In current versions of XCSoar, a very small icon of a red circle shows in
the lower-right of the mapwindow to indicate that logging is active. It
alternates between red and dark red to show the speed of logging.
For 6.2 we're trying to implement some recommended user interface guidelines
(for more detail, see that section in
http://max.kellermann.name/download/xcsoar/releases/6.1.1/XCSoar-developer-manual.pdf
).
Implementing these has led to a discussion taking roughly this path:
Problem: Red is a colour reserved for danger.
Solution: Change the red circle to another colour.
V
Problem: Unlike a red circle, a circle of any other colour is not a
recognisable symbol for 'recording'.
Solution: Change the icon to another recognisable symbol (cassette, floppy
disk, graph, ... ).
V
Problem: It is difficult to create a recognisable symbol in a tiny icon.
Solution: Enlarge the icon.
V
Problem: The icon is not important enough to justify a larger icon.
Solution: Do we need the icon at all?
The arguments in favour of the icon:
- If the log is important to the user (primary / secondary logger), is
reassuring to know that XCSoar is logging.
- If landing detection code is imperfect, it could potentially turn off the
logger in some circumstances.
- If using manual logging mode, the icon is a constant visual indicator that
logging is active.
Arguments against the icon:
- If the landing / takeoff detection code is reliable, it can be assumed
that the logger is recording. It is not helpful to display the icon.
- If landing detection code has failed, the logger has already been stopped
and the IGC file will be incomplete. The icon is not helpful because the
event has already occurred; no action by the user is necessary because
logging will resume when the takeoff detection code activates.
- Not useful enough for most users to justify an icon.
- Removing it reduces screen clutter.
It would be helpful to know if anyone finds the logging icon useful, and
why?
If because of some issue with the takeoff and landing detection code, has
the problem been reported on trac? http://www.xcsoar.org/trac/newticket
(For that matter, please report any issues on trac as soon as you notice
them. We now support a large number of very different devices and there's a
good chance that the problem you see won't be fixed unless you report it.
It's much easier to identify and fix problems soon after they are
introduced.)
Cheers,
Simon
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