newRPL: [UPDATED April 27-2017] Firmware for testing available for download

[Han]

(11-12-2016 01:05 AM)Helix Wrote:  I'm not convinced by the way directories and submenus are marked:

- In the first menu, I can barely see the grey line at the bottom of the black rectangles.

- In the second menu, there is confusion between the second row and the third row of menus: a grey line at the bottom of the second row indicates this not a directory, but a grey line at the bottom of the third row tells this is a directory. I understand the logic behind this choice, but visually I find the result confusing.

I've thought about that, and I can't see how to improve that without adding a line for each row of menus, and use this additional line to display a small tab, like in the HP50g. It will remove a height of 3 pixels for the stack, but after all the remaining space will be the same than with the 50g.

Why not keep the menu item height as is, but just use the top row for a "directory tab" (rather than adding an extra line of pixels per menu row). The main menu's top row of pixels doesn't actually serve any purpose, and every letter only goes as high as the 2nd line of pixels. So I propose that we make the first line of pixels for tabs (e.g only 3rd through say 7th pixels from the left border of a menu item).

Since the secondary menu uses light borders already, a directory could simply correspond to dark borders. In fact, I think the light borders could be made as light as the "SD" icon (bottom right) and a directory could be made fully dark (border).

As for the long-press for help, could we not use a shift to do that instead? (I personally tend to avoid long-press imply because it takes longer.)

Anyway, I noticed a small aesthetic bug: when an error message is displayed, and a help screen is immediately generated, the timer for the display of the error message is applied to the help message so that it is partially displayed even after the release of a long-press. Example: tap FLOOR and immediately follow up with a long-press on FLOOR. You will see an insufficient args error, followed by the help. As soon as the help text appears, release the FLOOR menu key and you will see what I mean.