Jenn - Re: expandable/collapsible list No doubt that would probably be a desirable feature. Possibly some kind of floating/dock-able palette with access to pinned, recent, popular, etc. >From that palette it would be identical drag-n-drop behavior as from the generic processor icon.
On Thu, Sep 10, 2015 at 1:50 PM Jennifer Barnabee < [email protected]> wrote: > Rob, > I also like enhancements 1 & 2. For the ability to pin processors or pull > recent/popular processors from a user-generated list, can we make that > something that is expandable/collapsible? While building a flow, I think > people might want that type of thing open. But then later, while working > with a flow, they'd want it out of the way. > Great ideas! > -Jenn > > On Thu, Sep 10, 2015 at 12:55 PM, Rob Moran <[email protected]> wrote: > >> There has been recent discussion around UI enhancements with the goal of >> streamlining visual flow design. Please consider the following enhancements >> and concepts for proposed solutions. Do you have any objections? If so, >> please share your thoughts and ideas for alternate solutions to streamline >> visual flow design in NiFi's GUI. >> >> >> *Enhancement 1*Enable quicker, more efficient access to both known and >> not yet known processors. >> >> >> *Issue*The current interaction of dropping a processor on the graph and >> being prompted with a dialog helps a user who does not know exactly which >> one they need. However, as the number of processors increase, the current >> methods of finding what you need become increasingly difficult. And for >> those users who know exactly what processor they want, routine interaction >> with the dialog becomes rather cumbersome. >> >> *Concept for Proposed Solution* >> Present logical groupings of processors to the user. Ideas include >> usage-generated categories like ‘recent’ and ‘popular,’ along with >> categories such as those defined by the Enterprise Integration Patterns >> (e.g., mediate, route, transform) and perhaps further subcategories if >> applicable. These options would be accessible from the main UI as well as >> the add processor dialog. >> >> Other ideas include 'pinning' processors you routinely use for quick >> access, setting a default drag-n-drop processor, and assigning keyboard >> shortcuts to quickly add a favorite to the graph. >> >> Design decisions made here could also serve as a model for placing other >> elements onto the graph such as templates. >> >> >> *Enhancement 2*Provide visual distinction to processor types. >> >> >> *Issue*When viewing a flow on the graph, all processor blocks look the >> same. As a result, users must rely on processor names alone to interpret >> what they are doing and how the given flow is working together. >> >> *Concept for Proposed Solution* >> Introduce some combination of iconography, unique styling, and more >> descriptive labeling to processor blocks. As mentioned earlier, looking to >> the Enterprise Integration Patterns could provide cues for visually >> distinct icons and labeling. Unique styling could occur at various zoom >> levels and/or screen resolution to better respond to user needs. >> >> *Enhancement 3* >> Give users the choice to be prompted immediately with a configuration >> dialog after they place a processor, draw a connection, etc. on the graph. >> >> *Issue* >> Currently there is inconsistency with the interaction. Place a processor >> - nothing. Draw a connection - configuration dialog pops up. >> >> *Concept for Proposed Solution* >> Part 1 - Decide on a consistent default behavior. Part 2 - Provide the >> user the ability to reverse the behavior. One thought is to include a >> toggle in each configuration dialog giving the user control over the >> behavior while in context. Additionally, there could be a user preferences >> area where they could make global changes. A user preferences area could >> come into play with potential solutions proposed in Enhancement 1 as well. >> -- >> Rob >> > -- Rob
