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Topic: A small interface tweak for future versions (Read 3640 times) previous topic - next topic

A small interface tweak for future versions

It has occurred to me that if the Status Bar were to be moved to the top of the active window, directly below the button bars, NWC would have a tabbed interface. This would also put the moving bar that appears during playback, showing how much of the piece has been played, close to the playback controls. I'm sure not everyone would like this; so I suggest an option to place the Status Bar either above or below the active window. I would think, though, that - given the advantages - the top of the window might become the default.

Bill

Re: A small interface tweak for future versions

Reply #1 –
Quote from: William Ashworth –
if the Status Bar were to be moved to the top of the active window
It would cease to be a status bar.

There is probably nothing stopping NoteWorthy from making the status bar items Toolbar items. I don't see anything wrong with doing that.

Quote from: William Ashworth –
This would also put the moving bar that appears during playback, showing how much of the piece has been played, close to the playback controls.
For now, if anyone wants this, they can move the playback controls to a Toolbar and attach it to the bottom of the window.

IMO, something called a "status bar" ought to behave like a Windows status bar, i.e.,  at the bottom of the window, with a View menu option to turn it off.
Registered user since 1996

Re: A small interface tweak for future versions

Reply #2 –
I don't know of any hard and fast rule that states that a status bar must be at the bottom of the screen, although I admit that a quick run through the programs I keep icons for on my desktop didn't find any moveable status bars - except Windows itself, of course. (The Taskbar is functionally equivalent to a status bar. It's usually at the bottom, but it can be placed on top or on either side. As I'm sure you know.) And IMHO, the active buttons on the status bar would be more useful if they were next to the other buttons. But I do agree that a third option should be to turn it off.

Re: A small interface tweak for future versions

Reply #3 –
I suggest that the 2 most useful places for the status bar are where it is, and where Bill proposes, so why not a simple option to turn it off, on at the  bottom and on at the top?  I see no value in it being dockable like a toolbar.

I only include the "off" option as it has been suggested, but I would happily do without that option.
I plays 'Bones, crumpets, coronets, floosgals, youfonymums 'n tubies.

Re: A small interface tweak for future versions

Reply #4 –
Quote from: William Ashworth –
I don't know of any hard and fast rule that states that a status bar must be at the bottom of the screen
This seems to be the rule:  Status Bars
Quote
The default position of a status bar is along the bottom of the parent window, but you can specify the CCS_TOP style to have it appear at the top of the parent window's client area.

Quote from: Lawrie Pardy –
I only include the "off" option as it has been suggested, but I would happily do without that option.
I have hidden it on a few occaisions. Sometimes, a bit more space is more useful than the status bar. It is easier to toogle the status bar than to change the toolbar layout.

Quote from: Lawrie Pardy –
I see no value in it being dockable like a toolbar.
Nor do I.
Registered user since 1996

Re: A small interface tweak for future versions

Reply #5 –
I agree that the status bar should not be dockable. And I also agree with Rick that the STANDARD place for a status bar - at the bottom - is preferable in nearly all cases. The point of this topic was to suggest a quick way to emulate a tabbed interface for NWC, for those of us who prefer them, without going to the trouble of actually changing the interface itself.