Viewing entities in Entity tree

[nelliputkonen]

• [ ] 1) In addition to viewing the entities under a certain entity class by toggling the arrow next to entity class, add a new table within Entity tree window that lists all entities of the class (or classes) that the user selects. This table could be located to the right of the entity class list (the Entity tree would then be two lists: the left showing list of entity classes and the right showing list of entities (dynamically changing based on which class or classes are selected).

• [ ] 2) To the newly created entity list, add ordering/filtering option: Add option to order or filter Entity tree by 'entity group' (see issue https://github.com/spine-tools/Spine-Toolbox/issues/2788 for adding 'entity group' to 'Add entities' window). Currently entity tree is ordered only alphabetically, but using 'entity groups' would allow for more customized ordering. Probably simplest still is that you can order alphabetically by 'entity group' or filter only the groups you need.

[soininen]

This sounds a lot like column view (see e.g. Apple's column view component). Is the plan to go all the way into that direction eventually dropping the tree or just add an auxiliary list besides the tree view for filtering purposes?

[jkiviluo]

The plan is to have this as an auxiliary option. However, the main reason to have it is not filtering, but more convenient access to the entities. This helps to avoid the scroll bar in many occasions.

If no one will miss the tree, then we could eventually drop it.

[DillonJ]

I will miss the tree! Just saying :-)

[manuelma]

I think we shouldn't touch the tree - an alternative column-view might be good though, as long as it is an alternative. But it takes way more horizontal space so we need to be careful, we might find ourselves needing to scroll the parameter tables horizontally and horizontal scrolling is much worse than vertical scrolling.

[soininen]

but more convenient access to the entities. This helps to avoid the scroll bar in many occasions.

Can you be more specific? What is supposed to make the auxiliary view more convenient? Which scroll bars you mean? Any usage examples? I am just trying to wrap my head around what we are trying to achieve here.

I am also worried about space. We are already in trouble trying to squeeze in all the docks in Table view.

[jkiviluo]

As said, the tree is not going anywhere (unless everybody seems to agree they don't use it anymore).

When one has a reasonable set of classes and entities for modelling, finding the entities you want often becomes a matter of either opening/closing the down-arrows or then scrolling back and forth on a long list of entities. Both options are cumbersome. Much better if you can just click the class from which you are looking for an entity (easier to click a class name than a small down-arrow, and will also work better with keyboard) and then see all the entities for that class in a separate column - possibly without a scroll bar unless there is a lot of them. The end result is less clicking on average.

[DillonJ]

@jkiviluo we spoke before about an entity pane in addition to the parameter values and definitions panes - here you would just see the entities in tabular format along with their descriptions etc. You could use this pane to create/remove/manipulate entities. Did anything become of that? I think this is similar to the idea here which I see as complimentary to the tree - but I find the tree much better for viewing the relationships between things

[jkiviluo]

I see the entity pane dialog as something different, it would dig deeper into contents of an entity (https://github.com/spine-tools/Spine-Toolbox/issues/2102). This issue is about filtering with less clicks and ordering - not showing more information.

And yes, this has the unfortunate side effect of adding to the horizontal space, which is sometimes limited. However, since the tree is still there, it does not need to be used if low on horizontal space.