Difference between revisions of "Sidebar"

Revision as of 09:43, 10 December 2012 (view source) Andre (Talk | contribs) m (Added links into SVN) ← Older edit		Latest revision as of 14:55, 16 June 2022 (view source) DiGro (Talk | contribs) m (→‎Overview)
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−	The sidebar (working title) is a new feature likely to be in the 4.0 release.  It combines ideas and code from both the [[Symphony]] sidebar and the OpenOffice [[Impress]] task pane.	+	The sidebar is a UI feature that was introduced for all OpenOffice applications in version 4.0.  It is based on the [[Symphony]] Properties Panel which in turn is based on the old [[Impress]] task pane. The sidebar looks like this:
−	The UX part of the work is described on another [[AOO_UX_Design_Exploration_-_Task_Pane_Content_-_Information_Design|page]].  This page focuses on the API design and implementation.	+	[[File:Sidebar-Writer.png|600px|center]]
−	Help in whatever form (writing code, designing the UI, testing) is welcome.
−	==Status==	+	Information about the implementation of the sidebar and how to extend it with new panels can be found in the [[Sidebar for Developers]] page.
−	We are in the early planning stage.	+	A [[#Glossary|glossary]] is available below.
−	I activated the older and unfinished sidebar support that was done when OpenOffice was developed by Oracle.  There are devloper snapshots for [http://people.apache.org/~af/sidebar/Apache_OpenOffice-Dev_AOO350m1_Linux_x86-64_install-arc_en-US.tar.gz Linux] (requires glibc >= 2.15: Ubuntu 12.4 or later, Fedora 17 or later...),  [http://people.apache.org/~af/sidebar/Apache_OpenOffice-Dev_AOO350m1_MacOS_x86_install_en-US.dmg Mac] and [http://people.apache.org/~af/sidebar/Apache_OpenOffice-Dev_AOO350m1_Win_x86_install_en-US.exe Windows]. These exist for reference and analysis.  There appear to be several bugs, so please do not use these developer snapshots for the editing of valuable documents.
−	==Resources==	+	==Overview==
−	* UX	+	The sidebar window is located on the right side of the edit views of Writer, Calc, Impress, Draw, Base.  It contains one or more [[#Panels|panels]], based on the current document context. Panels are organized into [[#Decks|decks]]. A [[#Tab_Bar|tab bar]] on the right side of the sidebar allows to switch between different decks.
−	**[[AOO_UX_Design_Exploration_-_Task_Pane_Content_-_Information_Design|UX design exploration]]	+
−	**[[AOO_UX_Design_Exploration_-_Docked_Task_Pane_Container_-_Pane_Header_User_Interface_Design|Pane Header UI Design]]	+
−	* Symphony	+
−	** Assessment of the [[AOO_Symphony_UX_Migration/Merge_Analysis_-_Task_Pane|migrating the Symphony sidebar]].	+
−	** Older proposal to use the [[Sidebar_Proposal_by_IBM|Symphony sidebar]].	+
−	* AOO	+
−	** Overview of an existing but unfinished attempt of implementing [[Framework/Article/Tool_Panels_Internals|tool panels]].	+
−	** Introduction to [[Framework/Article/Tool Panels|writing tool panels]].	+
−	** Description of the [[Drawing framework|drawing framework]], that is used by the Impress tool panel.	+
−	==Glossary==	+	The [[#Properties|Properties]] deck is context sensitive.  When text is being edited then it contains panels for changing the font or text attributes,  when a graphical object is selected then other panels give access to fill and line style as well as the object's position and size.
−	Work in progress.  Comments are welcome.	+
−	[[File:SidebarNames.png|thumb|200px|Schematic overview of sidebar components.  Location of elements do not reflect UX design.]]	+	<br>[[Image:Sidebar-Screenshot-Writer-Context-Text.png|300px]] [[Image:Sidebar-Screenshot-Writer-Context-Shape.png|300px]] [[Image:Sidebar-Screenshot-Writer-Context-Graphic.png|300px]]<br>''Different panels in Properties deck for different contexts (from left to right): text editing, logo pasted as outline, logo pasted as bitmap''
−	;sidebar: Name of the feature and name of the control including all its components (icon bar, content panels).	+
−	:Also known as task pane(l) or tool pane(l)	+
−	;tab bar: Similar to a vertical tool bar. Clicking on buttons switches between sidebar decks.	+
−	;deck: Contains one or more content panels.  Only one deck is visible at any one time.	+
−	;content panel: Displays information about the document and/or provides the means for document modification.	+
