Shoutbox

Hey all, I'm writing some of the new features in my phunk'n skin and I am considering adding a feature that will force a display mode of the contact list to be used.

I'll explain what I mean.

One of the questions I get asked all the time is how to switch from the compact contact list to the expanded contact list with larger display pictures. The issue is that most people don't know you can do this by using the "Show contact details" feature.

Anyway my idea is to implement a feature where regardless of whether you have the "show contact details" enabled or not it will display the display picture size that you specify in the skin.

You can always go back to compact mode, all you have to do is elect to hide the display picture and then select single row display.

There are pros and cons with this sort of thing being implemented:

Pros:

+ The question about the expanded contact list will no longer be asked. The setting will be universal since its all one list.
+ I could then have a setting to either use single line or multi line display of the contact details to add a few more customization options to the list.

Cons:

+ To switch to compact mode you would have to select the small display picture or no display picture in the skin settings and then reboot wlm.
+ This would carry over to all accounts so if you share a computer everyone has to share the same contact list mode.

Anyway share your thoughts on this feature as they are important and remember to also consider those who are unaware of the "show contact details" thing.

I, for one, prefer the window to be compact. I don't need to see people's display pictures especially on the contact list as I find its too small anyway. Perhaps if its possible, to default the contact list to display a display picture, but still have an option to turn it off.

quote:

---

Originally posted by MeEtc
I, for one, prefer the window to be compact. I don't need to see people's display pictures especially on the contact list as I find its too small anyway. Perhaps if its possible, to default the contact list to display a display picture, but still have an option to turn it off.

---

Yeah essentially what I am doing is merging the two modes into one so you can change back to the no-display picture mode contact list by selecting the no display picture setting and single row contact details.

I'm not removing the compact contact list, I'm just making it so that its more obvious to the others to get to the expanded list

I should have probably mentioned that

If people don't know how to enable it, how will they know how to turn it off if they don't like it

quote:

---

Originally posted by Justin
If people don't know how to enable it, how will they know how to turn it off if they don't like it

---

That's totally different though, the way it works now you have to find a menu item which most people don't know exists because its in a spot that isn't obvious and most people wouldn't know that "show contact details" means show a display picture. Whilst with skins most people already know that there is a skin config panel and that is where all the display picture controls would be.

With this way if they select "no display picture" in the skin option it applies to all the contact lists, and if they select large display picture it applies to all the contact lists as well. No matter what they get their setting applied.

With the old method if you select large display picture it would only apply to the expanded list so if you don't even know how to get to it you will never be able to have the setting you want.

If people don't like using display pictures then they just select no display picture and presto they have their compact list back.

This thing is more about having less confusion over the two modes of contact list and make it into a more user friendly thing.

It disrupts the natural order of things, and for that I disapprove.

Plus it's deformed

quote:

---

Originally posted by SonicSam
It disrupts the natural order of things

---

Isn't that the point of skins?

To disrupt the natural order of how WLM is?

quote:

---

Originally posted by Willz

quote:

---

Originally posted by SonicSam
It disrupts the natural order of things

---

Isn't that the point of skins?

To disrupt the natural order of how WLM is?

---

Good question

A skin for me is something which looks different, but which otherwise does _not_ change the "natural" options and stuff, or works around (incompatible as it were)  existing options.

Adding some option in a skin which duplicates, and on the same time ignores, an already build in option is not good. It teaches people the 'wrong' thing. Eventhough such a new option might be accessed much easier. eg: they would start to think they need this skin in order to have a detailed list.

When the skin would be able to set the detailed look by default, but by using the existing options, then A-Ok. But yet another, not linked to the build in option, option is not ok.



my 2 cents and for what this argument is worth...

screenshots? mockups even ?

quote:

---

Originally posted by CookieRevised

When the skin would be able to set the detailed look by default, but by using the existing options, then A-Ok. But yet another, not linked to the build in option, option is not ok.

---

Well I that is what I was thinking, I was seeing if there could be a way I could set the property without tampering with how the list works but there isn't. (Unless Patchou adds it )

The only other alternative I can think of is adding a button that you can see in the contact list that switches between both lists on the fly, but of course I'm not sure if that command will work outside of the dropdown menu its in and it will add more size to the skin. For a button that will rarely be used I'm not exactly sure how I can squeeze it in.

- edit - Yeah ok tested and I can't make a button because the command does not work outside the dropdown its in.

quote:

---

Originally posted by Voldemort
screenshots? mockups even ?

---

This thing isn't really the sort of thing that can explained with screenshots. All it is is a modified version of the display picture sizing options that are in all my other skins, only that this time it applies the setting to both lists, rather than just one.