Suggesting a mix of old and New Document screen.

[paaljoachim]

Hi

Here is a comparison.

Version 1.7.3 - New Document screen.

  

 

Version 1.8 - New Document screen.

 

In the old version: options are hidden in drop downs.
In the new version: all options for a specific category are seen.

I would suggest something in between the old and the new. As showing 13 options in Photo, 16 options in Web etc can be a bit overwhelming

What about doing something similar to the below.

Show the most used (or what you think are the most used presets for each category). Then have the top 4 options change for each category based on what the user over time uses.

Having something like I am showing above will make it easier selecting a preset to go with. Seeing 4 options in comparison to 13, 16 or more is a lot easier on the brain. 
Kinda like going into an ice cream bar. Giving the option of 4 flavors compared to 16. If one does not want any of the 4 flavors one just moves over to the next area to see additional flavors.
Most might go with the 4 and some will want to check the additional options.

 

 

 

[Chris B]

Hey paaljoachim,

I believe there is still some work to do in this new dialog. The QA team logged a lot of improvement suggestions during internal testing, which includes a similar idea to what you suggested so hopefully we can see this or something similar implemented. 

[fde101]

Hiding options within what essentially amounts to a list box when there is no technical advantage to doing so does not strike me as being a sensible idea.

I am firmly opposed to this one as it is suggested above - we would need an extra click to find those other options and would gain absolutely nothing from this.

 

If the concern is that the user is having trouble pinpointing one preset among the many, I would suggest instead adding a "favorites" feature so that specific templates could be flagged as favorites and show up in a separate "Favorites" tab - that tab might be broken down by the categories from the other pages and show only the favorite items underneath each one.

[KipV]

On 1/21/2020 at 4:21 AM, fde101 said:

If the concern is that the user is having trouble pinpointing one preset among the many, I would suggest instead adding a "favorites" feature so that specific templates could be flagged as favorites and show up in a separate "Favorites" tab - that tab might be broken down by the categories from the other pages and show only the favorite items underneath each one.

I think what they were trying to say is that there should just be recently used section that is limited to only the most recently used. This would beneficial to a person who keeps using the same sizes over and over again. With a large screen I think I would rather see everything all lined out. You can also type a search for a particular size as well or as mentioned before use favorites.

[paaljoachim]

@fde101 @KipV

My thought is that the 4 options that are seen in each section are the ones that are most used (recently used) options.
If the user needs to use something the user has not used before/recently then he/she can click the "Show additional options" accordion to see the rest of the options for the specific section. Then click one of the options. The next time the user opens the New Document screen and goes to the specific section one of the 4 options would be the one she/he used the last time. This way each section would show 4 initial visible options and the rest one can easily click "Show additional options" to see. The 4 showing the recently used or if none of the options have been used before show the most likely used option.

This way one will always have the recently used options showing in the top of each section. One would not be distracted by all the other options present. As there are so many to choose from one can easily get distracted and loose focus.

I hope that makes it more clear @fde101 

 

 

[fde101]

So, you are saying to do away with the tabs at the top and have a simple list, placing the templates under headers, and only showing the most recent few (one row of templates) under each header until the user expands that section?

That is a bit better than what I had thought you were asking for.

[paaljoachim]

5 hours ago, fde101 said:

So, you are saying to do away with the tabs at the top and have a simple list, placing the templates under headers, and only showing the most recent few (one row of templates) under each header until the user expands that section?

That is a bit better than what I had thought you were asking for.

The only thing I would like to change about the beta My Documents is having the 4 most recent in the top of each section (section = My Presets, Print, Photo, Web, Devices and Architectural as can be seen in the wireframe I posted in the initial post).  The user clicks to expand for additional options.

Do please go into more detail of what you would like to see. As the more details you give the easier it can be to visualize it. I might also create a wireframe out of it.

 

[fde101]

3 minutes ago, paaljoachim said:

The only thing I would like to change

I was originally going by the mockup you provided in your OP - you show four entries and a "more" button on each tab, and that I would be strongly opposed to.  Clicking the tab should be enough to show all of the options.

Adding a "most recently used" section to the top then showing all of the options underneath it would be fine, maybe something like this:

Having the tabs and the "more" button though is just an extra click to reveal them which would be pointless and you would be wasting all of the remaining space there until the button was clicked.

If the idea was to get rid of the tabs and show the sections as separate headers instead, then I could see that scheme working, but personally I would still prefer the current approach.

[paaljoachim]

What is good about our discussions here is that it can add onto the internal discussions Affinity has with their testers.

