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See bug http://www.netbeans.org/issues/show_bug.cgi?id=15911 which refers back to the e-mail on nbdev, http://www.netbeans.org/servlets/ReadMsg?msgId=158590&listName=nbui I'm filing a bug for each workspace that needs to be fixed. For the debugger, the two main usability issues being addressed are: * The debugging window is not wide enough, which makes the debugger hard to use because you don't see enough and have to use a horizontal scroller (or change the widths yourself) * The output window is streched across the full bottom of the screen, which takes away important vertical height from the debugging window (and the output window doesn't need to be that wide). Here's the relevant section from the e-mail: General Notes: NOTE 1. Widths and heights of adjoining windows should always be adjusted so as to avoid the appearance of horizontal or vertical scrollbars on the desktop. NOTE 2. In MDI mode and non-MDI mode, the "desktop" is assumed to start just below the main toolbar. Debugging Workspace: 1. Debugger Window: On the left hand side of the desktop. Stretches from the top to the bottom of the desktop. It is attached and dominant in MDI. Takes up about 35% of the width. Displayed by default. 2. Output Window: On the bottom of the desktop. Attached in MDI. Takes up about 40% of the height. Displayed by default. 3. Source Editor: When opened, its upper right hand corner is aligned with the desktop's upper right-hand corner. It takes up the remaining space on the desktop. Not displayed until needed. Justification: The Source Editor is now the same width in this window as in the Editing and Running Workspaces. I've marked this a P2 as a -usability- bug; as a regular bug I'd probably make it a P3. Not sure if NetBeans makes a distinction; at Sun usability bugs are treated as regular bugs, e.g. it would be a P2 bug.
We do not consider the present layout as a defect -> -> moving this issue to RFE category. Also we do not consider such tuning issues as P2s.
Done.
There is still a problem - the Output window extends across the full width of the screen - which means the debugging window does not get the full height. This is an even bigger problem now that the Output window is taller. Here's is something I wrote to Dafe about this earlier - perhaps this illustrates the problem I'm describing. --- The debugging workspace currently attaches the debugging window on the left, and the output window on the bottom. You end up with --------------- | | | | | | | Debugging | | window | | | | | | | | | --------------------------------------------------- | | | | | Output Window | | | | | --------------------------------------------------- Instead, it needs to be like this: --------------- | | | | | | | Debugging | | window | | | | | | | | | | |------------------------------------ | | | | | | | | Output Window | | | | | | | --------------------------------------------------- I've noticed that I can convert from the first MDI attachments to the second by selecting the output window, Detaching it, and then reattaching it to the bottom - then I end up with scenario two. Is there something that can be done in the XML setup files about this? The order of the .wsmode declarations? Additional attachments? Currently debuggercore just has this in its layer file: <folder name="windowmanager"> <attr name="Running/Debugging" boolvalue="true" /> <file name="Debugging.wswksp" url="Debugging.wswksp"/> <folder name="Debugging"> <file name="debugger.wsmode" url="debugger.wsmode"/> <folder name="debugger"> <file name="DebuggerWindow.wstcref" url="DebuggerWindow.wstcref"/> </folder> <file name="output.wsmode" url="output.wsmode"/> <folder name="output"> <file name="output.wstcref" url="output.wstcref"/> </folder> <file name="editor.wsmode" url="editor.wsmode"/> <folder name="editor"> </folder> </folder> </folder> and then debugger.wsmode contains <?xml version="1.0"?> <mode> <name unique="debugger" display="CTL_Debugger_window" from-bundle="true" bundle="org.netbeans.modules.debugger.resources.Bundle" /> <ui-type type="any" > <relative-bounds x="0" y="0" width="40" height="60" /> <frame type="window" state="normal" /> <container type="tabbed" > </container> <icon url="nbresboot:/org/netbeans/core/resources/debuggerView.gif" /> <other defined-by="module" mode-state="visible" /> </ui-type> <ui-type type="mdi" > <relative-bounds x="0" y="0" width="40" height="60" /> <frame type="window" constraints="left" state="normal" /> <container type="tabbed" > </container> <icon url="nbresboot:/org/netbeans/core/resources/debuggerView.gif" /> <other defined-by="module" mode-state="visible" /> </ui-type> </mode> and output.wsmode contains <?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?> <mode version="1.0"> <name unique="output" display="CTL_OutputWindow" from-bundle="true" bundle="org.netbeans.core.windows.Bundle" /> <ui-type type="any" > <relative-bounds x="0" y="75" width="100" height="25" /> <frame type="window" state="normal" /> <container type="split" > </container> <icon url="nbresboot:/org/netbeans/core/resources/frames/output.gif" /> <other defined-by="module" mode-state="visible" /> </ui-type> <ui-type type="mdi" > <relative-bounds x="0" y="78" width="100" height="21" /> <frame type="desktop" constraints="bottom" state="normal" /> <container type="split" > </container> <icon url="nbresboot:/org/netbeans/core/resources/frames/output.gif" /> <other defined-by="module" mode-state="visible" /> </ui-type>
I just got a reply from Dave which explains how to do it: Date: Thu, 27 Sep 2001 18:45:03 -0700 From: David Simonek <david.simonek@czech.sun.com> To: Tor Norbye <tor@ha2mpk-mail.Eng.Sun.COM> Subject: Re: XML window attachments Your problem can be solved by defining order of modes in workspace. This is done in the same way like order of data objects in folder, through attributes. Add following line to the xml describing debugger workspace (probably Debugger.wswksp) <folder Debugger... <attr name="debuging_mode_name/output_mode_name" boolvalue="true" /> This line says "Debugging mode is somewhere before output mode". Which in this context means debugging mode will be dominant. Last note - I don't have information from responsible people how well this was tested right now. So please file bug against core/winsys if this doesn't work. You'll enhance wide family of our bugs :-( Regards, Dafe
One other problem is that the editor window needs to be reduced to accomodate for the wider debugger window - it has its old too large width, and the result is that the right side of the editor (and most importantly, its scrollbar) is offscreen and I have to horizontally scroll the MDI workspace to get to the right edge of the editor.
This is not implemnted in this version of window system.
> This is not implemnted in this version of window system. Are you saying that the solution proposed by Dafe below doesn't work? (The attributes order?) The reason I'm asking is that I wonder if you didn't see the note I added since you also didn't address my note about the editor width. If so, I think the height of the Output window needs to be reduced to its original height (in MDI mode; I take it everything is working in SDI mode since we don't have the attachment issue). Note also that I added a node that the editor window is too wide, its scrollbar is offscreen! So, in summary, here's the final tweaks that needs to be done: 1) If we can't get the attachment order right, reduce the output window height 2) Reduce the editor width (it's offscreen now because the debugger window was widened; reduce its width by the same amount the debugger window was widened by). I'm sorry for being such a pest :-)
UI change => must be done as soon as possible
Component: ui -> core
dafe, you're not overloaded anymore :-) Anyway this issue has something to do with window system. Pls at least evaluate and ask somebody to help you. Thanks
Subcompoenent - window system.
window attachment order is duplicate of 12152, which is being solved. editor window size was tweaked. However, I'd like to mention that debugger module owners should be fully responsible for tweaking layout on debugger workspace. It has never been easier and they have all docs and support for doing such changes.
verified in [nb_release330](200112102331)
Resolved for 3.4.x or earlier, no new info since then -> closing.