Reader UI Ideas

[michael]

To make it more reader-like, remove top bars and move context toggles to the very right.

Good:

• more minimal than editor
• we have space for many panels in the reader

Bad:

• no labels for context toggles
• would look weird if we used rich scrollbar for resource panel too

@Integral what do you think in the context of the archivist app?

[Integral]

Hey!

I also thought about that. There're workarounds for labels (for example tooltips like here, in github), but you are right — in context of the archivist app we would need scrollbar almost for every resource panel. I believe in context of the journal too. What is also interesting in github that they used kind of a bookmark for an active item, so in our case this menu item and the resource panel could be the one piece block and then the scrollbar could be in the right corner. But i'm not sure that it is possible :)

I think we also need to pay serious attention to small details like shadows. Our current reader is too flat I would say. The shadow could add some volume to the whole picture and emphasise some elements, e.g. focus readers on the main text.
In the same time, as I know, css shadows is cheap (in comparison with css animations which is really blowing up your computer).

look, I add some:

[michael]

Could you sketch the idea you described? It sounds interesting but i can't completely understand how you mean it.

I like the subtle box-shadows from that screenshot. Want to apply them in the journal styles?

[Integral]

I mean this:

The problem is that menu must stay fixed...

Applying box-shadows, you mean to writer?

[michael]

Ah I see. The thing is that semantically the scrollbar should be like inside the active panel. I think what we can also consider is putting the vertical toggles bar into the middle, then we have space on the right for the scrollbar. I will try a few things...

box shadows to writer yes. Basic reader will be ready soon.