Bug 90209 - User Interface too cluttered
Summary: User Interface too cluttered
Status: RESOLVED UNMAINTAINED
Alias: None
Product: kcontrol
Classification: Miscellaneous
Component: kcmprintmgr (show other bugs)
Version: unspecified
Platform: unspecified Linux
: NOR wishlist
Target Milestone: ---
Assignee: KDEPrint Devel Mailinglist
URL:
Keywords:
Depends on:
Blocks:
 
Reported: 2004-09-25 03:48 UTC by Gustavo Sverzut Barbieri
Modified: 2018-09-04 18:01 UTC (History)
2 users (show)

See Also:
Latest Commit:
Version Fixed In:


Attachments
screenshot of the current status (83.07 KB, image/png)
2004-09-25 04:08 UTC, Gustavo Sverzut Barbieri
Details
Mockup with less icons (45.57 KB, image/png)
2004-09-25 04:13 UTC, Gustavo Sverzut Barbieri
Details

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Description Gustavo Sverzut Barbieri 2004-09-25 03:48:16 UTC
Version:            (using KDE KDE 3.3.0)

Print Manager is a great tool, but its user interface is too cluttered.

The main excess is the number of toolbar buttons. By default I have:
   - Add printer/class
   - Special pseudo printer
   - Start/stop printer...
   - Enable/Disable job spooling...
   - Set as local default
   - Set as user default 
   - Remove
   - Configure
   - Test Printer
   - Printer Tools
   - Export Driver
   - Printer IPP Report
   - Restart Server
   - Configure Server
   - Configure Manager
   - Initialize Manager
   - Show Printer Details
   - View...
   - Orientation...
   - Toggle Printer Filtering

And below them are one more row with those items grouped.

Why not vanish with the individual icons and keep the groups? Maybe offer a "Customize Toolbar" for those who like the wayt it's now.


As I have pt_BR language installed it detects every pseudo printer twice: one with the english name and other with the i18n name! I have "Print to file (PDF)" and "Imprimir para arquivo (PDF)", they're the same.
   There's any reason for this?


Also, I don't have any fax software installed, I don't even have a fax/modem and I think most don't have, so why I have "Advanced Faxing Tool (ksendfax)" and "Send to fax", two items for something I don't have/want.
IMO the Print Manager should detect if there is any fax software or hardware and just them enable those pseudo printers.
   There's any reason for this?

And, why not default the print system to CUPS since it's the most used? You can even probe for locahost;631 and if it's listening use it.
Comment 1 Gustavo Sverzut Barbieri 2004-09-25 04:08:14 UTC
Created attachment 7669 [details]
screenshot of the current status
Comment 2 Gustavo Sverzut Barbieri 2004-09-25 04:13:51 UTC
Created attachment 7670 [details]
Mockup with less icons
Comment 3 Michael Goffioul 2004-09-27 11:02:01 UTC
- you can configure which toolbar to have visible. Right-click in empty spave and use the menu items to disable/enable the toolbars. They are not intended to be shown at the same time; the toolbar with all the buttons has been kept for backward compatibility, but the toolbar with actions grouped into menu id the default one.
- I don't know why you have the pseudo printers duplicated, but you can try to remove ~/.kde/share/config/kdeprintrc and/or ~/.kde/share/apps/kdeprint/specials.desktop
- there is automatic detection of the print system at first kdeprint use, which for example tries to connect to localhost:631, as you describe.
Comment 4 Gustavo Sverzut Barbieri 2004-09-28 05:59:54 UTC
 --- Michael Goffioul <kdeprint_bugs@swing.be> escreveu: 
> ------- Additional Comments From kdeprint_bugs swing be  2004-09-27
> 11:02 -------
> - you can configure which toolbar to have visible. Right-click in
> empty spave and use the menu items to disable/enable the toolbars.
> They are not intended to be shown at the same time; the toolbar with
> all the buttons has been kept for backward compatibility, but the
> toolbar with actions grouped into menu id the default one.

Hum, using kde 3.3 and I can't remove... I already tried before filling
the bug report, but now I tried again and still nothing.


