Achievable improvements to the Triplea User Interface

LaFayette

@butterw There are a couple built in look and feels, notably the 'metal' (which seemingly is just 'default OS'). I presume it is pretty heavily used.

butterw

@lafayette
I hope nobody is using the java default look and feel "Metal" as it looks very ugly. I would encourage anybody still using it to move to "Nimbus" or to try a Substance look and feel.

The only valid reason to use Metal is that it does allow to specify the font from command-line (but the font isn't applied to triplea JEditorPane displays without a code fix).

butterw

Unofficial v2.5-bu test build

--Experimental build for cross-platform feedback, was tested on Win10 local play.

unzip to your triplea folder run from command-line in triplea folder:
java -jar bin/triplea-game-headed-2.5-bu.jar
On windows you can use the provided shortcut, but you'll likely need to correct the path for javaw.

Please upvote features you would like to see it included in a future official Triplea release.
Conversely, if you think a feature should NOT be included, please post your reasons. Bear in mind this is a work in progress and not all features are finished.

Fix for Hi-Dpi display issues (Blurry images OR text too small issues with 125% dpi system setting).
https://forums.triplea-game.org/topic/2810/fontsize-and-dpi-scaling
+Engine Settings > UI >Custom Font and Image Scaling.
Changes are applied when triplea is restarted.
Fixed html (JEditorPane) display issues in Triplea with Dark Background Look&Feel.
Modified Help Menu (merged with Web Menu, new About Triplea dialog with links and info relative to current dpi scaling, look&feel and font, +browse Games Notes).
+Map unit count display option (1: normal count, 2 AI has fog, 3 All players have fog). View menu > Unit Size to refresh.
https://forums.triplea-game.org/post/50575
Right Sidebar
Renamed Actions tab (CTRL-C) to:

*Command*

The goal was to have a easier to find Tab with a consistent hotkey.

Added a zoom display (ex: 80%) to the status bar. It gets displayed when a zoom hotkey/command is used, until cleared or overwritten.
The Move UnitScroller starts collapsed.

Work in progress:

"Produce" Dialog enforces MaxBuiltPerPlayer, shows currently owned unit count in tooltip and displays Factory production capacity.
When you quit a game in triplea, the current players are remembered. They will only be reset to map defaults when the map is changed.
Debug Menu renamed Tools.
Modified Export.
+Keyboard Hotkeys Numpad +/- for zoom
+Hotkey: Game Menu > Hide/unhide Right Sidebar (Ctrl-X)
Removed buttons CTRL-B, CTRL+F from Territory Panel.
Some panels/dialogs are named for dev purposes, this would be hidden with a dev option in future updates.

butterw

v2.5.3-bu available here:
https://github.com/butterw/ui/releases/download/v2.5.3-bu/TripleA_v2.5-bu.zip

TheDog

@butterw
Here is what I did

Copied all of TripleA version 2.5.22294 folder to TripleA folder (as I donrt have one)

Copied your .jar file to C:\Program Files\TripleA\bin

Renamed triplea-game-headed-2.5.22294.jar to triplea-game-headed-2.5.22294.jar-org (to be able to return to the original if I need to)

Renamed your triplea-game-headed-2.5-bu.jar to triplea-game-headed-2.5.22294.jar

Ran TripleA.exe from C:\Program Files\TripleA

Loaded a map/scenario

I get [Play2] [ MainPanel Quit 2] buttons so I know its your changes.

Will it work with 2.6.246 ?

butterw

@thedog said in Achievable improvements to the Triplea User Interface:

@butterw
Here is what I did

Copied all of TripleA version 2.5.22294 folder to TripleA folder (as I donrt have one)

Copied your .jar file to C:\Program Files\TripleA\bin

Renamed triplea-game-headed-2.5.22294.jar to triplea-game-headed-2.5.22294.jar-org (to be able to return to the original if I need to)

Renamed your triplea-game-headed-2.5-bu.jar to triplea-game-headed-2.5.22294.jar

Ran TripleA.exe from C:\Program Files\TripleA

Loaded a map/scenario

I get [Play2] [ MainPanel Quit 2] buttons so I know its your changes.

Good point. You need to have an existing 2.5 or 2.6 installation/triplea folder to be able to use a .jar file (as it requires java11 and an assets folder).

On Windows, if you have used the exe installer it creates an exe launcher, in which case you can rename the jar file to match the installed version. Otherwise you can modify the provided shortcut to use your javaw.exe path (ex: "C:\Program Files\Triplea\jre\bin\javaw.exe").

There is a single html file to be added to assets to demo the "Help > browse Game Notes" command, as embedded Game Notes from v2.5 cannot be viewed in browser.

Will it work with 2.6.246 ?

Yes your method should also works with a 2.6 installation.

