Liam wrote:
before I go into what happened specifically here, let me state that
there is no way to design this to make everybody happy. for every
substantial group that wants their particular use-case to be
the natural one, there are several other substantial groups that
wants _their_ particular use-case to be the natural one...
so the design sets clear goals (at the top of the spec) and those
are designed for. if I can do something in the spec to improve the
goals set, then I am happy to change it.
> Consider
>
> (1) open typewriter.jpg that came in from my camera
> (2) do some fun editing
> (3) save-as to go to typewriter2.xcf.gz
could have just used Save here, since you had a new, untitled file.
now the file in your window _is_ typewriter2.xcf.gz.
> (4) now I want to make a jpeg so other programs can use the file, so I
> can upload it on the Web, etc. Aha! there's File->Export to
> typewriter.jpg,right there in the file menu. I do this, not
> noticing that it's using the OLD filename,and the file is
> overwritten with no confirmation. Because jpeg is lossy, I can't
> now get back the original (actually it was backed up)
it is ironic that this tripped you up, because we spent soooo much
time optimising this for that other substantial group that insists
to really under all circumstances export back the xcf they have
in their window (it is never a jpg or png...) to the original file.
> OK, let's suppose I learned my lesson and change to
> (4) use file->Export.
> GIMP has forgotten my new filename (typewriter2.jpg), and has also
> forgotten that where opened the file (and saved the xcf.gz), and
> wants me to put the new jpeg file in ~/Documents.
you can see in the spec that for exporting there are very carefully
determined cascades for the directory, filename and file type that
fully take into account what you have done before with this xcf you
are working on. the two things above are therefore bugs. and the
thing below can therefore not happen:
> So I do File->save-as, and since that can't save in jpeg, I get out
> a piece of paper, write down the directory (I can't copy it onto
> the clipboard because the gtk+ file chooser uses buttons, and
> dragging doesn't seem to work either, so I write it down.
> Then I cancel, bring up file->export and navigate, a folder at a
> time, to that directory.
so let's have a look at this:
> I have 100 images to edit, so this isn't really saving me time.
> Obviously it's not supposed to work like this. I think it should be
> (1) I load typewriter.jpg
you have an untitled xcf
> (2) Save would make typewriter.xcf.gz
Save does default to typewriter.xcf, but we are not going to
force you because when you start a new GIMP file with an imported jpg
we cannot read your mind what project you are starting and where it
should be stored.
> (3) Save-as would change "typewriter" to some other prefix I chose,
> e.g. "funky-keys"
the file in your window is now funky-keys.xcf(.gz)
> (4) "export to" should now say, Export to funky-keys.jpg
> (5) the export to dialogue should bring up the file chooser in the
> same
> directory as funky-keys.xcf.gz but with the new name filled in, and
> that name should be funky-keys.jpg, because I changed the name.
it was specifically designed for that other substantial
group that insists to really under all circumstances export back
the xcf they have in their window (it is never a jpg or png...)
to the original file. Export is what you are looking for.
> (6) "export..." should bring up the file chooser in the same directory
> as funky-keys.xcf.gz, again with funky-keys.jpg by default.
although there are ten or so other substantial groups that have other
priorities, I can tell you that according to the spec under most
circumstances this will happen.
> (7) after saving, there must be visible indication that the image is
> not
> changed since export. E.g. the * should go away from the title, or
> there could be an annotation in the undo history to show the
> filename, or the status bar could say
> "exported to funky-keys.jpg in /media/thumbdrive6/typewriters"
in your window is an xcf and it can only be saved to xcf.
this is the core goal of the spec, making clear that what you
have in your window is a GIMP file, always.
if there is anything I can do in the UI to make that clearer,
I will do so.
> (8) if I am saving to a filename other than the CURRENT filename
> shown
> in the title bar, and the file exists, I must be warned and asked
> if
> I want to overwrite the file. However, a repeated export to the
> same file, with no intervening "save as" to change the filename,
> needn't warn me. Or there could be a checkbox, "don't warn again
> for
> this filename for this particular image, in this gimp session"
You have Saving and Exporting mixed up here.
The only thing that can improve things in the right direction is
to look at how 'Export to' can be more clear in the menu.
'Export back to foo.jpg' ?
--ps
founder + principal interaction architect
man + machine interface works
http://mmiworks.net/blog : on interaction architecture
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