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Do you think VersionBrowser is counterintuitive?

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Denis Kudriashov

Do you think VersionBrowser is counterintuitive?

Hi.

I always catch myself that I am completely lost in method versions (and feel pain :)).

There is no clue what at the left pane and what at the right pane.

Now I realize that VersionBrowser is trying to compare selected version versus next version (according to list order).

So right pane shows selected version and left pane shows next one.

For me all of these is super non intuitive but maybe it is only my problem. So here I want to ask about your experience. Do you feel same?

I would prefer if VersionBrowser will always compare selected version versus current version in image with actual image version on the left and selected version on the right.

What you think?

Best regards,

Denis

Denis Kudriashov

Re: Do you think VersionBrowser is counterintuitive?

2016-12-23 14:27 GMT+01:00 Denis Kudriashov <[hidden email]>:

I would prefer if VersionBrowser will always compare selected version versus current version in image with actual image version on the left and selected version on the right.

Also I think it is better to not show current method in versions list. I am very often revert it instead of real previous version. It's super annoying.

Nicolai Hess-3-2

Re: Do you think VersionBrowser is counterintuitive?

In reply to this post by Denis Kudriashov

Am 23.12.2016 2:28 nachm. schrieb "Denis Kudriashov" <[hidden email]>:

Hi.

I always catch myself that I am completely lost in method versions (and feel pain :)).
There is no clue what at the left pane and what at the right pane.

Now I realize that VersionBrowser is trying to compare selected version versus next version (according to list order).
So right pane shows selected version and left pane shows next one.
For me all of these is super non intuitive but maybe it is only my problem. So here I want to ask about your experience. Do you feel same?

I would prefer if VersionBrowser will always compare selected version versus current version in image with actual image version on the left and selected version on the right.

What you think?

Best regards,
Denis

But you can always select a version an choose

compare with current

from the context menu.

Denis Kudriashov

Re: Do you think VersionBrowser is counterintuitive?

2016-12-23 14:34 GMT+01:00 Nicolai Hess <[hidden email]>:

But you can always select a version an choose
compare with current
from the context menu.

Ok. Does not know about it :).

Now I tried it and it not helps me a lot. It opens new window without any way to revert changes (or others) and without any clue who is who (no label what is left and what is right)

And when I closed it I was again lost in versions list.

Also there is menu item "Compare to version" with same no clue window.

Really this menu is useless. VersionBrowser should just also multi selection to show difference between selected versions. And by default it should compare to current one.

Thierry Goubier

Re: Do you think VersionBrowser is counterintuitive?

In reply to this post by Denis Kudriashov

Le 23/12/2016 à 14:27, Denis Kudriashov a écrit :
> Hi.
>
> I always catch myself that I am completely lost in method versions (and
> feel pain :)).
> There is no clue what at the left pane and what at the right pane.

Agreed.

I often revert to a wrong version...

> Now I realize that VersionBrowser is trying to compare selected version
> versus next version (according to list order).
> So right pane shows selected version and left pane shows next one.
> For me all of these is super non intuitive but maybe it is only my
> problem. So here I want to ask about your experience. Do you feel same?
>
> I would prefer if VersionBrowser will always compare selected version
> versus current version in image with actual image version on the left
> and selected version on the right.

Any solution which doesn't require me to guess which pane relate to what
I want to revert to has my vote.

In short, what you describe replaces a non-obvious, arbitrary pane
allocation by another one... maybe just more familiar to you.

> What you think?

That you are suggesting a solution which is maybe a bit more intuitive
for you, but not that intuitive.

Regards,

Thierry

> Best regards,
> Denis

stepharong

Re: Do you think VersionBrowser is counterintuitive?