−	:Each content panel focuses on one topic like font, table or shape properties.	+
−	:There may be more than one content panel in a deck.	+
−	:Examples are the task panels of the Impress task pane or the property views of the Symphony sidebar.	+
−	;title bar: Displays the title for the current sidebar deck.	+
−	:Can contain a closer button.	+
−	;content panel title: Displays the title for one content panel. Optional when there is only one content panel.	+
−	;configuration menu button: Opens a popup menu that allows switching between decks and also allows the activation and deactivation (tab is not shown) of decks.	+
−	==Implemenation design==
−	The sidebar consists of two major components:	+	A panel is basically a mix of a toolbar and a non-modal dialog.  That means that sidebar panels do not lock the document.  The user can freely mix working in the edit view to eg enter text and use the [[#Text|Text]] panel to change text attributes.
−	*The buttons in the vertical tab bar on the right switch manually between sidebar decks.	+
−	*The content area contains a two-tier hierarchy of deck and content panels.  There is exactly one deck visible at any one time.  It contains one or more content panels.  A content panel can be displayed expanded or collapsed.	+
−	The set of visible deck and content panels changes when a context change is broadcast.  Context changes occur for example when in Writer the cursor is moved from text into a table or when in Impress text editing of a shape is activated.	+	At the moment, toolbars and sidebar panels share many functions.  For example, the buttons for making text bold or italic exist in both the text toolbar and the [[#Text|Text]] panel. This duplicity is the result of a design decision to allow users to gradually learn to use the sidebar. It is our plan to reduce functions provided in toolbars and provide them only in the sidebar. The speed and scope of this change depends on feedback from our users.
−	Decks and context panels are specified via configuration and UNO interfaces and thus can be implemented not only in the AOO core code but also by extensions.	+	The width of the sidebar is variable.  The controls in its panels are adjusted accordingly. When the sidebar becomes too small to be usable it collapses to the tab bar.  This transitional state is indicated by an arrow that is displayed in place of the deck. A click on one of the buttons on the tab bar restores the deck to its former width.
		+	[[File:Sidebar-Different-Widths.png|640px]]
−	===Context change notification===	+	==Panels==
		+	Eleven property panels have been migrated from IBM Lotus Symphony: Alignment, Area, Cell Appearance, Graphic, Line, Number Format, Page, Paragraph, Position and Size, Text and Wrap.
		+	Seven panels come from the old Impress tool panel: Available for Use, Custom Animation, Layouts, Recently Used, Slide Transition, Table Design, Used in This Presentation.
		+	Four are non-modal (ie non locking) dialogs: Functions, Gallery, Navigator, Styles and Formatting.
		+	One is new: Insert Shapes.
−	Context changes are broadcast via the new	+	[[File:Sidebar-Panels.png|500px]]
−	ui::ContextSwitchEventMultiplexer singleton (which is based on the equally	+
−	new ui::EventMultiplexer service).	+
−	Context change broadcasts have to be manually inserted into	+	Some of these are displayed in the context sensitive 'Properties' deck, others are displayed in a deck on their own.  In that case the panel title bar is usually not displayed and the deck title is the same as the panel title.  When the panel title bar is shown then a mouse click on it collapses the panel to just its title bar.  Another click and the panel is expanded to its former size.
−	application code.	+
−	Notifications about context changes are restricted to single views by using the XController as	+	[[File:Sidebar-Expand-Collapse.png|350px]]
−	selector: an XController object is passed to ui::EventMultiplexeraddEventListener() and	+
−	ui::EventMultiplexerbroadcastEvent() methods.	+
−	The sidebars (there is one per document windown) listen for context change	+	Some panels have a 'More Options' button in their title bar.  A click on it opens a dialog with many more options than would fit into the panel.  These dialogs, however, are modal, ie. the edit view is locked while the dialogs are open.