> - I don't know why you have the pseudo printers duplicated, but you
> can try to remove ~/.kde/share/config/kdeprintrc and/or
> ~/.kde/share/apps/kdeprint/specials.desktop

It worked removing the first one, thanks.
Any ideas why that happened?


> - there is automatic detection of the print system at first kdeprint
> use, which for example tries to connect to localhost:631, as you
> describe.

Really? I never noticed that... every machine I set up starts with LPD.

I removed the ~/.kde/share/{config/kdeprintrc,apps/kdeprint/} and
launched printer manager and nothing... :(

Any ideas? Any thing I can do to test this?

Gustavo


	
	
		
_______________________________________________________ 
Yahoo! Acesso Gr
Comment 5 Michael Goffioul 2004-09-28 10:23:21 UTC
There were actually 2 small bugs, which have been fixed now (development and 3.3 branch):
- default config files was such that both toolbars were shown (change from soneone else...)
- CUPS detection was based on IPP service *and* /etc/cups/cupsd.conf detection, but the latter also required that the file was readable, which is not always the case; now only the existence of the config file is tested

For the duplicate pseudo printers, I'm not sure, but I think this might be due to pseudo printer savings using 2 different languages, or maybe the presence in kdeprintrc of old settings that are not used anymore.

Do you consider I should close the bug now?
Comment 6 Gustavo Sverzut Barbieri 2004-10-01 02:34:51 UTC
But what about not being able to customize the toolbars? Is that fixed in your first item patch?

Other than that, you can close the bug.

PS: One thing more, maybe you want me to open another bug for the "Add Print Wizard". Some things I wish:
 - Backend selection:
   * Probe for printers and if some were found add them below the backend name. For example, if you detect a "HP 840C" in lp0 and it's not in my printer list, show it there. Same for network, ... It could be in different color/font style. It will make easier for users to choose what backend to use, probably their printer will be already there (most printers are local anyway). If there's only one detected, select that backend by default.
 - Local Port Selection: put probbed printers in front of the port.
 - Printer Model Selection: 
   * Don't read the whole database upon entering the UI. Load just the Manufacturer list and load Models on demand. It will speed up things and yet save memory.
   * Offer a search field to type printer's name (maybe this will invalidate previous suggestion to load on-demand). It's not good to search for "HP Deskjet 840C" with the eye within many "HP Deskjet *"
   * Auto select printer model based on probbed printer.
 - General Information: put it just after Printer Test and offer a "Finish button". Not every user want to configure banner, quota or access.

This way the printer wizard will be even more easy to use!
Comment 7 Michael Goffioul 2004-10-01 14:16:48 UTC
I'll keep the bug open because of your suggestions.
Concerning the printer detection, kdeprint relies on the print system to know the detected printers, for example with CUPS. Generally I left the printer detection to the underlying print system to avoid duplicated work as modern print systems will implement printer detection and discovery mechanism based on emerging standards. OTOH, kdeprint still provides some scanning tool for network device to make it easier to install such a printer, but this still requires some manual operations. However, using CUPS, local printer detection already works, as well as the automatic selection of the printer model.

Michael.
Comment 8 Cristian Tibirna 2005-08-22 22:03:25 UTC
UNCONFIRMED (batch reassigning messed this)
Comment 9 Angel Blue01 2009-03-10 02:12:17 UTC
There's a ver nice mockup of a new printer manager at kde-look: http://www.kde-look.org/content/show.php/Printers+and+Scanners+for+KDE4?content=48354 Maybe for some future release of KDE4?
Comment 10 Gregor Mi 2014-09-23 19:23:49 UTC
Is this report still valid with KDE 4.x?
Comment 11 Andrew Crouthamel 2018-09-04 18:01:41 UTC
Hello! Sorry to be the bearer of bad news, but this project has been unmaintained for many years so I am closing this bug. Kcontrol has been replaced by System Settings in Plasma. Please give the latest version of that a try, and open a new bug in "systemsettings" if you continue to have an issue. Thank you!