[Feat] wxGUI: Redesigning Map Display status bar combo box into a new Map Display Settings dialog

[lindakarlovska]

Is your feature request related to a problem? Please describe.

Today's state of Map Display statusbar is unsatisfactory especially in terms of the planned Single-Window mode. However, the truth is that it hasn't changed for a very long time, so it is kind of obsolete also in terms of Multi-Window mode.
The main problem is that the status bar is overloaded because in addition to the status bar function, it also performs the function of a local Map Display settings. The current state of Map Display frame is captured in the following picture:

The status bar at the bottom contains an extensive combo box that allows you to display static text items - such as Coordinates, Map window extent, Computational region extent. However, it also allows you to check several check boxes that relate to the local settings of the given map display. A list of all 10 items sorted by widget types can be seen here:

Text widgets:

Check box widgets:

• the check box item is also the Render check box, which is located on the right side of the status bar

Other widgets:

Describe the solution you'd like

We need to shorten the status bar to suit the Single-Window mode which allows the display of map displays side by side. This means removing the combo box and putting in the status bar preferably only items that really have the character "status" - could be Map Scale, Coordinates, Extent, Computational region, Display geometry and newly Coordinate system. The other items of the combo box and the Render check box could be part of the new Map Display settings dialog. Additionally, the Go to item may be combined with the Coordinates item.

The new Map Display Settings , which could be part of the top toolbar, could include the following topics and check boxes:

---

Customize map:

• Enable auto-rendering
• Show computational extent
• Align region extent based on display size
• Constrain display resolution to computational settings
• Use defined projection

Customize status bar:

• Show map scale
• Show coordinates
• Show window extent
• Show computational region extent
• Show display geometry
• Show coordinates system – new option

---

(Btw: the names for the individual check box items are probably quite confusing, so we will need to try to come up with more straight-forward names - especially distinguishing well between computational region extent and window extent. I let it as it was for now.)

Next, we need to shorten the top Map Display toolbar to suit the Single-Window mode. But at the same time, we would need to include a new icon for Map Display settings in this toolbar. The solution may be to create a new Navigator toolbar that is vertical and includes all the functions related to navigating a map window.

The design mockup summing up everything (and supposing the Map Scale, Coordinates, Coordinate system options in Map Display settings are checked) could look like this:

Other ideas

• The settings icon could be blue to distinguish it from this yellow one, which already exists in GRASS and leads to General settings

• The icon could be changed to a blue to make it easier to understand and copy the blue look of the Map Display icons

• the top Map Display toolbar could even be expanded with some interesting features hidden so far in the Analyze menu button like Measure distance, Measure area..

[tmszi]

My note on the new reorganization of the widgets on the status bar. From my point of view, it is important to keep Render checkbox widget (Enable/disable auto-rendering) on status bar widget, see additional context in my PR, please.

[petrasovaa]

My note on the new reorganization of the widgets on the status bar. From my point of view, it is important to keep Render checkbox widget (Enable/disable auto-rendering) on status bar widget, see additional context in my PR, please.

I agree Render checkbox should be easily accessible. I wonder if it would make more sense for the single window layout to have one checkbox which would control all map displays at once.

[dnewcomb]

I would not have 2 icons only differentiated by color, since there are folks who have trouble with viewing different colors. Why not use a simple map rose icon instead? Doug