−	notifications and rearrange the set of visible decks and panels	+
−	according to the configuration entries for each deck and panel.	+
−	There will be a predefined standard set of contexts but extensions can	+	[[File:Sidebar-more-options.png|500px]]
−	provide decks and panels for new contexts and can also notify context changes for them.	+
−	===Content panels===	+	===Alignment (Calc only)===
		+	Alignment of cell text (horizontal, vertical, rotation)
−	Deccks and content panels are specified via the configuration.  The	+	[[File:Sidebar-Panel-Alignment.png|100px]]
−	new Sidebar.xcs defines schemas for decks and content panels that	+
−	contain:	+
−	* UI title	+
−	* Application and context names for which a deck or a content panel is to be visible.	+
−	* Simple layout information. Two different schemas will be supported	+
−	*# Use all the available space (distributed equally when more than one panel reuests this)	+
−	*# Vertical stack.  The default for content panels migrated from Symphony.  Requres content panels to support a new interface XVerticalStackLayoutElement with the method getHeightForWidth()	+
−		+
−	For the actual creation of panel objects (decks do not need per-object implementation) the existing ui::UIElementFactoryManager and the configuration entries in the	+
−	<application>WindowState configuration files are used.	+
		+	===Area===
		+	Fill style of shapes like color, gradient, bitmap, hatch, transparency.
−	===Sidebar===	+	[[File:Sidebar-Panel-Area.png|100px]]
−	It is the responsibility of the sidebar to display the right set of	+	===Available for Use (Impress only)===
−	content panels for the current combination of application (writer,	+	List of all available templates.
−	calc, impress, draw, base) and context (eg text-editing,	+
−	table-is-selected).	+
−	The visible set of deck and content panels changes on three occasions:	+	[[File:Sidebar-Panel-AvailableForUse.png|100px]]
−	# A context change is notified via the ContextSwitchEventMultiplexer	+
−	# User clicks on one of the buttons in the sidebar tab bar.	+
−	# Explicit requests to show a certain deck or panel (used by Impress to show the layout panel when the user opens the page context menu and clicks Slide->Slide Layout)	+
		+	===Cell Appearance (Calc only)===
		+	Cell background color and border.
−	==Implementation Work==	+	[[File:Sidebar-Panel-CellAppearance.png|100px]]
−	The list of open and done parts of the sidebar implementation are (to be expanded and color coded):	+	===Custom Animation (Impress only)===
		+	Add or modify animations of shapes.
−	=== Content Change Notification ===	+	[[File:Sidebar-Panel-CustomAnimation.png|100px]]
−	* EventMultiplexer	+
−	** New service [http://svn.apache.org/viewvc/openoffice/branches/sidebar/main/offapi/com/sun/star/util/EventMultiplexer.idl?revision=1419288&view=markup util::EventMultiplexer]	+
−	** New singleton [http://svn.apache.org/viewvc/openoffice/branches/sidebar/main/offapi/com/sun/star/ui/ContextChangeEventMultiplexer.idl?view=markup ui::ContextChangeEventMultiplexer]	+
−	** New interface [http://svn.apache.org/viewvc/openoffice/branches/sidebar/main/offapi/com/sun/star/util/XEventMultiplexer.idl?revision=1419288&view=markup util::XEventMultiplexer]	+
−	** New interface [http://svn.apache.org/viewvc/openoffice/branches/sidebar/main/offapi/com/sun/star/util/XEventListener.idl?view=markup util::XEventListener]	+
−	** New struct [http://svn.apache.org/viewvc/openoffice/branches/sidebar/main/offapi/com/sun/star/ui/ContextChangeEventObject.idl?view=markup ui::ContextChangeEventObject]	+
−	** Implementation of [http://svn.apache.org/viewvc/openoffice/branches/sidebar/main/framework/source/services/EventMultiplexer.cxx?revision=1419288&view=markup EventMultiplexer]	+
−	* Add context change notification for Writer, Calc, Impress, Draw, Base	+
−	=== Decks and content panels ===	+	===Functions (Calc only)===
−	* Configuration	+	Insert functions (mathematical, string related, other) to a Calc cell.
−	** New configuration Schema org/openoffice/Office/UI/Sidebar.xcs	+
−	** New template for decks	+
−	** New template for content panels	+
−	* Implement manager for decks and panels	+
−	* Example code for testing and as tutorial	+
−	* Migration of Symphony decks and content panels for Writer, Calc, Base	+
−	* Migration of AOO decks and content panels for Impress	+
