UI and usability comments/suggestions/requests

Suggestions? Comments? Features you'd like to see?
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Paco II
Posts: 9
Joined: Mon Sep 06, 2010 12:55 pm
Dive Computer: Suunto D9

UI and usability comments/suggestions/requests

Post by Paco II »

I've been using MacDive 2 for a while now, and thought I'd post a few comments about some usability issues I find with the application, as well as some requests. Please note, I LOVE the app, and have been a supporter and user of it since v1.

1. Globally:

1a. Please provide an option to confirm before deleting for gear, gear groups, certifications, sites, etc. It is just too darn easy to accidentally delete something. I have the 'Warn before deleting' option checked in the settings, but that apparently does not apply to these types of items.

1b. With the current 'bubble' UI for gear, certs, sites, etc, so much of the description is/can be cut off. I'd like to be able to see more without having to click. Perhaps a 'mouseover' approach, where mousing over a bubble will cause the bubble to 'grow' and show more information. Mousing out return it to normal size.

1c. After double clicking a bubble and the entry layer is displayed, closing that layer should be simpler. I should be able to click anywhere to hide it, especially white space. But the only way to close it is by clicking another bubble.

2. Certifications section:

2a. Without an image attached to a cert, you have no idea what it is without double clicking the bubble. If no image is attached, have the bubble at least display the 'Type'.

2b. New gear and new sites can be created via the Action drop-down menu, but Certifications have a 'New' button. Why a different UI for creating a Certification? Why not just have a 'New Certification' option in the drop-down menu?

2c. Would love a list display option for certs.

3. Date section in sidebar

3a. In the dates section in the sidebar, 4 date 'smart searches' exist. Any chance these 'smart searches' can be auto-hidden if they have no results?

4. Divers section in sidebar

4a. Normally when adding a new dive, the 'Diver' column is populated by 'New Diver'. What would be great is if I have clicked on an existing diver in the sidebar, selecting 'New Dive' from the file menu would populate that field with the highlighted diver.

That's it for now :) Again, thanks for a great application!
Damir
Posts: 7
Joined: Sat Sep 04, 2010 2:37 pm
Dive Computer: Suunto Vytec

Re: UI and usability comments/suggestions/requests

Post by Damir »

And few of my one:

1d. it is too easy to change info imported from dive computer. There could be an option in preferences that would enable/disable changing the info that is imported from DC.

1e. double clicking for opening the info window. I know that this was discussed before but it is the Mac way from the 80s! I still, after using Mac Dive for months, double click on a dive and sheepishly waiting for info window to open! ;-) Also, as it is, edit and delete dive are very close so I have to be careful when wanting to edit a dive.

Hope you had a great time diving this week!

I finally stopped using Suunto software on my PC. Now, only Ultra Edit to go and I can put my PC to rest!
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nick
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Posts: 4363
Joined: Sat Apr 12, 2008 8:33 am
Dive Computer: Shearwater Teric
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Re: UI and usability comments/suggestions/requests

Post by nick »

Cheers for the suggestions. Pretty much all stuff I am aware of or thinking about. Some things are inconsistent, like "new cert" - yes. I am testing the waters, so to speak. Things will tidy up and be more consistent in the future once I find a nice balance.

Anyway - Ultra Edit ? There is an OS X version of emacs :)
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nick
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Re: UI and usability comments/suggestions/requests

Post by nick »

Double clicking will open the inspector as of the next patch.
Damir
Posts: 7
Joined: Sat Sep 04, 2010 2:37 pm
Dive Computer: Suunto Vytec

Re: UI and usability comments/suggestions/requests

Post by Damir »

nick wrote:Anyway - Ultra Edit ? There is an OS X version of emacs
Column edit mode and powerful search. Unfortunately, there is no editor for Mac that have those. :-(
But there is Mac version on the way!!! :-)
nick wrote:Double clicking will open the inspector as of the next patch.
Thanks! Me so happy! ;-)
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nick
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Re: UI and usability comments/suggestions/requests

Post by nick »

Emacs does everything ;)
gjc999
Posts: 45
Joined: Tue Aug 03, 2010 12:27 pm
Dive Computer: Pro 2.1

Re: UI and usability comments/suggestions/requests

Post by gjc999 »

I'd like to see if you could have the program populate the 'Computer' field in the dive information automatically when you drag a gear object to the dive gear list that is of type 'computer'. Perhaps if you are dragging several computers into a single dive, then the last computer dropped would populate that field. This is more for the dives in my log that came from an older computer with no profile logging functionality.
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