…

On Tue, Dec 14, 2021 at 3:16 AM Linda Kladivova ***@***.***> wrote: *Is your feature request related to a problem? Please describe.* Today's state of Map Display statusbar is unsatisfactory especially in terms of the planned Single-Window mode. However, the truth is that it hasn't changed for a very long time, so it is kind of obsolete also in terms of Multi-Window mode. The main problem is that the status bar is overloaded because in addition to the status bar function, it also performs the function of a local Map Display settings. The current state of Map Display frame is captured in the following picture: [image: Screenshot from 2021-12-13 01-29-45] <https://user-images.githubusercontent.com/49241681/145948341-c5865b2d-2bb3-40a7-898f-b626d824134e.png> The status bar at the bottom contains an extensive combo box that allows you to display static text items - such as Coordinates, Map window extent, Computational region extent. However, it also allows you to check several check boxes that relate to the local settings of the given map display. A list of all 10 items sorted by widget types can be seen here: Text widgets: [image: old coords] <https://user-images.githubusercontent.com/49241681/145948547-c5afbeee-a975-4e1a-a60c-8dcd60c33cf9.PNG> [image: old extent] <https://user-images.githubusercontent.com/49241681/145948596-db9399a6-88d0-4324-b8e2-75ef6eec7e03.PNG> [image: old computational] <https://user-images.githubusercontent.com/49241681/145948699-8f1a9399-4c0b-4d77-848f-d8616e3fce24.PNG> [image: old geometry] <https://user-images.githubusercontent.com/49241681/145948782-2114035f-4d0e-4d32-919a-618a311b5d9d.PNG> Check box widgets: [image: old show_extent] <https://user-images.githubusercontent.com/49241681/145948837-867777b3-e1ae-4764-9c89-20895fabbebd.PNG> [image: old align] <https://user-images.githubusercontent.com/49241681/145948679-831723d7-11e9-4652-98a7-e6bb06f2469b.PNG> [image: old constrain] <https://user-images.githubusercontent.com/49241681/145948654-0697ab82-a6d5-4963-bc33-50177328fd39.PNG> [image: old projection] <https://user-images.githubusercontent.com/49241681/145948758-6a7aa4bc-ac23-4e16-b492-707a7a26cd19.PNG> - the check box item is also the Render check box, which is located on the right side of the status bar Other widgets: [image: old map scale] <https://user-images.githubusercontent.com/49241681/145948625-f7519f4a-c7d4-4f55-8364-a7fdda413886.PNG> [image: old goto] <https://user-images.githubusercontent.com/49241681/145948643-f6f674a7-ae9c-40e6-a7a7-0f4eb3cc0e7d.PNG> *Describe the solution you'd like* We need to shorten the status bar to suit the Single-Window mode which allows the display of map displays side by side. This means *removing the combo box* and putting in the status bar preferably only items that really have the character "status" - could be Map Scale, Coordinates, Extent, Computational region, Display geometry and newly Coordinate system. The other items of the combo box and the Render check box could be part of the *new Map Display settings dialog*. Additionally, the Go to item may be combined with the Coordinates item. The new Map Display Settings [image: settings] <https://user-images.githubusercontent.com/49241681/145952901-1467742c-55f4-44a0-af36-18c2264503d5.PNG>, which could be part of the top toolbars, could include the following topics and check boxes: ------------------------------ Customize map: - Enable auto-rendering - Show computational extent - Align region extent based on display size - Constrain display resolution to computational settings - Use defined projection Customize status bar: - Show map scale - Show coordinates - Show window extent - Show computational region extent - Show display geometry - Show coordinates system – *new option* ------------------------------ *(Btw: the names for the individual check box items are probably quite confusing, so we will need to try to come up with more straight-forward names - especially distinguishing well between computational region extent and window extent. I let it as it was for now.)* Next, we need to shorten the top Map Display toolbar to suit the Single-Window mode. But at the same time, we would need to include a new icon for Map Display settings in this toolbar. The solution may be to create a *new Navigator toolbar* that is vertical and combines all the functions related to navigating a map window. The design mockup summing up everything (and supposing the Map Scale, Coordinates, Coordinate system options in Map Display settings are checked) could look like this: [image: mockup2] <https://user-images.githubusercontent.com/49241681/145955398-e9bdfde5-3ce8-4b2f-810a-4e355077a2ab.png> *Other ideas* - The settings icon [image: settings] <https://user-images.githubusercontent.com/49241681/145955767-4f800524-4930-4645-bd54-7b26dd1cb91a.PNG> could be blue to distinguish it from this yellow one, which already exists in GRASS and leads to General settings - The icon [image: reload_map_display] <https://user-images.githubusercontent.com/49241681/145956233-880ffdfa-d47d-41b2-ae4e-66bf0ed8a8a5.PNG> could change to a blue [image: reload_green] <https://user-images.githubusercontent.com/49241681/145956280-80488e45-05be-4914-bca3-04ef4afa5e08.PNG> to make it easier to understand and copy the blue look of the Map Display icons - the top Map Display toolbar could even be expanded with some interesting features hidden so far in the Analyze menu button like Measure distance, Measure area.. — You are receiving this because you are subscribed to this thread. Reply to this email directly, view it on GitHub <#2017>, or unsubscribe <https://github.com/notifications/unsubscribe-auth/AAQQR2YGYWXEXO5PJHYKVPDUQ34NXANCNFSM5KAGSIRQ> . Triage notifications on the go with GitHub Mobile for iOS <https://apps.apple.com/app/apple-store/id1477376905?ct=notification-email&mt=8&pt=524675> or Android <https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.github.android&referrer=utm_campaign%3Dnotification-email%26utm_medium%3Demail%26utm_source%3Dgithub>.

