nightshade team mailing list archive

[Robert Spearman <rob@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

On 08/16/2012 11:51 AM, Lionel RUIZ wrote:
> Hi everybody,
>
> > I want the NS12 UI to be very simple, clear, clean, and elegant.
> The best interface for me is NO interface... :-)
> > I like the lower display readout on Stellarium 0.11 that auto-hides the
> > main icons. However, I think users should be able to click on the
> > location or date to change those easily.
> Changing date that way could be fun (you mean by clicking with the 
> mouse/remote ?).
> Not much practical with dome projection though.

I'm just talking about a desktop GUI interface here.

> > I don't like the Stellarium multi-window approach for settings. I think
> > we should keep all configuration settings in one window, with tabs for
> > organization (like NS 11 and earlier).
> A desktop use is not a planetarium use...

Not dome projection, per se.  But writing/testing scripts, practicing, 
using at home by students, etc.   We need to have some basic GUI for them.

> > Does anyone have any other suggestions?
> I would suggest having the world map that can be drawn with spherical 
> distorsion at a fixed defined position into the dome.
> That way if we click we change of place and the public know where we 
> are and where we go.
> It is interesting when I jump from a place to an other to change of 
> mythology and sky story that people can localize the place accurately.

That's an interesting idea.  In NS12 you can just do this with the Earth 
already, so not sure it needs to be a special feature.

> > Using this approach, we need icons for:
> >
> > Constellation lines/labels/art (that's 3 icons)
> > Equitorial and Azimuthal grids (2)
> > Landscape
> > Cardinal Points
> > Atmosphere
> > Planet/Nebula labels (2)
> > Track object
> > Find window
> > Config window
> > Help window
> > Quit
> Like the old method but circular ?

No, a bar along the bottom.

> > Did I miss any besides the time controls?
> Lat/Lon easily modify process.

That will be with the mouse or config window (or TUI).

> > I would prefer final icons that are SVG format (I use Inkscape) so I can
> > scale or refine as needed.
> I do love Inkscape too.

It's amazing what you can do with it.

> > We will want different states: hover, state on, state off, disabled
> > (only for track).
> > On screen, I think the icons will be about 40 pixels square.
> Too big for old XGA systems.

There are 15 icons + 4 or 5 time icons and I think 1920x1080 should be 
the default screen.  The system will scale things for other resolutions 
(not sure about aspect ratio issues).

> As it's vector graphics, it should be scalable depending on the screen 
> size (but seriously, aside for preparing scripts on a normal computer, 
> why bother ?).

Simply because why should we limit such a great piece of software to 
just planetariums? :)

Seriously, this will surpass Celestia at exploring the Universe in 3D 
once we have everything done, so we need to make it usable by anyone.

Rob