[Sugar-devel] [Design] ColorButton

[Gary C Martin]

On 12 Sep 2009, at 16:34, Eduardo H. Silva wrote:

> 2009/9/11 Gary C Martin <gary at garycmartin.com>:
>> On 11 Sep 2009, at 00:30, Eduardo H. Silva wrote:
>>
>>> Should the toolbar icon for the colors palette have a down arrow  
>>> like
>>> with the other toolbar button icons? After all, it doesn't execute a
>>> primary action of its pallete when clicking, instead it reveals its
>>> palette.
>>
>> No, down arrows indicate the new lockable secondary toolbars (one  
>> click to
>> lock open, one click to lock closed, hover for temporary quick use  
>> like a
>> palette). Locking open secondary toolbars resizes the activity  
>> canvas area,
>> normal toolbar palettes do not.
>>
>> FWIW: it has been agreed (I think) that any icons that have _NO_  
>> default
>> primary function (i.e. they just hold palettes) should instantly,  
>> and fully
>> expose on a single left click (as they already do for a single  
>> right click).
>> As their primary function is to display their palette. Maybe we can  
>> solve
>> this for 0.88. This would solve things like providing instant  
>> feedback on
>> buddy icons, such as accessing the large self buddy icon in the  
>> home view
>> for getting to settings, shutdown etc.
>
> But shouldn't something be done visually to differentiate those icons
> which open palettes when clicked, from those which act their primary
> action? The user won't know beforehand what will the result of
> clicking be otherwise.


Yes, I do acknowledge this point, unfortunately all the visual 'cures'  
I've seen mentioned or tried to think up so far are worse than the  
'illness'. The Sugar UI usage of icons with a primary action vs. no  
primary action would seem to be about 50/50, so any visual treatment  
would have to look good on ~50% of all icons you see. For the new  
toolbar lock open/closed 'v' shape, it requires almost all those icons  
to be re-adjusted/designed from scratch with that extra empty space  
required below.

I guess I'd try to argue for better icon design to start with, so that  
the author made sure they clearly distinguished icons for single click  
actions, from icons exposing a palette of actions.

Could I ask you indicate some example cases where you see potential  
confusion? Perhaps we can improve their icon designs.

Regards,
--Gary