−	=== Sidebar ===	+	[[File:Sidebar-Panel-Functions.png|100px]]
−	* Tab bar	+
−	* Tabs	+
−	** Icons and high contrast icons, read from configuration	+
−	** Test with internal and external (extension) code	+
−	* Title bars for decks and content panels	+
−	* Outer layouting of content panels	+
−	** Distribution of vertical space between panels	+
−	** Collaps and expand panels	+
−	* Management of context changes	+
−	** Read specification of decks and content panels from configuration	+
−	** Connect to EventMultiplexer and listen for content changes	+
−	** Update visible deck and panels on context change	+
−	* Dockable child window as container of sidebar	+
−	* Configuration menu	+
−	==Existing implementation==	+	===Gallery===
		+	Gallery dialog as sidebar panel.
−	Not all the API design and implementation work has to be started from scratch.  There several parts that can be used/reused/adapted.	+	[[File:Sidebar-Panel-Gallery.png|100px]]
−	===In main/sd/===	+	===Graphic===
−	The [[drawing framework]] is used for the Impress taskpane, all Impress views and the slide show.  A tree of URLs (called a configuration) defines the different layers of containers (windows) and views (taskpane panels).  SD views only modify a configuration, update and synchronization of the associated view shells is left to the ConfigurationController.	+	Adjust bitmap attributes like brightness, contrast, colors, gamma.
−	Contextual changes of tool bars are handled in SD in a single place by the ToolBarManager.  It receives notifications about context changes by registering as listener at the EventMultiplexer.	+	[[File:Sidebar-Panel-Graphic.png|100px]]
−	Example:	+	===Insert Shapes (Draw only)===
−	When an Impress shape enters text edit mode then sd::View sends an	+	Buttons and drop down menus for inserting shapes into Draw documents.
−	event to the EventMultiplexer.  That forwards the event to the	+
−	ToolBarManager.	+
−	The ToolBarManager checks its set of rules, finds the one that	+
−	activates the text edit tool bar and replaces the current context bar	+
−	with the text edit bar.	+
		+	[[File:Sidebar-Panel-InsertShapes.png|100px]]
		+	===Layouts (Impress only)===
		+	Assign a predefined layout to a slide.  There are different sets of layouts for the different edit modes standard, handout and notes.
		+	[[File:Sidebar-Panel-Layout-Standard.png|100px|top]] [[File:Sidebar-Panel-Layout-Handout.png|100px|top]] [[File:Sidebar-Panel-Layout-Notes.png|100px|top]]
−	Screenshots from the developer snapshots.	+	===Line===
−	In all three screenshots mouse is over the third button from the top in the sidebar, button above is selected.	+	Adjust color, width and style of lines and outlines.
−	Click to enlarge.	+
−	Linux: [http://people.apache.org/~af/sidebar/screenshots/screenshot-linux-sidebar.png http://people.apache.org/~af/sidebar/screenshots/screenshot-linux-sidebar-small.png] Mac: [http://people.apache.org/~af/sidebar/screenshots/screenshot-mac-sidebar.png http://people.apache.org/~af/sidebar/screenshots/screenshot-mac-sidebar-small.png] Windows: [http://people.apache.org/~af/sidebar/screenshots/screenshot-windows-sidebar.png http://people.apache.org/~af/sidebar/screenshots/screenshot-windows-sidebar-small.png]	+	[[File:Sidebar-Panel-Line.png|100px]]
−	Detail views of regular toolbar buttons. Right "abc" button is selected, mouse is over left "abc" button.	+	===Navigator===
		+	The navigator dialog as sidebar panel. Small differences between the different applications.
−	Linux: http://people.apache.org/~af/sidebar/screenshots/screenshot-linux-toolbar.png Mac: http://people.apache.org/~af/sidebar/screenshots/screenshot-mac-toolbar.png Windows: http://people.apache.org/~af/sidebar/screenshots/screenshot-windows-toolbar-detail.png	+	[[File:Sidebar-Panel-Navigator-Writer.png|100px]] [[File:Sidebar-Panel-Navigator-Calc.png|100px]] [[File:Sidebar-Panel-Navigator-Impress.png|100px]]
−	Examples of toolbars in other applications:	+	===Number Format (Calc only)===
		+	Set the number format of selected cells.
−	Linux (file explorer): [http://people.apache.org/~af/sidebar/screenshots/screenshot-linux-explorer.png http://people.apache.org/~af/sidebar/screenshots/screenshot-linux-explorer-small.png]	+	[[File:Sidebar-Panel-NumberFormat.png|100px]]
