suggestion: When will Lazarus change IDE interface into Delphi2006 style lazarus / 6-IDE-CodeTools ---------------------------------------------------------------------- jixian.yang · 2010-08-12 03:26 Delphi 2006 style interface can design larger Form on netbook. And there is a option to get the old interface. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- felipemdc · 2010-08-12 12:25 Do you have a picture of how Delphi 2006 interface looks like? If it is the all in 1 window look of newer Delphis, I think that the main idea is fully implementing Docking, then you can just dock all Windows to get the new Delphi style. At the moment Docking isn't fully working, so that needs to be fixed. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- jixian.yang · 2010-10-22 07:50 All in one window seems better. I will try. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- jixian.yang · 2011-03-24 08:08 The screenshot. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- TurboRascal · 2011-03-24 10:31 I hope that NEVER happens That's actually M$ Visual Studio style, and I personally don't like how it feels. As mentioned, Lazarus as of 0.9.30 has a nice docking feature which enables you to dock every window so you can join them all together in one. Except (thankfully) the Form Editor, and of course the component pallete (thankfully again) stays where it is. The docking feature is still quite moody, but with some effort I've managed to group windows either in D7 or D2005 style... ---------------------------------------------------------------------- JD · 2011-03-24 10:56 Quote from: TurboRascal on March 24, 2011, 11:31:50 amI hope that NEVER happens That's actually M$ Visual Studio style, and I personally don't like how it feels. As mentioned, Lazarus as of 0.9.30 has a nice docking feature which enables you to dock every window so you can join them all together in one. Except (thankfully) the Form Editor, and of course the component pallete (thankfully again) stays where it is. The docking feature is still quite moody, but with some effort I've managed to group windows either in D7 or D2005 style... The docking feature does not restore the IDE to the default IDE when it is uninstalled. The Messages window is hidden permanently & getting it back is no mean fit. See the thread below http://www.lazarus.freepascal.org/index.php/topic,12534.0.html ---------------------------------------------------------------------- JD · 2011-03-24 10:58 Quote from: jixian.yang on March 24, 2011, 09:08:20 amThe screenshot. @jixian.yang How did you do this? ---------------------------------------------------------------------- motaz · 2011-03-24 12:52 That's will be very nice. Is it a real snapshot? I always searching for hidden Messages window and Lazarus main form Window in current style of Lazarus. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- TurboRascal · 2011-03-24 13:46 That's the docking feature in action, I've used it for a while, it was introduced in the 0.9.29. The screenshot above is easily constructed in 0.9.30 now. You must install the package (forgot the exact name) and you can use it, however be prepared to cope with some of its very strange behaviors until you get it right (I got windows scrambled all the ways around, and also lost Messages at some time and had trouble getting it back.) @motaz, while Messages can be docked, the Main Form cannot. However it's less of a concern if you dock all the other windows together in a D2005 style. I've never had problems with that because I always switch with F12 (or the toolbar button.) ---------------------------------------------------------------------- jixian.yang · 2011-03-24 15:02 Quote from: TurboRascal on March 24, 2011, 11:31:50 amI hope that NEVER happens That's actually M$ Visual Studio style, and I personally don't like how it feels. As mentioned, Lazarus as of 0.9.30 has a nice docking feature which enables you to dock every window so you can join them all together in one. Except (thankfully) the Form Editor, and of course the component pallete (thankfully again) stays where it is. The docking feature is still quite moody, but with some effort I've managed to group windows either in D7 or D2005 style... When Delphi appeared as VBKiller, we think it is a greate product and even the SDI forms seems a much more advanced design than MS VS. Of course at that time we did not ask how to design a larger form on a smaller screen and we thought the IDE form should be placed anywhere we want. After Delphi 7, the IDE changed. Did Borland abandon a higher tchnology? No. 1. Put the component pallete to right, because the widescreen is popular so we need not waste vertical resource. 2. IDE message form titlebar is of course waste. 3. Did we alway place the IDE forms before? No. 4. Docking is a good design. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- jixian.yang · 2011-03-24 15:04 Quote from: JD on March 24, 2011, 11:58:53 am @jixian.yang How did you do this? Just apply the patch: http://bugs.freepascal.org/view.php?id=18977 ---------------------------------------------------------------------- jixian.yang · 2011-03-24 15:13 Quote from: motaz on March 24, 2011, 01:52:45 pmThat's will be very nice. Is it a real snapshot? I always searching for hidden Messages window and Lazarus main form Window in current style of Lazarus. Yes, but the patch is not finished, the docking is required and the form position is not right in object inspector. Messages window is needed every time of coding. Without it the time will be wasted to find it, and it is also a waste of time to find something else. