Notifications

[bergerjac]

There needs to be a generic way to display that a DragDrop or (right-click) ContextAction failed.

Via a MessageBox, a StatusBar, or ... ?

Example: {Branch} right-click -> Delete and the delete fails.

This needs to be displayed to the user; as well, it will allow developers to cancel a UI update.

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View the requirements discussion Requirements:

Notifications (Icon N)

• located in toolbar/statusbar
• N = number of unread notifications
• on click: show non-modal dialog which contains a stack layout of items similar to Most Recent Notification
• configurable location

Most Recent Notification

• displayed next to Notifications (Icon N)
• popup shown for X seconds
• top: discard button, and previous / next navigation arrows
• bottom: actions specific to notification (e.g. Unresolved Merge Conflicts has Show Resolve Dialog button/link)

• [ ] setting for: Most Recent Notification Expiration
• [ ] setting for: Notification Item Expiration
• [ ] setting for Notifications (Icon N) location
• [ ] Unread Notifications non-modal dialog: ignore discard [Icon] NotificationText
• [ ] Un-Ignore Notifications view
• [ ] context actions in a context menu (discard | {developer-provided actions} | ignore)

Other Tasks

• [x] remove lock { } constructs
• [ ] add Guid Id property to Notification class
• [ ] move Expand All / Collapse All to RepoObjectsTree contextmenu, removing header

[jbialobr]

As a plugin use case I could change Check for update plugin to use Notifications instead of showing modal form.

[bergerjac]

@jbialobr

There's a bit of a dilemma on my hands regarding the location of the Notification Feed.

I tried to get around this issue by manually setting the size of the most recent notification, but even then, the image is cut off (see 1st image, top part) and it's not a good UX. The issue arises from the fact that if a notification has text that is too long, it'll be put into the overflow container (see 1st image, bottom part).

I was also wary of adding a bar which would only be used for notifications. It seemed like a lot of dead/wasted space (red box). The only other option I can see is the area to the right of the main menu area (blue).

What do you think?

[jbialobr]

What about the bottom status bar, where unresolved merge conflicts notification appears? "unresolved merge conflicts" also should be posted via NotificationManager. I think that it shouldn't be ignorable. There is a one problem: now default onClick action is show resolve merge conflicts dialog - not discard as we planed.

[bergerjac]

"unresolved merge conflicts" also should be posted via NotificationManager

That's the plan.

default onClick action is show resolve merge conflicts dialog

This notification will have a context menu item to show resolve merge conflicts dialog.

The reason why notifications shouldn't be on the bottom is because that area is kind of obscure and out of the way. Most of the user interactions are happening near the top-left part of the UI, so the user's eyes are focused on that portion..

Also, if a user is doing work in the top-left and something fails, he has to go all the way to the bottom-right to see what happened.

I think we want the user's eyes and mouse to have to move as little as possible.

What do you think about:

Put Notifications drop-down to the right of Refresh.

Put Most Recent Notification to the right of Help menu.

[jbialobr]

What about this: 1) Show most recent notification like on picture for X seconds (lets say 15 or 25). After that time it hides. 2) Show in toolbar notification icon N with number of not viewed notifications: N (3). 3) After click on icon N list of notifications is shown. List consists of components like in 1) - stack layout. 4) Notification component 1) has toolbar (top-rigth corner) with close button. Navigation arrows can be shown only for most recent notification, but they are not crucial. Here also can be placed Ignore button. 5) Notification component 1) is divided into two areas:

• top - notification status and message
• bottom - actions that can be done for notification.

6) Let user decide where to place notification button

• top toolbar - for those who want them close
• bottom status bar for those accustomed to see notifications there.

[bergerjac]

6) Let user decide where to place notification button

Which button? Most Recent or Icon N button?

[jbialobr]

Which button? Most Recent or Icon N button?

Icon N button. if Icon N is located in toolbar then Most Recent Notification appears under it. If Icon N is located in status bar then Most Recent Notification appears above it.

[bergerjac]

Makes sense.

If Icon N is located in toolbar, where should it be? Next to Refresh?

or where do you think?

[jbialobr]

Yes, I think that next to refresh is good place for it.

[bergerjac]

@jbialobr I've created a new Milestone (on GitHub) called Notifications. There are a lot of undocumented issues that have been created related to the overall notifications implementation.

I've pushed to left-panel/status-debug and could use some help on implementing the Popup and List forms.

I don't have much experience in creating GitEx forms/dialogs, so it may be a lot easier for someone who has been working on the project for a longer time.

Also, if you start working on a particularly big feature, it would probably be a good idea to create an issue and mark yourself as the assignee. I will do the same as well. That way, we won't both work on the same problem at the same time.

[jbialobr]

I don't have much experience in creating GitEx forms/dialogs, so it may be a lot easier for someone who has been working on the project for a longer time.

Not necessarily - this is my first c# project and I am not familiar with many things - but I will try to do my best. For example I don't know how to set up FormBrowse to be not hidden behind non modal child forms (e.g. FormFileHistory). Do you have any idea how to do that?

[jbialobr]

I see, that you started to implement popup and list form. Do I have to finish them or take other topic? My time is limited to 2 hours a day.

[bergerjac]

this is my first c# project and I am not familiar with many things

Well, congrats; you're doing well.

how to set up FormBrowse to be not hidden behind non modal child forms (e.g. FormFileHistory)

Instead of Form.ShowDialog(...), use Form.Show(...) Modal/Modeless. So, formFileHistory.Show(...) will allow you to navigate back to FormBrowse.

Do I have to finish [popup and list form] or take other topic? My time is limited to 2 hours a day.

I can implement the majority of the popup and list forms. Once they're done, you can take the feature additions, such as:

• configuring popup to appear either in the lower status bar or upper area
• ignoring certain notifications
• etc.