[APBeta] V17

[Tim Long]

MDI (Multiple Document Interface) is something that most people are
moving away from, including Microsoft. As you alluded to in your post,
Microsoft applications (particularly Office 2007) have already dropped
MDI. In fact, I'm finding it quite difficult to find an application that
still uses MDI. In the world of multi-monitor support, it no longer
makes any sense to enclose all open documents in a single application
workspace. Having each document in a completely independent window makes
much more sense. On balance, I think AstroPlanner works the right way,
with one separate window per document.

That notwithstanding, there definitely is something odd about the way AP
works on Windows. That splash screen is the culprit and perhaps it is a
bug. Here's how things should work on Windows to be consistent with the
Windows 'look and feel':

1. When multiple documents are opened, each document opens in a new,
independent window. Each window (document) should have its own item on
the task bar (Windows may group or stack these task bar items, but
applications shouldn't try to second guess that).
2. When a document is closed one of three things should happen -
2a. If there are multiple windows open, then the closing document should
also close its window.
2b. If the closing document is the last window/document and it was
closed using the Close Window button (red X in the corner) then the
window should close and the application should exit.
2c. If the closing document is the last document and it was closed using
File... Close, then the document should close, but the application
should remain open with a blank workspace (i.e. not displaying any
document).
 
If you compare the above rules with the way Office 2007 applications
work, I think you'll agree it is about right. Whether you _like_ how it
works is another matter, but if consistency with other Windows
applications is the goal, then that's the right approach.


Regards,
Tim Long


-----Original Message-----
From: apbeta-bounces at lists.astroplanner.net
[mailto:apbeta-bounces at lists.astroplanner.net] On Behalf Of Hilary Jones
Sent: 01 February 2009 04:24
To: AstroPlanner Beta Testers
Subject: Re: [APBeta] V17

Robin,

I don't exactly agree with your last comment.  Most applications (in
Windows 
at least) have two ways to close windows.  First, you can click the
"close 
box" in the upper righthand corner beside the application's menu bar,
and 
that will close the application and all of its windows.  I find it very 
surprising when I click that box in AstroPlanner and only one document 
closes; and rather unnerving when a splash screen pops up to replace the

last document.  On the other hand, most applications also have a close
box 
associated with each of the application's document windows, and if you
click 
that, then only that one document closes.  I think some Microsoft
programs 
might be exceptions to that rule, but they are confusing too!  I prefer
the 
dual close box idea.

Hilary

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "RPEHLM" <robin at lauryssen-mitchell.com>
To: "AstroPlanner Beta Testers" <apbeta at lists.astroplanner.net>
Sent: Saturday, January 31, 2009 10:46 AM
Subject: Re: [APBeta] V17


>> >>Also the astroplanner splash screen seems to remain open when you
>> close the application.
> >This is a feature to stop the app quitting when you close the last
> window, but is causing a lot of confusion. I'm currently thinking of 
> making the default behaviour just to quit,
> >and remember the last closed plan for re-opening when you restart the
> app (as an option).
>
> Ah, now I think I know what you are looking at.  This is not really a 
> splash screen, it just looks like it because of the background
graphic. 
> If you look above the graphic you should see a standard AP menu bar.
If 
> you don't then something else is going on.
>
> Paul, please do not change this behaviour or at least make it
optional. 
> Most programs do not close down when the last document is closed.
Think 
> of a word processor application.  It would be very annoying for a word

> processor to shut down just because you closed the document currently 
> being worked on (even if it is the only one open)!
>
> Regards
> Robin
>
> _______________________________________________
> APBeta mailing list
> APBeta at lists.astroplanner.net
> http://lists.astroplanner.net/listinfo.cgi/apbeta-astroplanner.net 

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