App layout and behavior

[martinRenou]

• Browser: The browser allows creating data sources and layers. It behaves similarly to the QGIS browser. Upon drag and drop onto the main view, it creates the selected source/layer (see video down below).
• Data sources: List the currently loaded sources (rendered similarly to the file browser's file list of JupyterLab). Upon click, the source shows up in the Grid View (if applicable), and the Properties tab shows the current filters. See https://github.com/QuantStack/jupytergis/issues/12.
• Layers: List the layer groups (rendered similarly to the file browser's file list of JupyterLab). Upon click, its data source is shown in the Grid View (if applicable) and the Properties tab shows the layer properties (colors, raster layer url, api key, etc).
• Map View: Show the map viewer. See https://github.com/QuantStack/jupytergis/issues/7

For reference, this is how QGIS's browser behaves (drag and drop from the browser to the map view):

https://github.com/QuantStack/jupytergis/assets/21197331/213ed573-e8ed-40d1-87d6-04f4196bee4e

The Layers tab list the layers and renders very similarly to the file browser's file list of JupyterLab. It shows a context menu upon right click, allowing to remove/rename the layer or change its properties:

https://github.com/QuantStack/jupytergis/assets/21197331/84f0cd99-e7d8-458d-a8a8-680bef925152

[brichet]

Maybe the GridView and Properties could be in the same place (with tabs), not sure they need to be displayed at the same time. They could both be under the map If I'm not mistaken, both are interacting with a specific layer. That could make sense to have the "layer tools" together, and would avoid overloading the interface.

[martinRenou]

I think that's two different things, the Properties tab will allow changing visual properties of the selected layer, while the Grid Viewer will allow visualizing the data source.

It's basically having the viewers in the middle (map/layers viewer on top, data viewer on the bottom), and having controls on the left and right panels.

[martinRenou]

This page design is shamelessly stolen from felt and mixing it with the QGIS browser interface.

I agree overloading the interface is not good, but the user can always move/resize and close tabs.

[martinRenou]

In order to resolve the issue you mention, nothing stops us from reusing the same approach as felt and not showing the data source viewer by default. When clicking on the layer on the left panel, it shows the properties (style, filters) of the currently selected layer on the right panel. And you can open the grid viewer/data viewer on the bottom:

https://github.com/QuantStack/jupytergis/assets/21197331/bd025c67-7060-4eab-b75d-a6e16d46d341