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Wiki > Main > RockboxUserInterfaceProposal

User Interface Discussion

This is a discussion of the Rockbox user interface for the Recorder (and the FM recorder).
(The description of the implemented user interface can be found in the DocsIndex)

(Another idea of changes to the RockBox UI can be found in the CarvalhoUI topic)

Summary

Instead of having a single "main screen" and a single "main menu" the UI is divided into several screens with each their own context sensitive menus. These screens are considered at the same level. For some screens, the current screen will be remembered and restored after a power cycle (an extension of resume play).

The screens are outermost, e.g. backing out of menus (using LEFT) brings you to the screen you were at when you entered the menu.

Holding down F3 brings up a context-sensitive menu (depends on the currently selected screen)

One of the benefits of this change will be that you can pause a game, adjust the volume or choose another song and return to the game.

Another usecase is to have the jpeg viewer work as a screen saver which will be activated after a while with inactivity (this requires no other plugin is running).

Screens

The user interface is re-organized into "Screens" having "context sensitive menus".

Switching between screens will be done using one of the GlobalKeys.

The screens may have Overlays, e.g. the ID3 viewer is an overlay to Track. The difference between a screen and an overlay is that in order to reach an overlay you need to go to the "parent" screen first (there are exceptions to this rule; some overlays may be available on more than one screen, e.g. the ID3 Viewer overlay can be reached from the Track, Files and Playlist screen).

Here are the main screens:

Design principles

Some overall design principles and wishes:
  • as much as possible with one hand
  • less keys (and combos) to remember
  • save ON + [key] combos for customizable "macros"
  • more frequently accessed items should use fewer key clicks
  • as much as possible without looking at the screen (remembering a key sequence e.g. F1, DOWN, DOWN, PLAY should be sufficient).
  • more task oriented due to using "Screens" each designed for specific tasks
  • options that belong together should be adjustable within one option screen (e.g. bass, treble, loudnes, ...)
  • it should be possible to adjust the volume while playing a game (toggle between a plugin and the normal functionality)
  • CustomMenus wanted!
  • Should (almost) all keys be made configurable?

Overlays

Global keys

Interface for browsing tag database

r7 - 02 Apr 2021 - 20:46:07 - UnknownUser

Copyright © by the contributing authors.