[Libreoffice-bugs] [Bug 141975] New: The macro-UI is confusing and not intuitive to me

[bugzilla-daemon at bugs.documentfoundation.org]

https://bugs.documentfoundation.org/show_bug.cgi?id=141975

            Bug ID: 141975
           Summary: The macro-UI is confusing and not intuitive to me
           Product: LibreOffice
           Version: 7.1.2.2 release
          Hardware: x86-64 (AMD64)
                OS: Linux (All)
            Status: UNCONFIRMED
          Severity: enhancement
          Priority: medium
         Component: Base
          Assignee: libreoffice-bugs at lists.freedesktop.org
          Reporter: shevy at inbox.lt

Description:
Hi guys,

I have been using libreoffice for ... 8 years or so, something like that, give
or take (have been using openoffice before that). I am using Linux most of
the time.

Yesterday I tried to get into macros. The first tutorial I found on the web
was, I believe, via BASIC. This one worked fine on first try.

I then tried the python variant and it did not work. Now it may be that
I am too stupid but ... in parts I think the UI is confusing.

Would it be possible to re-design and overhaul the macro-UI?

Specifically what I found confusing was that we have to navigate
through so many different parts. Since we already use an editor,
I would recommend letting libreoffice infer automatically which
language is used, rather than have the user require to specify 
whether it is BASIC or python.

But altogether, the forced layout is confusing. I went the python 
route and then tried to add a new python function which should be
called, but the "create" button was greyed out. This is not good
from a UI point of view, in my opinion. In my editor I can simply
write the function, then call the .py file from the commandline
and it works. I have no idea what to do in libreoffice to be 
able to invoke this, but it is quite a nightmare. And it seems
to be inconsistent depending on whether it is calc, or word
documents.

My recommendation would be to radically simplify the layout and
options; get rid of the options that don't need to be used at
all such as "python" before starting this (people could always
specify this at a later time, but it should be trivial to figure
out whether it is python or BASIC really; I mean that's a simple
check for keywords, and then, even if it can not be inferred,
to make a guess, while also allowing a user to overrule that
lateron. That way we don't have to specify anything up front.).

Or perhaps an integrated editor as-is that could be general
purpose (and re-used), while also allowing for a simplified 
UI for the macros. It could provide integrated help too.

This does not have to be complex! It can be simple. People will
still get things done. But as the UI is right now, it is very
unintuitive and confusing. I actually use my editor to write
python code anyway, so I don't quite need an editor within
libreoffice as-is - but as long as it is available, I would
prefer it all to be much simpler and more intuitive. 

Steps to Reproduce:
See above.

Actual Results:
See above.

Expected Results:
See above.


Reproducible: Always


User Profile Reset: Yes


OpenGL enabled: Yes

Additional Info:
See above. (So many fields here ... are these necessary?)

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