−	Mac (Garageband): [http://people.apache.org/~af/sidebar/screenshots/screenshot-mac-GarageBand.png http://people.apache.org/~af/sidebar/screenshots/screenshot-mac-GarageBand-small.png] Windows (File Explorer): [http://people.apache.org/~af/sidebar/screenshots/screenshot-windows-Explorer.png http://people.apache.org/~af/sidebar/screenshots/screenshot-windows-Explorer-small.png]	+
		+	===Page (Writer only)===
		+	Set page properties like orientation, margin or size.
−	For comparison here is a screenshot from Symphony (on Windows):	+	[[File:Sidebar-Panel-Page.png|100px]]
−	http://people.apache.org/~af/sidebar/screenshots/screenshot-sidebar-symphony.png	+	===Paragraph===
		+	Adjust paragraph properties.
		+	There are small differences for different contexts.<br>From left to right: Impress/Table, Writer/Annotation, Writer/DrawText, Writer/Table, Writer/Text.
−	===In main/svtools/ and main/sfx2/===	+	[[File:Sidebar-Panel-Paragraph-Impress-Table.png|100px|top|Impress/Table]]
		+	[[File:Sidebar-Panel-Paragraph-Writer-Annotation.png|100px|top|Writer/Annotation]]
		+	[[File:Sidebar-Panel-Paragraph-Writer-DrawText.png|100px|top|Writer/DrawText]]
		+	[[File:Sidebar-Panel-Paragraph-Writer-Table.png|100px|top|Writer/Table]]
		+	[[File:Sidebar-Panel-Paragraph-Writer-Text.png|100px|top|Writer/Text]]
−	The unfinished implementation of an office wide toolpane with Symphony like functionality can be found in svtools/source/toolpanel/ and sfx2/source/dialog/taskpane/.  See [[Framework/Article/Tool Panels Internals]] for details.	+	===Position and Size===
		+	Change position, size and rotation of shapes.  Not all of these attributes can be modified in any context.  Free positioning is not supported in Writer.  Bitmaps can not be rotated in Writer.
−	===Existing API (main/offapi/)===	+	This results in three different versions of the panel: with position, size and rotation (left) with size and rotation (center) only size (right)
−	XUIElement and XToolPanel from com::sun::star::ui provide an API abstraction of the toolpanel.	+	[[File:Sidebar-Panel-PositionAndSize-Impress.png|100px|top|Impress]]
		+	[[File:Sidebar-Panel-PositionAndSize-Writer-Draw.png|100px|top|Writer/Draw]]
		+	[[File:Sidebar-Panel-PositionAndSize-Writer-Bitmap.png|100px|top|Writer/Graphic]]
−	It is already possible to provide [[Framework/Article/Tool_Panels|new tool panels]] from an extension.	+	===Recently Used (Impress only)===
		+	List the recently used templates/master pages.
		+	[[File:Sidebar-Panel-RecentlyUsed.png|100px|top]]
−	===In the symphony branch===	+	===Slide Transition (Impress only)===
		+	Add or modify transition animations between slides.
		+
		+	[[File:Sidebar-Panel-SlideTransition.png|100px|top]]
		+
		+	===Styles and Formatting===
		+	The styles and formatting dialog, aka Stylist, as sidebar panel.
		+
		+	There are small differences between the applications: (from left to right) Writer, Calc, Impress
		+
		+	[[File:Sidebar-Panel-StylesAndFormatting-Writer.png|100px|top]]
		+	[[File:Sidebar-Panel-StylesAndFormatting-Calc.png|100px|top]]
		+	[[File:Sidebar-Panel-StylesAndFormatting-Impress.png|100px|top]]
		+
		+	===Table Design (Impress only)===
		+	Properties of tables in Impress.
		+
		+	[[File:Sidebar-Panel-TableDesign.png|100px|top]]
		+
		+	===Text===
		+	Adjust text properties like font, size, bold, colors.
		+
		+	There are small differences in different applications and contexts.  Not all controls/attributes are available everywhere.
		+
		+	[[File:Sidebar-Panel-Text-Calc.png|100px|top]]
		+	[[File:Sidebar-Panel-Text-Impress-Table.png|100px|top]]
		+	[[File:Sidebar-Panel-Text-Writer.png|100px|top]]
		+	[[File:Sidebar-Panel-Text-Writer-Annotation.png|100px|top]]
		+
		+	===Used in This Presentation (Impress only)===
		+	List of the templates/master pages that are currently used by the document.
		+
		+	[[File:Sidebar-Panel-UsedInThisPresentation.png|100px|top]]
		+
		+	===Wrap (Writer only)===
		+	Select how to wrap text around a graphical object.
		+
		+	[[File:Sidebar-Panel-Wrap.png|100px|top]]
		+
		+	==Decks==
		+
		+	A deck is a container for one or more panels.  In some cases, where there is only one panel and the panel title and deck title are the same, the panel title bar is not painted.
		+
		+	The deck title bar is not an active element, ie mouse clicks are ignored, but it can receive the keyboard focus.  That is an accessibility feature.
		+
		+	===Custom Animation (Impress only)===
