[Sugar-devel] [DESIGN] Global create-new/modify icon

[Simon Schampijer]

On 03/14/2011 11:28 AM, Gary Martin wrote:
> Hi Simon,
>
> On 10 Mar 2011, at 17:16, Simon Schampijer wrote:
>
>> One of the major functionality in activities is creating and/or modifying, for example creating a new game in Memorize a new abacus in the Abacus activity and so on.
>>
>> I am wondering what would be a good icon to use for that. I have seen the use of a scissor (like editing an activity), or the gear like we use in 'view source'.
>>
>> Any other ideas? And then it would be great if we could set on one and be consistent in activities and use the same icon in all of them.
>
> Thanks for raising this, I've added this topic to next weeks Design Team meeting, I'll try and get a few mockups together before then:
>
> 	http://wiki.sugarlabs.org/go/Design_Team/Meetings

Great - thanks! /me loves the progress we have in design meetings over 
the last weeks - all thumbs up!

> Some misc. thoughts regarding using the existing scissor/edit tool and secondary palette.
>
> Pros:
>
>   * existing Activity edit secondary toolbars usually have only copy, paste, sometimes also undo&  redo (so there is usually plenty of UI space)
>   * no need to add yet another primary toolbar widget (less complex primary UI and/or space for other tools)
>   * Sugar design model, editing is what you do during an activity to change it, 'creating new' activities should be done before an Activity begins (e.g. home -->  start new, and/or proposed Journal duplicate feature). BTW, Think it is OK for an Activity to support clearing/erasing/reseting state (such as Paint, Memorize), though ideally with reliable undo or versioning support to help prevent accidental data loss.

All valid points.

> Cons:
>
>   * overloading an existing UI category (traditional OS users have certain expectations for an edit menu)?
>   * will folks overlook the edit sub-palette and miss the extra modification features?

I fear mostly that - that people will not find that option for several 
reasons :/ But you are right in that using another icon has issues space 
wise. Let's see maybe there are other options we have not thought about 
yet...:)

Regards,
    Simon