This workflow really looks like it should be done in a wizard. I know
that this was something that you wanted to avoid, but I think the
alternative is even worse. Trying to cram all the options into a single
dialog whose contents change depending on the selected file will only
make it more confusing for the user to discover the available
functionality.
Also, if a wizard is used, it becomes much easier for plugins to
contribute their own import/export functionality -- Eclipse is an
excellent example of how this could be done. (And perhaps the RSS plugin
could be used to demonstrate this by importing feeds from a Firefox
bookmarks file.)
Davor
On Thu, 22 Nov 2007, Mimi Yin wrote:
Hi Heikki,
We could do the following:
(Could we have more of a margin around these dialogs? 15 points or pixels?)
===
Import
-----
File: [ ] [Browse]
-----<IF .ICS FILE IS SELECTED>
Import:
[ ] Event status
[ ] Alarms
Import into: [ New collection | v ]
[ ] Keep out of Dashboard
[Cancel] [Import]
-----<IF .CHEX FILE IS SELECTED>
Warning: xxxxx
[Cancel] [Import]
===
===
Export
-----
Export to:
(x) .chex for re-import into another version of Chandler.
(All data and settings will be exported.)
( ) .ics (iCal format) for re-import into another Calendar
application.
(Only tasks and events will be exported.)
[Cancel] [Export]
===
On Nov 21, 2007, at 11:39 AM, Heikki Toivonen wrote:
Aparna Kadakia wrote:
FWIW, I like Mimi's proposal as she put it in the last email. It's much
clearer to the user what the outcome of the different actions will be.
If I am trying to import .chex and .ics, using the same 'Import' option
for both may not be exactly intuitive to most users.
To me this design below requires users to choose up front WHAT they want
to import from what FORMATs. I'd argue most users have no clue.
Maybe when exporting you'd need to present the user with a dialog first
to choose what to export, which will explain/show what format the info
can be exported into. Seems like exporting would be harder to do in an
easy to understand way.
File>>
+ Import>>
++ Import Tasks and Events from .ics File...
++ Reload Chandler Data from .chex File...
+ Export>>
++ Export Tasks and Events to .ics File
++ Export Chandler Data to .chex File
Additionally, suppose you add 10 import/export plugins... Now your
submenu has ballooned to a length of 12.
--
Heikki Toivonen
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