gregsohl Posted March 26, 2012 Report Share Posted March 26, 2012 Continuing my exploration of PlasticSCM, I'm looking at browsing repositories on multiple servers. This may be for any number of reasons. To start, I'm working fully distributed. The client is open and connected to my local repository (GSOHL-Dxxxx:xxxx). However I want to view branches on another server. So I open the Repository Browser: From there, I right-click on the DMOONFIRE-Dxxxx:xxxx server and choose Branch Explorer. That opens a view of that server. Beautiful - I have a view of the branches on a 2nd server. But the UI at this point is confusing. This opened in a tab under my workspace that is open on my local server (GSOHL-Dxxxx:xxxx). The only way to know that this view is for something else is in the properties display when something is selected in it or in the tooltip on the "Branch Explorer" tab. Shouldn't this view of another repository on another server be a major tab all the way at the top or am I missing a concept here? Thanks. Greg Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
manu Posted March 27, 2012 Report Share Posted March 27, 2012 Hello Greg, ummmm I understand your point of view, but all the tabs inside the Plastic GUI are at the same "level". You can review the branch explorer you are viewing by the tab mouse tooltip. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gregsohl Posted March 27, 2012 Author Report Share Posted March 27, 2012 Yes, I got that. What I'm trying to say is that the tooltip is not enough. The tab being at the same level with a different workspace / repostitory shown above does not provide the right context. I'm suggesting that something more be done. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
manu Posted March 27, 2012 Report Share Posted March 27, 2012 We can discuss about it, maybe more people can join. Which is your proposal? Can you make a sketch? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gregsohl Posted March 27, 2012 Author Report Share Posted March 27, 2012 I'd gladly sketch up an idea. It might better communicate my point as well. Give me a few days. I need to get my SourceSafe data converted so I can finish my evaluation! Hoping Plastic fulfills all our dreams . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
manu Posted March 27, 2012 Report Share Posted March 27, 2012 Sure! Tell us if we can help with your evaluation! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
carpediemevive Posted March 27, 2012 Report Share Posted March 27, 2012 I'd be interested in this as well. At times I've found the UI fairly confusing, and I think the reliance on tabs as an interface feature is probably hindering my use of it at this point. It's still well beyond most other SCMs out there, but there's room for improvement I think. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
manu Posted March 27, 2012 Report Share Posted March 27, 2012 Cool, we are here to listen your feedback, can you tell us the confusing point? Maybe we can find a way to simplify things. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
carpediemevive Posted March 28, 2012 Report Share Posted March 28, 2012 I find the tabs very confusing. The tabs at the top represent workspaces and you are always inside a workspace within the application. However, there seems to be no logical reason why the Repository view and Workspaces view should be inside of a workspace. Both of those list exist at a server level, not a single workspace or repository level. Another problem with the tabbed view is if you have a decent amount of workspaces (and/or workspaces with long names) the tab names start to become meaningless. I'd rather see the left sidebar extend the full length of the window. I'd make the entire left sidebar a tree view, with the Preferences and RSS Notifications buttons at the top. Below that I would list Workspaces and below that I would list Repositories. Each node beneath workspaces would represent a workspace obviously, and below that would be a list of the various views you could open (i.e. Items, Pending changes, Brances, Chode reviews, Labels, Attributes, etc.). Double clicking on a workspace would open up the default view of a workspace as a tab in the main window. This tab would have the workspace name, and below it would be the status bar that exists now ("Branch /main @ server:port Workspace path: C:\PATH") and below that would be the view tab. I'd recommend opening the Items view as the default, but anything really works just fine here. I'd make these new workspace tabs drag-and-drop-able. Dragging them off the tab bar should spawn a new window (I love being able to arrange things side by side). Dragging them on the bar should add them back in and dragging within the bar should re-arrange them. That would be my first suggestion. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gregsohl Posted March 28, 2012 Author Report Share Posted March 28, 2012 I'm in agreement with carpediemevive and the sketch I'm working on reflects much of what he is suggesting. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
manu Posted March 28, 2012 Report Share Posted March 28, 2012 carpediemevive, thanks for your ideas! gregsohl I'll wait for your sketch!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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