From what your saying I believe that your saying that one could remove the left sidebar area as well as the top header sections.
Then have the header sections starting with Most Recent, then All "Web" Templates, below that All "Print" Templates, then below that All "Photo" Templates etc.
It would make for a very long page which one would need to scroll through.

Another approach would be to have the tabs in the top with each section. Click for instance Web. Then have it show up as your showing in your wireframe. With most recent in the top and the rest seen below. 

 

[fde101]

No, I think you are confusing two discussions.

I was saying that for your suggestion of what basically amounts to a "more" button they should be combined and the tabs eliminated so as to avoid wasting the space.

For the most recent / all headers, they could be under each tab; that way the most recent always are at the top and easily accessed, and the rest can be found directly without the extra click on the "more" button.

[KipV]

On 1/26/2020 at 3:30 AM, fde101 said:

Having the tabs and the "more" button though is just an extra click to reveal them which would be pointless and you would be wasting all of the remaining space there until the button was clicked.

I agree with point number one.

On 1/26/2020 at 3:30 AM, fde101 said:

If the idea was to get rid of the tabs and show the sections as separate headers instead, then I could see that scheme working, but personally I would still prefer the current approach.

But point number two I don't get. The way you have it in the mock up looks pretty good. If you got rid of tabs there would be a whole lot of pointless scrolling to get to the section you want?

[fde101]

14 minutes ago, KipV said:

a whole lot of pointless scrolling to get to the section you want?

My mockup with the tabs is my recommendation if changing anything about this.

 

As an alternative, going by the mockup @paaljoachim provided in the OP with only one row and a "more" button, then I would suggest removing the tabs - with only one row per section there wouldn't be as much scrolling.

But again, I would prefer to keep the tabs and eliminate the "more" button, as with the mockup I had provided.

[KipV]

9 minutes ago, fde101 said:

As an alternative, going by the mockup @paaljoachim provided in the OP with only one row and a "more" button, then I would suggest removing the tabs - with only one row per section there wouldn't be as much scrolling.

I understand now. I think in a usual set up it will make the most sense to click on tab and see the long list of the tab you clicked on. Having the first row be recents would probably be fine. I don't think the short list of all the sections would work as well.

[gizmo2501]

How are you even getting this new document screen? I am on 1.8.0.532 on Windows and don't have it. Is this Mac only?

 

Can you tell me - I am hoping that we can choose particular documents to be in the Templates area. I work from the same documents as templates regularly, and it would save a lot of time to determine those documents as templates to open from.

 

If not, can I make that as a suggestion? Or suggest to add a Favourites page.

[fde101]

4 hours ago, gizmo2501 said:

I am on 1.8.0.532 on Windows and don't have it. Is this Mac only?

I just checked the release notes for the Windoze betas and I don't see it listed.  When it first rolled out there was a notation that it was mac only at that point, so maybe it still is?

[walt.farrell]

On 1/29/2020 at 11:48 AM, fde101 said:

I just checked the release notes for the Windoze betas and I don't see it listed.  When it first rolled out there was a notation that it was mac only at that point, so maybe it still is?

Yes, it's still Mac-only.

[gizmo2501]

On 1/29/2020 at 4:48 PM, fde101 said:

I just checked the release notes for the Windoze betas and I don't see it listed.  When it first rolled out there was a notation that it was mac only at that point, so maybe it still is?

Ah, okay. Thanks for that. Looking forward to it on Windows!

[OptimusPrime]

Installed a new version of the Designer, and the new window of a new document causes me many inconveniences. I had to roll back to the old version.

Guys, I'll be cursing now...)))

 

 

[Patrick Connor]

@OptimusPrime

Welcome to the Serif Affinity forums

Sorry that this new feature doesn't suit your needs, but many users have thought that it is an improvement, particularly being able to save your own templates

[OptimusPrime]

I have been using the program for 5 years already))

It can be made more convenient and flexible.😎

The conversation is not about saving your own templates, but about a new document window..))

Edited February 29, 2020 by OptimusPrime

[OptimusPrime]

Based on your new document window, I made another prototype, although it is not perfect.

The main thing is a constructive approach. And do not be offended at me.))😎

[OptimusPrime]

4 hours ago, Patrick Connor said:

@OptimusPrime

Welcome to the Serif Affinity forums

Sorry that this new feature doesn't suit your needs, but many users have thought that it is an improvement, particularly being able to save your own templates

So, there will be no changes in any way? Or all the same, they will, but only in the future?)

[Patrick Connor]

I do not know if this will change, but having just been added early feedback is appreciated

[OptimusPrime]

12 minutes ago, Patrick Connor said:

I do not know if this will change, but having just been added early feedback is appreciated

thx😎