[lindakarlovska]

My note on the new reorganization of the widgets on the status bar. From my point of view, it is important to keep Render checkbox widget (Enable/disable auto-rendering) on status bar widget, see additional context in my PR, please.

I agree Render checkbox should be easily accessible. I wonder if it would make more sense for the single window layout to have one checkbox which would control all map displays at once.

I get your point Tomas why to preserve the Render option in the status bar... but the problem is that we are quite limited by the space here for the Single-Window mode. Maybe we could have just one checkbox as Anna suggests and I would suggest to move it to the main bottom statusbar for the Single-Window mode. There is also the General GUI settings having the option Enable/disable auto-rendering - we need to also think how to cope with that.
Or we could just have the Render check box in Map Display status bar as it is done nowadays and in Map Display settings there could be the check box option Customize statusbar: Show render checkbox .. Maybe there are other ways how to do it, those are just the options that came in my mind. :-)

[lindakarlovska]

A few days ago, we had a talk (me, @petrasovaa , @wenzeslaus , @landam ) and our discussion above this Issue implied some changes.

Adding and removing new items in the status bar dynamically is quite problematic in terms of implementation. So we have decided to have only one slot in the status bar whose content could be adapted in Map Display Settings. So the Map Display Settings Dialog is planned to look as follows:

---

Customize map:

• Enable auto-rendering

• Show computational extent

• Align region extent based on display size

• Constrain display resolution to computational settings

• Use defined projection

Customize status bar:

• Show map scale

• Show coordinates

• Show window extent

• Show computational region extent

• Show display geometry

---

The Customize map is the same as in the initial proposal. The status bar customization will be enabled through radio buttons (no checkboxes as proposed initially) or one combo box (not decided). But probably radio buttons are better since we can see all possible options at once.

Regarding the Render option - it will be preserved as we know it now. I have also suggested adding the CRS text. We have not decided yet how to incorporate it. It could be either within the individual slot or as the part of the Coordinate widget.
Similarly, we have not decided about merging the Go To item and the Coordinate item. But those things could be figured out later on. We have also decided to move the Mask slot to the Main Window (Layer Manager) status bar.

Project Timeline:

1. Move checkboxes from combobox to new Map Display settings and create a new Map Display Settings button in the toolbar
2. Move Mask slot to Main Window status bar
3. Create status bar customization radio buttons in Map Display settings
4. ... will be added later

[lindakarlovska]

Closed by #2153. For more info, please look at https://trac.osgeo.org/grass/wiki/wxGUIDevelopment/RedesigningStatusbar#FinalReport and https://trac.osgeo.org/grass/wiki/wxGUIDevelopment/RedesigningStatusbar#BrandnewScreenshotsofMapDisplaySettingsdialogandstatusbarafterchanges.