TheDog

10. Production
The < should really be ≤
Oooh and its a counter, it counts down if you bought that unit in previous turns.
Liking the Factory production capacity.

The Construction tab, could be renamed as Place Anywhere ?

5. Right Sidebar
The ideal size of the mini map/smallMap.jpg is 240 x 240 pixels or less.
See here.
https://forums.triplea-game.org/topic/2637/standard-image-sizes

So to that end the Command/Action, Players, Resources, Territory menu bar should also be 240 pixels or less so that it stays in just one level and does not double up, as it does now. (I know we will lose the Notes and the ** of the command).

6. Map Zoom another ++Good function.

New
Can the File, View, Game, Export, Tools, Help menu fit in to the right hand panel of 240-ish pixels and its space be freed up so the main map can replace the space freed up by the File ... menu bar?

TheDog

@butterw
A quick test on 2.6.246, your file does load/work and the Zoom works, I shall test further.

butterw

I will try ≤ for the Production panel and will use it, if it works. Thanks For the suggestion. I used < because it is a standard character (always available and typically more readable).

@thedog said in Achievable improvements to the Triplea User Interface:

New
Can the File, View, Game, Export, Tools, Help menu fit in to the right hand panel of 240-ish pixels and its space be freed up so the main map can replace the space freed up by the File ... menu bar?

Seems doubtful. Different look&feels/fonts/font sizes can be used, so what you see on your screen may not be the same as what others see (ex: with HiDPi Font scaling or on a different OS).
Beyond that, putting the main toolbar in a side panel instead of the main frame is non standard, and would require extensive code modifications. So it's not just a question of whether it fits or looks OK.

EDIT: Adding an option to shorten some text displays in the interface is something I will consider.
I will try out displaying abbreviated names ex: player "BRI" instead of "British". But, maybe this simplification should be done at the map xml level instead.

TheDog

@butterw
As an aside I thought your UI was running faster than my usual 2.6.246.

So I did my standard test, see here;
https://github.com/triplea-game/triplea/issues/9001
and I got 41 seconds

I thought fluke 39s
and 39s

Sadly not many people will appreciate what you have done as its about the same speed as v2.5 so they will not see the massive speed difference.

butterw

@thedog My code isn't optimized.
If your results are correct it would suggest there is a performance issue with v2.6.

TheDog

A minor formatting problem.

Above the "-Can Summon a unit" is a tooltip comes from the file tooltips.properties.

Above the unit without a tool tip.

So "currently owned:" needs a capital C ?
And catering for tool tips.

TheDog

For me its CTRL (not ALT) while Scrolling the Mouse Wheel.

TheDog

17 this is fantastic and correct, 7 Factories that can produce 2 units each and 3 Sorcerers that can produce 1 unit each, total 17.

.
A feature request.
The ability to cycle round "Production" capable Units with a CTRL+P or similar, in any phase of the game.
This would be "isFactory" units but might also include "canProduceUnits"?

butterw

Improved Production Panel

@thedog

Does adding <br> to the last entry of your tooltips.properties solve the issue (also check, if you get an empty line with regular triplea) ?
"currently owned" isn't capitalized because it's helpful for dev to know it was added to the tooltip.
The MoveHelpMenu ui was added to v2.6-pre. I need to backport my latest version to this build.
≤ looks OK.
There is currently no check on placement restriction (if applicable), so that aspect could still be improved.
Tabs of the Right-Hand side Panel could fit in a single line if the title is shortened (with the full text in the tooltip).

v2.5.31-bu patch with Win10 @100%dpi (custom scaling with font scaling%: 125)
L&F: Nimbus (Font: sansserif-15).
I've shortened the player name from Germans to GER in the map and I'm using a 24x24 pixel player flag

TheDog

Putting <br> at the end of the tooltip works, but its not common practice, so all maps with tooltips will need this adding.

Can the currently owned be placed before the tooltips?

TheDog

@butterw "There is currently no check on placement restriction"

Im not sure what the above means.

For example, in two of my maps I have placement restriction, an aircraft carrier cannot be placed or move into a river, whereas a Destroyer can.

TheDog

@butterw
I dont appear to be able to use the Battle Calculator as I used to, how do I activate it?

Also it does not detect the nations in the fight and default always to the same two.

butterw

Battle Calculator

@thedog
Battle Calculator is launched via CTRL+B or Game Menu.

I didn't intentionnally change how it works. But it's unclear what the current ways to use it are (Probably needs to be documented ?)

butterw

@thedog said in Achievable improvements to the Triplea User Interface:

@butterw "There is currently no check on placement restriction"

Im not sure what the above means.

For example, in two of my maps I have placement restriction, an aircraft carrier cannot be placed or move into a river, whereas a Destroyer can.

Ideally, you would get a warning when you attempt to purchase more units than you are currently able to place because of placement restrictions.