		+	Contains only the [[#Custom_Animation_.28Impress_only.29|Custom Animation]] panel.
		+
		+	Icon is [[file:Sidebar-Icon-CustomAnimation.png]].
		+
		+	===Functions (Calc only)===
		+	Contains only the [[#Functions_.28Calc_only.29|Functions]] panel.
		+
		+	Icon is [[file:Sidebar-Icon-Functions.png]].
		+
		+	===Gallery===
		+	Contains only the [[#Gallery|Gallery]] panel.
		+
		+	Icon is [[file:Sidebar-Icon-Gallery.png]].
		+
		+	===Master Pages (Impress only)===
		+	Contains the [[#Used_in_This_Presentation_.28Impress_only.29|Used in This Presentation]],
		+	[[#Recently_Used_.28Impress_only.29|Recently Used]],
		+	[[#Available_for_Use_.28Impress_only.29|Available for Use]] panels.
		+
		+	Icon is [[file:Sidebar-Icon-MasterPages.png]].
		+
		+	===Navigator===
		+	Contains only the [[#Navigator|Navigator]] panel.
		+
		+	Icon is [[file:Sidebar-Icon-Navigator.png]].
		+
		+	===Properties===
		+	Contains a selection of the panels [[#Alignment_.28Calc_only.29|Alignment]], [[#Area|Area]], [[#Cell_Appearance_.28Calc_only.29|Cell Appearance]], [[#Graphic|Graphic]], [[#Insert_Shapes_.28Draw_only.29|Insert Shapes]], [[#Line|Line]], [[#Number_Format_.28Calc_only.29|Number Format]], [[#Page_.28Writer_only.29|Page]], [[#Paragraph|Paragraph]], [[#Position_and_Size|Position and Size]], [[#Text|Text]] and [[#Wrap_.28Writer_only.29|Wrap]].
		+
		+	Icon is [[file:Sidebar-Icon-Properties.png]].
		+
		+	This is the only deck that is context sensitive by default.  A list of which panels are belong to which contexts can be found [[Sidebar_for_Developers#Contexts|here]].
		+
		+	===Slide Transition (Impress only)===
		+	Contains only the [[#Slide_Transition_.28Impress_only.29|Slide Transition]] panel.
		+
		+	Icon is [[file:Sidebar-Icon-SlideTransition.png]].
		+
		+	===Styles and Formatting===
		+	Contains only the [[#Styles_and_Formatting|Styles and Formatting]] panel.
		+
		+	Icon is [[file:Sidebar-Icon-StylesAndFormatting.png]].
		+
		+	==Tab Bar==
		+	The tab bar is a column of icons on the right side of the sidebar.  Its buttons switch between decks.  The top button opens a menu that offers another way to switch decks.  A sub menu allows individual decks to be hidden.
		+
		+	==Glossary==
		+	[[File:SidebarNames.png|thumb|200px|Schematic overview of sidebar components. Location of elements do not reflect UX design.]]
		+	;sidebar: Name of the feature and name of the control including all its components (icon bar, content panels).
		+	:Also known as task pane(l) or tool pane(l)
		+	;tab bar: Similar to a vertical tool bar. Clicking on buttons switches between sidebar decks.
		+	;deck: Contains one or more content panels. Only one deck is visible at any one time.
		+	;content panel: Displays information about the document and/or provides the means for document modification.
		+	:Each content panel focuses on one topic like font, table or shape properties.
		+	:There may be more than one content panel in a deck.
		+	:Examples are the task panels of the Impress task pane or the property views of the Symphony sidebar.
		+	;title bar: Displays the title for the current sidebar deck.
		+	:Can contain a closer button.
		+	;content panel title: Displays the title for one content panel. Optional when there is only one content panel.
		+	;configuration menu button: Opens a popup menu that allows switching between decks and also allows the activation and deactivation (tab is not shown) of decks.
−	The sidebar is implemented in sfx2/source/propertypanel.
−	Base functionality for sidebar and content panes can be found in svx/source/propertypanel.
−	Find application specific content panels in sw/source/ui/propertypanel, sc/source/ui/propertypanel, sd/source/ui/propertypanel.	+	==References==
−	In these directories the files propertydlg.cxx defines the set of panels that are to be displayed.  These lists are hardcoded and can not be modified by extensions.	+	The UX part of the work is described on another [[AOO_UX_Design_Exploration_-_Task_Pane_Content_-_Information_Design|page]]. This page focuses on the API design and implementation.
−	Painting of control backgrounds is also hardcoded.  Look for instance at svx/source/propertypanel/paragraphpropertypage.cxx and search for calls to DrawGradient().  Colors for the background gradients are defined in every file that paints button backgrounds.	+	[[Category:Development]]