On Fri, 23 Dec 2016 16:04:45 +0100, Thierry Goubier
<[hidden email]> wrote:

> Le 23/12/2016 à 14:27, Denis Kudriashov a écrit :
>> Hi.
>>
>> I always catch myself that I am completely lost in method versions (and
>> feel pain :)).
>> There is no clue what at the left pane and what at the right pane.
>
> Agreed.
>
> I often revert to a wrong version...

me too :)

>
>> Now I realize that VersionBrowser is trying to compare selected version
>> versus next version (according to list order).
>> So right pane shows selected version and left pane shows next one.
>> For me all of these is super non intuitive but maybe it is only my
>> problem. So here I want to ask about your experience. Do you feel same?
>>
>> I would prefer if VersionBrowser will always compare selected version
>> versus current version in image with actual image version on the left
>> and selected version on the right.
>
> Any solution which doesn't require me to guess which pane relate to what
> I want to revert to has my vote.
>
> In short, what you describe replaces a non-obvious, arbitrary pane
> allocation by another one... maybe just more familiar to you.
>
>> What you think?
>
> That you are suggesting a solution which is maybe a bit more intuitive
> for you, but not that intuitive.
>
> Regards,
>
> Thierry
>
>> Best regards,
>> Denis
>
>

--
Using Opera's mail client: http://www.opera.com/mail/

Denis Kudriashov

Re: Do you think VersionBrowser is counterintuitive?

In reply to this post by Thierry Goubier

2016-12-23 16:04 GMT+01:00 Thierry Goubier <[hidden email]>:

In short, what you describe replaces a non-obvious, arbitrary pane allocation by another one... maybe just more familiar to you.

No. I suggest current image version on left pane with visible label "current version". And selected version on the right pane.

Also when you will switch from one version to another left pane will be never changed which will be visible and intuitive indication that new selected method is on the right pane because only right pane will change.

Nicolas Passerini

Re: Do you think VersionBrowser is counterintuitive?

I agree, current version is not intuitive.

Moreover, is it possible to consider a design that could allow Iceberg or other tools to contribute older versions from repository?

2016-12-23 16:16 GMT+01:00 Denis Kudriashov <[hidden email]>:

2016-12-23 16:04 GMT+01:00 Thierry Goubier <[hidden email]>:

In short, what you describe replaces a non-obvious, arbitrary pane allocation by another one... maybe just more familiar to you.

No. I suggest current image version on left pane with visible label "current version". And selected version on the right pane.
Also when you will switch from one version to another left pane will be never changed which will be visible and intuitive indication that new selected method is on the right pane because only right pane will change.

Denis Kudriashov

Re: Do you think VersionBrowser is counterintuitive?

2016-12-23 18:13 GMT+01:00 Nicolas Passerini <[hidden email]>:

Moreover, is it possible to consider a design that could allow Iceberg or other tools to contribute older versions from repository?

I don't know. I not look into code

Denis Kudriashov

Re: Do you think VersionBrowser is counterintuitive?

2016-12-23 18:30 GMT+01:00 Denis Kudriashov <[hidden email]>:

Moreover, is it possible to consider a design that could allow Iceberg or other tools to contribute older versions from repository?

I don't know. I not look into code

But we of course need to improve it for upcoming git integration

Thierry Goubier

Re: Do you think VersionBrowser is counterintuitive?

In reply to this post by Nicolas Passerini

Le 23/12/2016 à 18:13, Nicolas Passerini a écrit :
> I agree, current version is not intuitive.

I'd like to see someone come with an idea that covers both uses of the
version browser:

1- Revert to a previous version of a method

2- Study and compare the various changes the method went through

Denis wants 1-. Current version browser focuses on 2- in a rather
uintuitive way, especially if you are trying to do 1-.

> Moreover, is it possible to consider a design that could allow Iceberg
> or other tools to contribute older versions from repository?

This one is easy and has been working for GitFileTree for a long time
already.

Technically, a few years ago, the version browser was rewritten to use
Ring as its underlying code model; filling the version browser with
RGMethodDefinition(s) allow you to use any source for past versions of a
method.

