Hi Lazarus team, I've start Lazarus and I've face multiple usability issues: - when it start it say that I have no FPC Sources (I've setup them) but sometimes it happened to have around the sources. So the user should have the possibility to ignore the message dialog. For that I've suggest two solutions: - add one extra button with text: Ignore (near the OK) to not buggy you the dialog anymore and to be pointed in Environment>Env. Options with red color (or somelike color) that you don't have that option setup) or one button with: Solve problem (in place of Ignore) and to start Env.>Env. Options dialog - to be a global error place, for instance where are put the compiler error messages, and there to say that the FPC sources are missing or not setup
- floating windows: they are really too many, In a debug session one person can work with as much as 10 windows opened at one time. That problem can be addressed compacting one or more windows in the same dialogs with tabs (page control) or toggle buttons to say which dialog should be enabled. - file->New... dialog is somehow useless: for adding one new file the user has to open one dialog. Most users will always use three or so options. So New... probably should be an expanded menu that have as items: Unit, Form, Text file, etc.m - (separator), others - file->search or replace (excluding incremental search) are to heavy Unify them in the same dialog and if the replace/search (like is in: Find in Files dialog) work differently on different criteria: by project, by folder, etc. they may be put in multiple tabs - Project menu: - no items until the: publish project should exist, they are redundant with File Menu where most users will make that operations - compiler options aren't a part of project options? Why? Probably the options should be organized then in another format like some tools use today: a logical tree with options and on the right the options to change - view todo list: should not be in the view menu? - Components item is the cleanest menu - Tools: the first dialog about custom tools is to heavy and in more steps. Probably a list with tools in the left, and in the right the plain dialog of add/edit dialog. To add one new item should be in one step (having the option of adding or modify that command). Probably the tools should be on top of Custom tools, because you want to have minimalist step to get it. - Options: - probably they should be merged in a single dialog with a tree on the left, excluding Code tools defines editor, which from my point of view should be put in the View or Tools menu, it does not belong to the options place. But who knows!? Help Menu is in work, so I will not comment it. All observations were against the daily snapshot, so if I miss something, please someone to point it out. My wanting is to do that against the current version and to do all that things incrementally. Wish the best, Ciprian CONFIDENTIALITY NOTICE: This email message is for the sole use of the intended recipient(s) and may contain confidential and privileged information. Any unauthorized review, use, disclosure or distribution is prohibited. If you are not the intended recipient, please contact the sender by reply email and destroy all copies of the original message.