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Latest revision as of 14:55, 16 June 2022

The sidebar is a UI feature that was introduced for all OpenOffice applications in version 4.0. It is based on the Symphony Properties Panel which in turn is based on the old Impress task pane. The sidebar looks like this:

Information about the implementation of the sidebar and how to extend it with new panels can be found in the Sidebar for Developers page.

A glossary is available below.

Overview

The sidebar window is located on the right side of the edit views of Writer, Calc, Impress, Draw, Base. It contains one or more panels, based on the current document context. Panels are organized into decks. A tab bar on the right side of the sidebar allows to switch between different decks.

The Properties deck is context sensitive. When text is being edited then it contains panels for changing the font or text attributes, when a graphical object is selected then other panels give access to fill and line style as well as the object's position and size.

Different panels in Properties deck for different contexts (from left to right): text editing, logo pasted as outline, logo pasted as bitmap

A panel is basically a mix of a toolbar and a non-modal dialog. That means that sidebar panels do not lock the document. The user can freely mix working in the edit view to eg enter text and use the Text panel to change text attributes.

At the moment, toolbars and sidebar panels share many functions. For example, the buttons for making text bold or italic exist in both the text toolbar and the Text panel. This duplicity is the result of a design decision to allow users to gradually learn to use the sidebar. It is our plan to reduce functions provided in toolbars and provide them only in the sidebar. The speed and scope of this change depends on feedback from our users.

The width of the sidebar is variable. The controls in its panels are adjusted accordingly. When the sidebar becomes too small to be usable it collapses to the tab bar. This transitional state is indicated by an arrow that is displayed in place of the deck. A click on one of the buttons on the tab bar restores the deck to its former width.

Panels

Eleven property panels have been migrated from IBM Lotus Symphony: Alignment, Area, Cell Appearance, Graphic, Line, Number Format, Page, Paragraph, Position and Size, Text and Wrap. Seven panels come from the old Impress tool panel: Available for Use, Custom Animation, Layouts, Recently Used, Slide Transition, Table Design, Used in This Presentation. Four are non-modal (ie non locking) dialogs: Functions, Gallery, Navigator, Styles and Formatting. One is new: Insert Shapes.

Some of these are displayed in the context sensitive 'Properties' deck, others are displayed in a deck on their own. In that case the panel title bar is usually not displayed and the deck title is the same as the panel title. When the panel title bar is shown then a mouse click on it collapses the panel to just its title bar. Another click and the panel is expanded to its former size.

Some panels have a 'More Options' button in their title bar. A click on it opens a dialog with many more options than would fit into the panel. These dialogs, however, are modal, ie. the edit view is locked while the dialogs are open.