The API in gitfiletree is:

MCFileTreeGitRepository>>#gitVersionsForDefinition:in:

And you just need to change a single line in the version browser, as in:

AltVersionBrowser>>#buildChangeList[2](*)

Regards,

Thierry

[1]
https://github.com/dalehenrich/filetree/blob/pharo6.0_dev/repository/MonticelloFileTree-Git.package/MCFileTreeGitRepository.class/instance/gitVersionsForDefinition.in..st
[2]
https://github.com/ThierryGoubier/AltBrowser/blob/pharo6/Alt-Browser.package/AltVersionBrowser.class/instance/buildChangeList.st

> 2016-12-23 16:16 GMT+01:00 Denis Kudriashov <[hidden email]
> <mailto:[hidden email]>>:
>
>
> 2016-12-23 16:04 GMT+01:00 Thierry Goubier
> <[hidden email] <mailto:[hidden email]>>:
>
>
> In short, what you describe replaces a non-obvious, arbitrary
> pane allocation by another one... maybe just more familiar to you.
>
>
> No. I suggest current image version on left pane with visible label
> "current version". And selected version on the right pane.
> Also when you will switch from one version to another left pane will
> be never changed which will be visible and intuitive indication that
> new selected method is on the right pane because only right pane
> will change.
>
>

Thierry Goubier

Re: Do you think VersionBrowser is counterintuitive?

In reply to this post by Denis Kudriashov

Le 23/12/2016 à 16:16, Denis Kudriashov a écrit :

>
> 2016-12-23 16:04 GMT+01:00 Thierry Goubier <[hidden email]
> <mailto:[hidden email]>>:
>
>
> In short, what you describe replaces a non-obvious, arbitrary pane
> allocation by another one... maybe just more familiar to you.
>
>
> No. I suggest current image version on left pane with visible label
> "current version". And selected version on the right pane.
> Also when you will switch from one version to another left pane will be
> never changed which will be visible and intuitive indication that new
> selected method is on the right pane because only right pane will change.

Given that you're already watching the method in the image (because you
selected it in Nautilus before calling versions), a simpler display is
just a single pane showing the old version code with removal and
additions / changes markers.

Note: intuitive is a bad word for UI design. Nothing in UI is
"intuitive". Learned / Familiar / has visible feedback / respect common
ui guidelines are correct values.

Thierry

Ben Coman

Re: Do you think VersionBrowser is counterintuitive?

In reply to this post by Denis Kudriashov

On Fri, Dec 23, 2016 at 9:27 PM, Denis Kudriashov <[hidden email]> wrote:

Hi.

I always catch myself that I am completely lost in method versions (and feel pain :)).
There is no clue what at the left pane and what at the right pane.

Now I realize that VersionBrowser is trying to compare selected version versus next version (according to list order).
So right pane shows selected version and left pane shows next one.
For me all of these is super non intuitive but maybe it is only my problem. So here I want to ask about your experience. Do you feel same?

I would prefer if VersionBrowser will always compare selected version versus current version in image with actual image version on the left and selected version on the right.

What you think?

Thanks for bringing this up. I often find it awkward and non-intuitive, but have lived with it.

Your idea to keep the left had code permanently the current-version would definitely make it more intuitive, but just another idea...

In the bottom panes, both "side-by-side" and "diff", there is green & red highlighting. What about using the same highlight colours in the top pane to show which "version" the coloured code relates to.

So for example, when opened, in the top pane the first line as the current-version would be highlighted green, as would the left pane. The second line would be highlighted red as the most recent previous-version, as would the right-pane. Now selecting an item in the top-pane moves the red highlight and changes the right-pane - which would effectively per Denis' proposal. But you might also ctrl-click in the top pane to move the green-highlight which changes the left-pane. Then perhaps "Revert" should not be a menu item in the top-pane (since there are two selections), but should have Revert menu item in both left-pane and right-pane.

cheers -ben