[Lazarus] More to discuss about Main-Menu

[Juha Manninen]

Samuel Herzog kirjoitti lauantai 05 maaliskuu 2011 11:43:07:
> Thanks for cleaning up these things.
> Just for fun I counted the number of menu-items we have at the moment. It's
> 154 menu-items!
> 
> There is more to discuss about main-menu items.
> 
> A) I think the menu-item "Project" is more important than the menu-item
> "File". So it should be the first item. Or put these two into one
> menu-item.

Good point.
I remember it bothered me at first that Project menu was far in the middle, 
away from File menu. First impressions are often important with GUI because 
later you get used to any GUI and don't care any more.

File menu being the first one is a GUI convention and moving it would create 
confusion. The same way the File menu always has "Exit" (or "Quit") although 
it really has nothing to do with file operations.

I vote for moving Project menu next to File menu, as the second menu.
They even have analogous sub-items.
 New Unit  <--> New Project ...
 Open ...  <--> Open Project ...
 Close ...  <--> Close Project ...
 Save as ...  <--> Save Project as ...

It would be very logical to have them side by side.


> B) The items "Build","Build All","Abort Build","Quick Compile" should be
> placed in the "Project" menu-item or the main menu-item "Run" should be
> renamed.

Project menu would be very growded.
Besides running a project is different from otherwise managing a project.
It is logical to have separate menus for them.

Should it be renamed?
IMO no because menu names should be short. "Run Project" would contain 
duplicate information.

Should it be moved also?
IMO no because running a project is logically done later.
First you create or open a project, using Project menu.
Then you edit it, using Edit, Source and Refactor menus.
Then you run it, using Run menu.
Chronologically correct order.


Juha