Alignment (Calc only)

Alignment of cell text (horizontal, vertical, rotation)

Area

Fill style of shapes like color, gradient, bitmap, hatch, transparency.

Available for Use (Impress only)

List of all available templates.

Cell Appearance (Calc only)

Cell background color and border.

Custom Animation (Impress only)

Add or modify animations of shapes.

Functions (Calc only)

Insert functions (mathematical, string related, other) to a Calc cell.

Gallery

Gallery dialog as sidebar panel.

Graphic

Adjust bitmap attributes like brightness, contrast, colors, gamma.

Insert Shapes (Draw only)

Buttons and drop down menus for inserting shapes into Draw documents.

Layouts (Impress only)

Assign a predefined layout to a slide. There are different sets of layouts for the different edit modes standard, handout and notes.

Line

Adjust color, width and style of lines and outlines.

Navigator

The navigator dialog as sidebar panel. Small differences between the different applications.

Number Format (Calc only)

Set the number format of selected cells.

Page (Writer only)

Set page properties like orientation, margin or size.

Paragraph

Adjust paragraph properties.

There are small differences for different contexts.
From left to right: Impress/Table, Writer/Annotation, Writer/DrawText, Writer/Table, Writer/Text.

Position and Size

Change position, size and rotation of shapes. Not all of these attributes can be modified in any context. Free positioning is not supported in Writer. Bitmaps can not be rotated in Writer.

This results in three different versions of the panel: with position, size and rotation (left) with size and rotation (center) only size (right)

Recently Used (Impress only)

List the recently used templates/master pages.

Slide Transition (Impress only)

Add or modify transition animations between slides.

Styles and Formatting

The styles and formatting dialog, aka Stylist, as sidebar panel.

There are small differences between the applications: (from left to right) Writer, Calc, Impress

Table Design (Impress only)

Properties of tables in Impress.

Text

Adjust text properties like font, size, bold, colors.

There are small differences in different applications and contexts. Not all controls/attributes are available everywhere.

Used in This Presentation (Impress only)

List of the templates/master pages that are currently used by the document.

Wrap (Writer only)

Select how to wrap text around a graphical object.

Decks

A deck is a container for one or more panels. In some cases, where there is only one panel and the panel title and deck title are the same, the panel title bar is not painted.

The deck title bar is not an active element, ie mouse clicks are ignored, but it can receive the keyboard focus. That is an accessibility feature.

Custom Animation (Impress only)

Contains only the Custom Animation panel.

Icon is .

Functions (Calc only)

Contains only the Functions panel.

Icon is .

Gallery

Contains only the Gallery panel.

Icon is .

Master Pages (Impress only)

Contains the Used in This Presentation, Recently Used, Available for Use panels.

Icon is .

Navigator

Contains only the Navigator panel.

Icon is .

Properties

Contains a selection of the panels Alignment, Area, Cell Appearance, Graphic, Insert Shapes, Line, Number Format, Page, Paragraph, Position and Size, Text and Wrap.

Icon is .

This is the only deck that is context sensitive by default. A list of which panels are belong to which contexts can be found here.

Slide Transition (Impress only)

Contains only the Slide Transition panel.

Icon is .

Styles and Formatting

Contains only the Styles and Formatting panel.

Icon is .

Tab Bar

The tab bar is a column of icons on the right side of the sidebar. Its buttons switch between decks. The top button opens a menu that offers another way to switch decks. A sub menu allows individual decks to be hidden.

Glossary

sidebar

Name of the feature and name of the control including all its components (icon bar, content panels).

Also known as task pane(l) or tool pane(l)

tab bar

Similar to a vertical tool bar. Clicking on buttons switches between sidebar decks.

deck

Contains one or more content panels. Only one deck is visible at any one time.

content panel

Displays information about the document and/or provides the means for document modification.

Each content panel focuses on one topic like font, table or shape properties.

There may be more than one content panel in a deck.

Examples are the task panels of the Impress task pane or the property views of the Symphony sidebar.

title bar

Displays the title for the current sidebar deck.

Can contain a closer button.

content panel title

Displays the title for one content panel. Optional when there is only one content panel.

configuration menu button

Opens a popup menu that allows switching between decks and also allows the activation and deactivation (tab is not shown) of decks.

References

The UX part of the work is described on another page. This page focuses on the API design and implementation.