that are time consuming (e.g. exporting from GRASS to some format, careful selection of export parameters etc) Maybe it would be enough to create an easy to use export tool (from GRASS format in... ?) or why not the option to access GRASS' locations from OpenEV? The latter would be of course an OpenEV issue, if at all.

	* -		* -

⚠️NikosA: /* Workflow related */

2008-03-24T17:18:34Z

Workflow related

← Older revision		Revision as of 17:18, 24 March 2008
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	Where do you feel your workflow being blocked?		Where do you feel your workflow being blocked?
	* Visual interpretation of satellite (and aerial) imagery for land cover mapping/ change detection purposes		* Visual interpretation of satellite (and aerial) imagery for land cover mapping/ change detection purposes
	There is no option to link two displays (~~whether~~ using the X monitors or the Map Display of the GIS Manager) for an effective side-by-side visual comparison of data (all kinds of data: imagery, vector, raster, other ancillary data) over the same geographic region, projected of course on the same coordinate system. Having a linked pointer (pointing at the same location/ coordinates) on two different maps is an efficient way to compare images (e.g. winter vs. summer acquisitions over the same location) or to visually judge how effective was a georectification process. There are many other situations were this is "linking" option is useful/ critical.		There is no option to link two displays (wether using the X monitors or the Map Display of the GIS Manager) for an effective side-by-side visual comparison of data (all kinds of data: imagery, vector, raster, other ancillary data) over the same geographic region, projected of course on the same coordinate system. Having a linked pointer (pointing at the same location/ coordinates) on two different maps is an efficient way to compare images (e.g. winter vs. summer acquisitions over the same location) or to visually judge how effective was a georectification process. There are many other situations were this is "linking" option is useful/ critical.

	To implement an automatic replay of all actions (pan, zoom, load/ unload and overlay other data) taking place in one X monitor into another X monitor (or from one Map Display?) requires scripting and even then is not "automatic" as it is probably necessary to re-run the script.		To implement an automatic replay of all actions (pan, zoom, load/ unload and overlay other data) taking place in one X monitor into another X monitor (or from one Map Display?) requires scripting and even then is not "automatic" as it is probably necessary to re-run the script.

⚠️NikosA: /* Workflow related */

2008-03-24T17:17:59Z

Workflow related

← Older revision		Revision as of 17:17, 24 March 2008
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	* Visual interpretation of satellite (and aerial) imagery for land cover mapping/ change detection purposes		* Visual interpretation of satellite (and aerial) imagery for land cover mapping/ change detection purposes
	There is no option to link two displays (whether using the X monitors or the Map Display of the GIS Manager) for an effective side-by-side visual comparison of data (all kinds of data: imagery, vector, raster, other ancillary data) over the same geographic region, projected of course on the same coordinate system. Having a linked pointer (pointing at the same location/ coordinates) on two different maps is an efficient way to compare images (e.g. winter vs. summer acquisitions over the same location) or to visually judge how effective was a georectification process. There are many other situations were this is "linking" option is useful/ critical.		There is no option to link two displays (whether using the X monitors or the Map Display of the GIS Manager) for an effective side-by-side visual comparison of data (all kinds of data: imagery, vector, raster, other ancillary data) over the same geographic region, projected of course on the same coordinate system. Having a linked pointer (pointing at the same location/ coordinates) on two different maps is an efficient way to compare images (e.g. winter vs. summer acquisitions over the same location) or to visually judge how effective was a georectification process. There are many other situations were this is "linking" option is useful/ critical.

	To implement an automatic replay of all actions (pan, zoom, load/ unload and overlay other data) taking place in one X monitor into another X monitor (or from one Map Display?) requires scripting and even then is not "automatic" as it is probably necessary to re-run the script.		To implement an automatic replay of all actions (pan, zoom, load/ unload and overlay other data) taking place in one X monitor into another X monitor (or from one Map Display?) requires scripting and even then is not "automatic" as it is probably necessary to re-run the script.

	To exemplify, OpenEV (Edit Toolbar... > Link Views/ Cursor) is a very good tool to do this work. It's light, supports almost everything (based on gdal/ogr), smooth panning/ zooming, quick digitising and more.		To exemplify, OpenEV (Edit Toolbar... > Link Views/ Cursor) is a very good tool to do this work. It's light, supports almost everything (based on gdal/ogr), smooth panning/ zooming, quick digitising and more.
	* -		* -