[Libreoffice] [libreoffice-design] Review needed to try to resurrect "add slide thumbnails to HTML export" part

[Bernhard Dippold]

Hi Michael, hello Julien, all,

Michael Meeks schrieb:
> Hi Julien,
>
> On Fri, 2011-03-25 at 00:25 +0100, Julien Nabet wrote:
>> I worked a little on "add slide thumbnails to HTML export" part.
>> The code compiles ok with Debian testing  updated x86 (and no parameter
>> at all in autogen), gcc (Debian 4.5.2-4)
>
> 	Nice work :-)

It's hard to imagine what you did, as there are different options to do 
a HTML export.
>
>> I only tried this :
>> - create a impress document with 2 slides
>> - export to XHTML, HTML and save it in test.html

You exported it via File - Wizards - Web Page, I assume?
When exporting it via File - Export ... choosing "XHTML" format there is 
no preview.

>
> 	Good stuff.
>
>> then I got these files :
> ..
>> I don't know if it's what was expected but i'm sure it needs some
>> reviewing since I added, changed and removed 1 or 2 things from the
>> original patch.
>
> 	Heh - so, the essence is that the front-page of the slideshow:
>
> - test.html
>
> 	should have a little mosaic of the slides that you can click on (prolly
> this needs some html div/whatever love - perhaps we can ask the
> UI/design guys about that as/when we create the new list for that).

As we can't see what you have created, is there a chance to get a 
screenshot?

I can just imagine, what you want to achieve:

The present wizard creates a list of files (in index.html) as well as a 
table of contents (in /content/<filename>/<filename>.html) for 
presentations, direct preview for text files and drawings.

If the wizard was used to create a framed website (third step of the 
wizard, second line of layouts), the ToC is shown in the frame on the 
index.html page.

This ToC shows the name of the slides and a link to start a web 
representation of the file (/content/<filename>/siframes.html)

This webpage contains on the left hand side the titles of the slides 
(expandable to lower hierarchies), on the right hand side the slides are 
shown - switchable on forward/backward buttons or by clicking on the titles.

Do you want to replace these titles on siframes.html by the thumbnails 
(similar to the Slides area in Impress)?

Or should already the Table of Contents (<filename>.html) provide the 
thumbnails?

Clickable thumbnails would be intuitive to use, providing an easy access 
to the content.

I'm sure it can be improved, especially for accessibility (selection 
movable by mouse and keyboard, alternative titles etc), but if I 
understand it right, your patch will be an improvement over the present 
state, so please go on!
>
>> If this patch is ok, i can of course push it.
>
> 	Looks fine to me :-) please do push it if it works as I outline
> above ;-)
>
> 	We should also consult the design team as to whether they want this to
> be optional; there is a big white-space for 'options' in the 2nd page of
> the HTML export wizard that we could whack that into.

You mean the "Documents" page? Under "Export to file format" a checkbox: 
"Provide thumbnails"?

> Then again, IMHO
> adding gratuitous options is mostly cowardly (as previously discussed),
> either way IMHO the option should be on by default if it is there I
> think.

In this case I agree: Even with larger presentations the size of the 
thumbnails don't enlarge the resulting website too much, but provide 
relevant information.

Thus I think we should not add an option to skip the creation of thumbnails.

(If users will complain about the resulting size, an additional option 
in "Export to file format" can be created later: "HTML without thumbnails")

> 	No doubt, there is quite some scope for cleaning up the HTML the HTML
> export dialog generates too in the light of the modern web.
>
> 	While we're there; we should prolly ask the design guys to address the
> -very- blury artwork banners in that HTML export dialog, it looks odd to
> me (though perhaps it is a 'feature-not-bug' ;-)

I don't like these "colorful" graphical webdesign either.

I don't know how we can get better design integrated in this wizard.

Do you need color and size definition, graphics or finalized websites?

If we can get such information, we can add some kind of "Design Easy 
Hack" to work on by some interested designers.

But more important: If you leave the original file formats, you'll get 
StarOffice file icons!

These should definitely be replaced by the corresponding LibO icons.

Best regards

Bernhard