[etoys-dev] changing the name and value-type of a user-defined variable

[karl ramberg]

On Thu, Mar 8, 2012 at 10:13 AM, Bert Freudenberg <bert at freudenbergs.de>wrote:

>
> Am 07.03.2012 um 22:47 schrieb Scott Wallace <scott.wallace at squeakland.org
> >:
>
> On Mar 7, 2012, at 9:04 AM, Ricardo Moran wrote:
>
>
>  … I thought "modify <var>" would be a better name for the menu item,
> because in some cases (just number and point for now) we have more than
> just the name and type.
>
> I still think it's better than "change <var> name and type" (or any
> variation) because IMHO when you create the variable you see upfront what
> it takes to create it, so it's consistent to believe the same parameters
> would be needed to "modify" it. Maybe it's just a matter of getting used to
> it.
>
>
> Agreed, it's a matter of getting used to it.
>
> But if a user can't find it in the first place, it's unlikely she will
> ever get used to it :)
>
> My point is only that if the words "name" and "type" are not present
> anywhere in the menu, the user is unlikely to stumble upon the fact that
> name and type can be changed.
>
>
> The only inconsistency I would criticize is the "decimal places", which
> for user created variables it requires the new dialog, but for other slots
> it uses the old menu. But that has also been brought to discusion before.
>
>
> Right; and apropos of the previous comment, it's even more important in
> the case of "decimal places" that the user be able to see the wording
> "decimal places" in the menu, because her experience with setting decimal
> places for system-defined variables certainly will lead her to expect it.
>
> So whether there are one, two, or three menu items involved, again, I
> think the important point here is for the user to *see* the words "name",
> "type", and "decimal places" in the menu.
>
>
> BTW useful balloon help is provided for the "decimal pleas…" item in the
> viewer menu for a system-defined variable, but for no other items in the
> menu.  Arguably there should be balloon help provided for all of the items
> -- this could help especially if we have important features "buried" behind
> less-than-self-explanatory menu items.
>
> Or is it too late in this cycle to be adding strings that will need to be
> translated?
>
>
> Almost too late, we should be quick to get the strings out.
>
> - Bert -
>
> ______


Variable types was quite hard to discover before. I think they have bigger
chance of getting use now. I think maybe we should 'gray' out decimal
places in the panel instead of removing it when changing variable types. It
a little confusing that the variable panel changes size when you change
variable types.

Karl
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