New UI Design

[rafaelmardojai]

This is a discussion to shape the final form of the new UI for Blanket begin implemented in the new-ui branch (see #288).

The start point is the last version of the mock up by Sam Hewitt: https://gitlab.gnome.org/Teams/Design/other-app-mockups/-/blob/master/blanket/blanket.png.

[rafaelmardojai]

Current Concerns

I really like the new design concept, IMO using a grid view that let you see almost all sounds without scrolling is a really nice improvement.

However I have some concerns about the volume controls usability. Optimally I think the user should be able to change the volumes from the grid.

I have implemented the two obvious posible solutions in the new-ui branch, they are: showing the controls in the grid or in a sound context menu. The context menu also serves to remove a custom sound, something that the mockup doesn't cover.

(You can enable the controls in grid from the view-more menu next to the play/pause button)

Obviously the GtkScales in the view looks a bit off. So if we want to do this we'll need something more fancy if posible. Some nice idea would be to implement a circular volume slider around the icons when active, but that will be hard to implement or even imposible with python bindings.

This is an small idea I had about having the volume control in the icon itself, with similar behavior than Amberol's waveform control. But I can't figure out how the sound activation/deactivation would work.

So I would like to hear some ideas and suggestions from actual designers.

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PD: When testing the branch if you have some playback issues just move the general volume control, I'm working on a playback refactor locally.

[bertob]

Looks good, but I feel like the touch targets are too small on the individual sliders (both in the previous and the thinner version). Maybe dragging horizontally anywhere on the tile could adjust the volume?

[rafaelmardojai]

I guess I could add some event controllers to manipulate the volume from anywhere on the tile, but I wouldn't be able to test that.

[rafaelmardojai]

@bertob For now I have increased the volume scale target (invisible area around), hopefully that makes easier for touch.

[bertob]

I haven't tested it on touch, but the latest commit feels pretty good to me in that regard, yeah.

[rafaelmardojai]

@bertob Ok nice. Will be merging the branch then.