UI Thoughts

[Marie.O]

We have an existing UI. And we have two ways of implementing the UI. Both are fairly similar, in that they present multiple scenario buttons grouped by areas of interest.

Thinking about this, rethinking about stuff users said in the past, and how *I* myself am using the system made me realize that a different paradigm might be more appropriate.

Do we really need all those canned buttons/scenarios?

On one side, it is great to have a consistent view, i.e. no matter what Orbiter people use in my home, they always have the same look and feel, find stuff easily, once they learned the Orbiter.
On the other side, there are times, when I think, wouldn't it be great to just have a couple of scenario buttons on the main page, tailored for the individual user. With the user having the ability to turn on/off stuff based on what s/he wants to see on the main page on this particular Orbiter, or for all his/her orbiters.
In our home, we do not use climate at all. And even when we start using it, I can't find a reason to have it available on the home page. On the other hand, it would be great to have more lighting scenario buttons available to the front page, and maybe more media scenarios. Others might respond, that they do not need any media scenarios, but only want lights and climate, so I think it would be wise to give the user the choice, what to display on the main menu. And by choice, I do not mean the ability to utilize HA Designer to redesign the starting page.

Thoughts, opinion?!

[davegravy]

You seem to be suggesting a widget-style approach like android's, where users pick buttons from a bunch of available options WITHIN the interface itself, and arranges their screens to suit them.

But then you say no HA Designer, so I am confused. I haven't used HA Designer myself, but perhaps are you suggesting a simpler more accessible form of it?

Am I on the right track in understanding your proposal?

I agree entirely in concept. I, for example, use climate in my house but mostly the control is automated requiring no user interaction. VERY OCCASIONALLY we override the automated system, but it is so occasional that if it took 10 button presses (exaggeration) to get to it would be no big deal.

[Marie.O]

HA Designer is SOO complex, that it is, imho, not usable. Except for nerds and geeks who have too much time.

Most of the screens stay as they are, but the main page/landing page/how ever you want to call it, is something that, at least to me, would gain a lot, if it would be easily combinable, for a lack of better words.

[Armor Gnome]

I have never been able to get HA Designer or its alternative to work, however I have been very successful in radically re-skinning the UI.  For my desktop orbiter I have a UI that within skinning limits resembles my iPhone interface.  The same piece of equipment in the game room has a themed UI from Portal the video game. 

Despite its complex workings the UI is assembled with pre-illustrated .png files.  If you want the Static UI Security button to look like Mickey Mouse when using the Ulta UI, then change that .png file with a 160 x 160 .png of him.  If you dont like the climate button and don't populate that horizonatal grid of buttons with your equipment then draw them transparent or put an illustration there to break up the look of the orbiter. 

[Marie.O]

Armor Gnome,

thanks for your input. I've worked quite a bit on various screens. Not using HA Designer but using QuickDesigner. This is not about bashing the current way. I know what it can do. I know where the problems are. With qOrbiter lots of new options arise, and QML is much easier to (ab)use than the database layout with HADes or QD. The reason for this thread from my point of view, is trying to determine if my thoughts are vastly off, or if others feel the same.

[phenigma]

posde, I like the idea.  I wouldn't want to take away the current capabililties.  I like the way I have the ability to turn on/off generation/display of scenarios for each room.  It would be handy to be able to de-select each of the elements that forms the orbiter rows similar to the scenario selection, for each room and/or user.  My 5cents (Canada just eliminated the penny). 

J.