User Interface

orux wrote:
The buttons are visible all the time by default. New version is reading your old settings.
You can force the buttons bar to hide/display using trackball click (if exists).

OK, this will be fine then.

orux wrote:

lalelale wrote:
In any case, I would consider placing text together with icons in the button bar ("tracks", "waypts", "routes", "maps").

Not easy, because the buttons are small, but I will try.

Yes, I imagine... Maybe shorter versions like "trk", "wpt", "rte", "map".

orux wrote:
I think I can add a label with each button....

Looks good. I suggest the following text:
"Show offline map at current position"
"Browse offline map"
"Browse online map"

Still, it's confusing that there is no "Show online map at current position".
I'm really not a fan of these options, as I already said... I think that a single option to open map mode in a reasonable preset could suffice and be less intimidating, as moving between these modes is possible later. But I agree that this probably boils down to individual preference, and that it's just a detail.

orux wrote:
Hmmm, it is a good idea, but I am not the icon designer (I always need the help of my wife to choose a shirt and tie)

That's the same for me :-)

orux wrote:

lalelale wrote:
A suggestion: if the "settings" menu is accessible from the homescreen, what about dropping it from the OptionsMenu in map view? What about placing a "Back to main screen" item instead, and removing the big Oruxmaps top button altogether? Then, you could make "Help", "Quick tutorial", and "About" screens accessible from the main screen, which makes sense.

The problem is that it is not possible to come back to main screen when recording a track.

I see. Still, I find that the options under the Oruxmaps button are semantically different than those expressed by the four other buttons. The four buttons give access to basic features of the software. "Back to main", help and tutorial are probably best held in the OptionsMenu (or at least, that's where I, as an inexperienced user, would look for them). Removing the oruxmaps button would allow for more space for the four important buttons (maybe with text).


BTW, another small bit to fix: the transparent context menus are beautiful, but you don't notice when they are scrollable. Today I looked everywhere for the command to upload a track to gpsies, whereas it was right in the context menu which had to be scrolled and I did not notice.

I think that, if there is no easy fix to this, using standard lists
http://www.linuxtopia.org/online_books/android/devguide/images/menu_design/ContextMenuDiagram.png
would be maybe less visually cool, but much more useable (component is well-known, scrollability is apparent, larger space for clicking, larger font, and maybe icons)
http://kahdev.files.wordpress.com/2008/08/menu_alternate.jpg

keep up the great work, and thanks again for the magnificent software :-D

A simple cosmetic bug:
in the track list, track duration should always use two digits for minutes (i.e. 2:05 rater than 2:5).

If I could ask for an improvemnt:
Use a theme/font with higher contrast. Under bright sunlight it's hard to read. Especially the guide questions at the beginning.I can just see a few buttons but can't even see there is some text in.
For the Dashboard I found it is possible to change to a higher contrast setting. Great!

Congratulations iwith the new look in 4.0.0!
Two suggestions for improvement:

The new main dashboard takes too much place on my HTC Desire, and ideally, there should be an option to change the size of the letters. The background color of the old dasboard (which I prefer to use) should be made more transparent - perhaps there could be a slider for adjusting transparency?

Please re-enable zooming by double-tapping the screen.

Thanks again for for the wonderful application. For me, it is a main reason for choosing Android instead of Apple products. I had the opportunity to review some mapping apps from the I-store the other day: Some of the mapping apps look good, but compared to Oruxmaps, they are nothing.

MB wrote:Congratulations iwith the new look in 4.0.0!
Two suggestions for improvement:

The new main dashboard takes too much place on my HTC Desire, and ideally, there should be an option to change the size of the letters. The background color of the old dasboard (which I prefer to use) should be made more transparent - perhaps there could be a slider for adjusting transparency?

Please re-enable zooming by double-tapping the screen.

Thanks again for for the wonderful application. For me, it is a main reason for choosing Android instead of Apple products. I had the opportunity to review some mapping apps from the I-store the other day: Some of the mapping apps look good, but compared to Oruxmaps, they are nothing.

Thanks MB;

I will try to follow your advices.

About 'double tap', I was saving that gesture, for future use. But If I do not find a better use, I will enable zooming.


orux

Font used to display information on bottom of the screen is too big and narrow and thus not quite readable and uses to much space.

I would also recommend to arrange these information in fields like Garmin does on his devices:
- user can choose how many fields he wants displayed (predefined: 2, 4, large, small)
- user can easily change what information each field displays by simply clicking on it

i still miss trip computer like GArmin has: screen that display number of customizable fields. While driving I usualy need just to track speed, trip length and other statistical data, not to view map.

Garmin also has useful option of Profiles. It allows user to preset different settings for different purposes, like hiking, bicycling, driving car, sailing... This allows use to easily switch settings according on current need.

There is stil just option to set tiem for all buttons to disapear. This should be settable for each button bar separately. For example, I want top button bar to be visible all the time, but sidebars visible just when I need them.

Buttons for zooming should have different treatment than other buttons as they as usualy oftenly used and there is need to have them all the time on the screen. However, if they follow the same interface sheme as other buttons they as cludging the screen. In short, they should be always visible but more transparent so the do not obstruct map viewing.

I asked this before: I use volume buttons to zoom, as that is more practical and does not cover the screen. However, functions of those buttons are illogically switched. Vol+ zooms in and Vol- zooms out. It should be reversed. The best would be an option in settings to choose how these buttons behave.

It is nice ti have option to use pinch to zoom, but i find it annoying as each time i touch the screen it pinch zooms. As I am used to zoom with volume buttons I actually do not need pinch zooming. It would be nice that it can be turned off.

When choosing map, the list is hard to use due to narrow list items. They should be wider so it is easier to click them, especially while driving or riding bike. I do not mind if I have to scroll down to get to the map as long as I do not have to stop to be able to select.

Also, it would be good to have an option of favorite maps, so they are displayed at top of the list and thus easily accessible without scrolling. I believe that most of us have just one to three maps that uses frequently.

I would suggest improvement of displaying scale. It is now displayed as green-yellow line together with scale number. This is valuable information I frequently use. However, scale line is not readable on colored scanned maps. I fouls suggest thin black line displayed centered on top of this green-yellow line. That would make it more visible. Also, scale number should be rounded. Now, on my maps scales displayed are 0.94m, 0.79km, 0.63km etc. Scale should be always rounded to 100m or 1km and scale line length should be adjusted accordingly.

Set a fixing position on-screen "zoom" button. Regardless of the visibility of the top menu.

Hello Orux

I completly aggree with the current priority: Improvements in the user interface is much more important than more functionality!!!
(some comments in this thread are already off this track... )

I also love Orux Maps and I used it already for several big trips (e.g. by bicycle 5 weeks in hungary and romania).
But still I am struggeling with the meaning of a lot of icons from the buttons, menue, the dashboard ...
Editing the dashboard or the buttons left/right is hard to do by not knowing all the symbols by heart.

To look and search in the big pdf-manual     ... is not practical on tour.

My suggestion beside more clear icon-symbols:

there is already a help menu with links to online documentation.
there should be a SHORT offline docu integrated in orux which explains EVERY icon/symbol (buttons, menue, status bar, the dashboard) of ORUX in table form- like english pdf manual page 46 - but more compact.

I don´t know which would be a good order for the icons, some symbols are used in different context like the eye for "view...".

This I missed most in the user interface.

great that Orux will get better in UI -  I am really looking forward.   

regards,