[Printing-architecture] Suggestion for a small change in your design for the Common Printing Dialog

[Ira McDonald]

Hi Alex,

On the front page of most print dialogs is the choice: current page, all pages,
or page range.

I suggest a set of page range boxes, horizontally (or vertically for I18N),
where the first defaults to '1..last', changing it's value (e.g., to '2..5')
changes the second box default to '6..last', etc.  Needs work perhaps,
but the idea is to separate your list below into a series of ranges (or
single page numbers) in separate entry boxes to make better sense for
non-geeks.  Then perhaps a blue/grey squares horizontal diagram below
the pages boxes that shows the selected pages graphically on one line.

Over the DBUS control channel, a multi-valued 'pages' attribute should
be used (not the simple 'n..m' typical format).

Cheers,
- Ira

On Mon, Jun 2, 2008 at 7:03 PM, Alex Wauck <alex.wauck at gmail.com> wrote:
> Could you describe that in more detail?  I don't really like the current way
> (i.e. entering something like "1,2,5-70,75" to get pages 1, 2, 5 through 70,
> and 75).  It's quick and easy for people like me who feel hobbled without a
> command line, but I don't think it's particularly intuitive or easy for
> others.
>
> Alex
>
> On Mon, Jun 2, 2008 at 5:55 PM, Ira McDonald <blueroofmusic at gmail.com>
> wrote:
>>
>> Hi Alex and Till,
>>
>> FWIW - In IPP/1.1 Production Printing, Open Printing Job Ticket API, and
>> PWG Semantic Model, we have a common "pages" attribute defined as
>> '(1setOf rangeOfInteger(1:MAX))' (i.e., a set of page ranges).
>>
>> I suggest we give the user a set of boxes like ordinary page range that
>> can
>> be filled in for a discontiguous set of pages.
>>
>> Cheers,
>> - Ira
>>
>> On Mon, Jun 2, 2008 at 6:41 PM, Alex Wauck <alex.wauck at gmail.com> wrote:
>> > I like it.  I'm using a custom widget for the preview instead of the Qt
>> > preview widget, so it won't be too difficult to implement.  We just need
>> > to
>> > figure out how to specify ranges.  People don't want to go through and
>> > mark
>> > every page in a 100-page range.
>> >
>> > Alex
>> >
>> > On Mon, Jun 2, 2008 at 3:22 PM, Till Kamppeter
>> > <till.kamppeter at gmail.com>
>> > wrote:
>> >>
>> >> Hi,
>> >>
>> >> on the Ubuntu Developer Summit (UDS) in Prague we have discussed your
>> >> design for the Common Printing Dialog. During the discussion doubts
>> >> came
>> >> up about how to print only selected pages of a document. A suggestion
>> >> was then that one can add buttons to the preview to (de)select the page
>> >> currently visible (like implemented in multi-function printers where
>> >> one
>> >> can print photos from a memory card selecting them on the printer's
>> >> display, or like on digital cameras with PictBridge).
>> >>
>> >> WDYT about this feature? Or what were your ideas about selecting the
>> >> pages to be printed?
>> >>
>> >>    Till
>> >> _______________________________________________
>> >> Printing-architecture mailing list
>> >> Printing-architecture at lists.linux-foundation.org
>> >>
>> >> https://lists.linux-foundation.org/mailman/listinfo/printing-architecture
>> >
>> >
>> > _______________________________________________
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>> >
>> > https://lists.linux-foundation.org/mailman/listinfo/printing-architecture
>> >
>> >
>>
>>
>>
>> --
>> Ira McDonald (Musician / Software Architect)
>> Chair - Linux Foundation Open Printing WG
>> Blue Roof Music/High North Inc
>> email: blueroofmusic at gmail.com
>> winter:
>>  579 Park Place Saline, MI 48176
>>  734-944-0094
>> summer:
>>  PO Box 221 Grand Marais, MI 49839
>>  906-494-2434
>
>



-- 
Ira McDonald (Musician / Software Architect)
Chair - Linux Foundation Open Printing WG
Blue Roof Music/High North Inc
email: blueroofmusic at gmail.com
winter:
 579 Park Place Saline, MI 48176
 734-944-0094
summer:
 PO Box 221 Grand Marais, MI 49839
 906-494-2434