[Libreoffice-ux-advise] [Bug 98372] SIDEBAR: Research/Reference sidebar deck

[bugzilla-daemon at bugs.documentfoundation.org]

https://bugs.documentfoundation.org/show_bug.cgi?id=98372

--- Comment #6 from Yousuf (Jay) Philips <philipz85 at hotmail.com> ---
(In reply to V Stuart Foote from comment #5)
> Mock-up looks like a good start, you forgot to insert a Tab bar button for
> switching to the Deck.

Yep forgot about that part as i didnt have an icon for it. :D

> --Network connectivity--
> When this Research/Reference content panel(s) be implemented as a core
> feature of LibreOffice--it will be important to be able to completely
> disable any external connection. That is, the mock-up should be clear to
> provide a "Not Active" mode, with no Encyclopedia "selected". And any
> network hooks must be silent when in that mode.

Yes it would need to check if the internet is available once a user switches to
it, and if not, then it would disable all the entries that require internet in
the drop down menu.

> Pushing this enhancement over to the UX-advise side for design and
> implementation. Otherwise if these core content panels are effective for
> Writer, they would be equally effective in Impress, Calc and Draw (possibly
> even Math if you connect to the right journal services).

Yep i would expect we'd have a design session maybe after the design meeting to
talk about it once heiko gets back to iron out the UX part. If it would be
useful in other modules, it should definitely be. I would assume the
dictionary, thesaurus, and translator would likely be useful in Calc and
Impress.

> (In reply to Yousuf (Jay) Philips from comment #3)
> @Jay, still believe the flexibility is needed and will attract interesting
> projects to implement Sidebar based extensions. Where most extensions now
> provide Toolbar or Dialog based interface, they could provide richer Sidebar
> Deck held content panels of various function. Much like the work Jan-Marek
> is investigating to host the WollMuxBar in a set of Sidebar content panels
> with dedicated deck and tab bar launcher.

Would never say that we shouldnt encourage sidebar extensions, but believe this
functionality shouldnt be left to out of core where

1) it would likely not seen by all users because its not part of the default
install or

2) the extension wasnt design and developed in the best manner, which results
in a bad user experience or

3) the extension isnt maintained and possible changes to the sidebar API would
make it no longer functional (QA doesnt cater to questions regarding broken
extensions).

This it being part of core, we the design team can properly plan the correct UI
and UX for implementation and can work with the dev who wishes to implement it.

> Our goal for Sidebar should be publishing an API and IDL in the SDK for
> control and layout of Sidebar Deck, Tabbar and Content panels--and
> continuing to develop the internal framework needed for holding state in
> profile (per module, per user) and in extending ODF to carry any needed
> content to make the document portable. Another discussion and subject of
> Design & UX preliminary survey.

We could always have the developer who will implement this do it as a built-in
sidebar extension, and use that as a means of showcasing the ability of the
sidebar api and have it as a reference example those who want to build
extensions.

I'm hoping that infra could provide a dedicated server that could be used as
the powering backend for this implementation. Where in a user would easily be
able to install additional services as the service list is found on the server
and queries would would be routed through the server, so that if there is any
breakage in service, the fix can be done on the dedicated server and users
wouldnt have to upgrade to the latest version to get a fixed version of the
service.

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