Image browser: Improve interface for selection, editing and export (icons and presentation)

(edited 2020-11-09)

In PL4, the user interface for image selection and export is:

  • in the image browser, image selection is indicated by a large blue frame around selected images;
  • A dark blue frame around an image indicates that the mouse is hovering over it, interfering with the indication of selection.
  • The effect of the corrections are shown on the thumbnails of the source images.
  • The image browser does not separately show a source image once an edit is in progress.
  • Export in progress is indicated by a gear icon displayed in the upper right corner of the thumbnails in the Image Browser;
  • A checkmark icon confirming the success of the export operation will appear in the lower right corner of the thumbnail.
  • If an error occurs, an exclamation point will be displayed.

The proposal seeks to make the interface more familiar and make the input-transformation-output process more obvious. It also avoids the possible confusion with image selection. Mouse hovering display does not interfere with image selection.

Proposal :

  • In the image browser, image selection is indicated by a white frame around selected images and by a check icon.
  • An edit in progress creates a new thumbnail, next to the source thumbnail; the two thumbnails are connected by a link symbol; the source thumbnail does not reflect changes in progress.
  • The “edit in progress” image thumbnail is shown with a dashed outline indicating that it has not yet been exported.
  • The export in progress gear is shown during export.
  • The success of the export operation is shown by removal of the gear icon (operation in progress), and by removing the dashed outline.
  • error indicator is unchanged.

The progress bar and the floating progress palette remain for examining the export log.