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- jixian.yang · 2011-03-24 15:15 And it will be easy to show current IDE style with the new style enabled. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- jixian.yang · 2011-03-24 15:20 Now, the larger form can be modified on netbook which is more portable than notebook. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Leledumbo · 2011-03-24 17:53 @jixian.yang: How do you make the design form stays on top (or did you just take the screenshot after positioning them like that)? I really like the docked version of the IDE, but it makes things difficult when I have to switch between code and form (gotta press Shift+F12 or choose via Window menu). ---------------------------------------------------------------------- TurboRascal · 2011-03-24 18:54 Quote from: jixian.yang on March 24, 2011, 04:02:07 pmAfter Delphi 7, the IDE changed. Did Borland abandon a higher tchnology? No. I'm not really sure newer is always better... Quote from: jixian.yang on March 24, 2011, 04:02:07 pm1. Put the component pallete to right, because the widescreen is popular so we need not waste vertical resource. It uses screen area better indeed, but I'd say usability suffers. Like I mentioned, much later than D7 Microsoft introduced their 'ribbon' interface which is very similar to the old component pallette style, as a novel discovery. Quote from: jixian.yang on March 24, 2011, 04:02:07 pm2. IDE message form titlebar is of course waste. 3. Did we alway place the IDE forms before? No. Sorry, didn't get those two points...? Please rephrase... Quote from: jixian.yang on March 24, 2011, 04:02:07 pm4. Docking is a good design. That I agree. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- JD · 2011-03-24 21:41 Quote from: jixian.yang on March 24, 2011, 04:04:27 pmQuote from: JD on March 24, 2011, 11:58:53 am @jixian.yang How did you do this? Just apply the patch: http://bugs.freepascal.org/view.php?id=18977 @jixian.yang How do you apply the patch? ---------------------------------------------------------------------- jixian.yang · 2011-03-25 01:12 Quote from: Leledumbo on March 24, 2011, 06:53:15 pm@jixian.yang: How do you make the design form stays on top (or did you just take the screenshot after positioning them like that)? I really like the docked version of the IDE, but it makes things difficult when I have to switch between code and form (gotta press Shift+F12 or choose via Window menu). There is no different with the current official IDE on this operation. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- jixian.yang · 2011-03-25 01:15 Quote from: JD on March 24, 2011, 11:58:53 am @jixian.yang How do you apply the patch? I apply it with TortoiseSVN. The files can be downloaded on the Bug Tracker web page now. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- jixian.yang · 2011-03-25 01:40 Quote from: TurboRascal on March 24, 2011, 07:54:23 pm I'm not really sure newer is always better... But it is necessary to discover where is the better. Quote from: TurboRascal on March 24, 2011, 07:54:23 pm It uses screen area better indeed, but I'd say usability suffers. Like I mentioned, much later than D7 Microsoft introduced their 'ribbon' interface which is very similar to the old component pallette style, as a novel discovery. I do not think ribbon is better than classic user interface too. But I do not learn where the usability suffers is. Just usability enhance. Quote from: TurboRascal on March 24, 2011, 07:54:23 pm Sorry, didn't get those two points...? Please rephrase... It is not necessary to place the IDE forms again and again. Menu, Object Inspector, Design Form, Messages Window, every element is needed where we design a form. On the classical D7 IDE, the most convenient form size is screen size - MainIDEBar - Object  Inspector - Messages Window, if the form is larger, one of other element is covered. Or if we just write source code, not only the IDE, GEdit is enough, notepad.exe is enough, ...... Why Photoshop CS 5 hide its title bar of main window? Is it necessary? Or not? ---------------------------------------------------------------------- TurboRascal · 2011-03-25 11:30 Quote from: jixian.yang on March 25, 2011, 02:40:47 amBut it is necessary to discover where is the better. ... I do not think ribbon is better than classic user interface too. But I do not learn where the usability suffers is. Just usability enhance. Well, there are old, new and "new" interfaces, presented before, presented later... I guess it all boils down to personal preferences at the end Quote from: jixian.yang on March 25, 2011, 02:40:47 amIt is not necessary to place the IDE forms again and again. Menu, Object Inspector, Design Form, Messages Window, every element is needed where we design a form. On the classical D7 IDE, the most convenient form size is screen size - MainIDEBar - Object  Inspector - Messages Window, if the form is larger, one of other element is covered. Or if we just write source code, not only the IDE, GEdit is enough, notepad.exe is enough, ...... Yes, another case of different personal preferences, you prefer the main form not to cover anything, while I prefer main form not part- hidden within a window I hope everyone will soon be able to dock Lazarus windows to their preferences