Re: A new graphic user interface
- To: mathgroup at smc.vnet.net
- Subject: [mg111670] Re: A new graphic user interface
- From: Helen Read <hpr at together.net>
- Date: Mon, 9 Aug 2010 05:16:13 -0400 (EDT)
- References: <i3gpp1$2v0$1@smc.vnet.net> <i3m3uo$hju$1@smc.vnet.net>
- Reply-to: HPR <read at math.uvm.edu>
On 8/8/2010 7:20 AM, AES wrote: > > I've not made much use of the built-in palettes in Mathematica to date, > but probably should do so. > > I have been making considerable use, however, of the "Inspectors" that > have been showing up in various of Apple's newer apps and other > third-party apps for Macs, and finding them very user-friendly. > > I suppose these Inspectors are in essence just tall, skinny, highly > multi-function palettes; but their attractive features include: > > * One single Inspector for the whole app offers direct access to a > whole bunch of detailed "utility" functions (various formatting tasks, > for example), all visible in one single tall skinny window which you can > position wherever you like. > > * Open this Inspector with a single click on a single, obvious icon > that's right there in the application's main Toolbar; dismiss it with a > single click. > > * Tall window allows you to scan down rapidly (preferably without > scrolling) to see what task capabilities or utility functions are > available; and maybe expand the one you want by clicking its triangle. > Don't have to try to remember the name or location of the function you > want. > > * Tabs at top can let you quickly select broader categories of such > functions. > > * Tall skinny structure allows individual task to have a horizontal > control bar and/or a text box input/ > > It's just a generally handy, friendly user interface, with a built-in > "teaching" capability for the user, as compared to multiple palettes or > dialog boxes, that have to be searched out in multiple menus. This sounds an awful lot like the Classroom Assistant Palette and the Basic Math Input Palette. -- Helen Read University of Vermont