Add Meter Style Selection Option

[henkdegroot]

This PR adds the option in the My Profile tab to allow the Meter Style type to be selected by the user.

Fixes #1658

[jujudusud]

Do we have to update screenshots for website ?

[softins]

Do we have to update screenshots for website ?

I think that can wait until after the 3.8.0 release. The change in this PR will most likely not be included until after that, so will be in the following release.

[henkdegroot]

Converted to Draft to allow an extra meter style option to be added. Would it make sense to rebase the PR on master before pushing again?
EDIT: Extra option added and rebased against current master

[henkdegroot]

Rebased on current Master and resolved conflicts.

[pljones]

Keep an eye on the Clang-Format compliance checks.

[henkdegroot]

Clang-Format compliance checks.

I actually did check them and at that moment I looked like the check failed in code which I have not changed....but checking again now and I see it also in code that I did change/add (I obvious did not run clang-format on my code before pushing again).

Will be updating this shortly and push again....

[ann0see]

Probably not in 3.8.1, I'm afraid.

[pljones]

Ooosch... wanted this to make it but I'd forgotten about it!

[ann0see]

We still have time until Tuesday

[pljones]

I'd like @gilgongo's views as there are UI/UX changes here.

Oh - I saw a strange bug earlier (not entirely related but I better write it down now before I totally forget).

In the Fancy skin, the meter is wide enough for MAG's little widget to show without wrapping. Unfortunately........ in the Compact skin, it wraps.

This is with the Github build for:

38252048 2021-09-04 (HEAD -> master, upstream/master, origin/master, origin/HEAD) Unify JACK wording, fix bug, refactoring (#1889) [ann0see]

(so not quite latest but it was when I ran it).

[henkdegroot]

Oh - I saw a strange bug earlier (not entirely related but I better write it down now before I totally forget).

See #1451 , though I thought that was fixed/merged already....but it seems not.

[pljones]

Oh - I saw a strange bug earlier (not entirely related but I better write it down now before I totally forget).

See #1451 , though I thought that was fixed/merged already....but it seems not.

Raised #1994 (was 1993) with the fix. Needs more work (but not as much as 1993).

[gilgongo]

There are some minor glitches when changing through the different combinations, but mostly just a pixel getting pushed out here and there. Also notice that if small LEDs are chosen they don't seem to get used for the input meter sometimes? Not a big deal though.

[henkdegroot]

Also notice that if small LEDs are chosen they don't seem to get used for the input meter sometimes? Not a big deal though.

This is by design. Compact settings apply to the mixer panel. It is something which should be detailed in the documentation (to prevent users registering issues for this as well).

The pixel shift, is that when changing from Fancy to a "Normal" view? Vaguely remember this might be caused by the difference in the slider.

[gilgongo]

Compact settings apply to the mixer panel. It is something which should be detailed in the documentation (to prevent users registering issues for this as well).

Ah I see.

The pixel shift, is that when changing from Fancy to a "Normal" view? Vaguely remember this might be caused by the difference in the slider.

Yes (I'm on Ubuntu 20.10 Gnome BTW). I think it may be unavoidable, and it's only in the transition - doesn't affect the view itself.

[gilgongo]

@jujudusud

Do we have to update screenshots for website ?

Yes, since the UI in settings has changed. Wish we had a better way of tracking PRs that need screenshot changes for each release.

I'm hoping the UI will be self-explanatory though and we don't have to add any text to Software-Manual.md

[henkdegroot]

I'm hoping the UI will be self-explanatory

It should be the same as for Skins. The different skins are also not specifically shown on the website.

[gilgongo]

I would it is the same as for Skin. The different skins are also not specificallly shown on the website.

Yes, maintaining text in different languages is hard enough without also doing multi-language screenshots so best to have screenshots only when necessary really.

[gilgongo]

both as a pop-up and as an audible bleep

Which reminds me of this FR: #425

[gilgongo]

Anyway, on the subject of this PR... I think we can merge?

[pljones]

Yeah, I don't see anything I don't like :).

I'm going to get conflicts on at least one of my work-in-progress branches... but that's my problem.

[pgScorpio]

I love the new meter styles, especially for use in the compact skin, but to be honest I would prefer a bar indicator with 3 colors. Is there a possibility for that too?

[pljones]

You mean the one that's currently just green? Yeah...

The added advantage of the "LEDs" is that you can say, "Avoid the top one completely, only let the second one light occasionally, the next two mean 'good level' towards 'loud' and below that starts getting quiet very quickly". With only colour to go on, you're relying on someone being happy with "green", "yellow" and "red". For red/green colour blind, it might as well just be the single colour.

But having the option for those who can use it would be nice.

[pgScorpio]

You mean the one that's currently just green? Yeah...

Yes I mean those we always had in the compact skin.

The added advantage of the "LEDs" is that you can say, "Avoid the top one completely, only let the second one light occasionally, the next two mean 'good level' towards 'loud' and below that starts getting quiet very quickly". With only colour to go on, you're relying on someone being happy with "green", "yellow" and "red". For red/green colour blind, it might as well just be the single colour.

If you, like me, regularly work with very large groups (50-100 participants), and so using compact skin and multiple fader rows, the leds become somewhat hard to follow (so many blinking dots)..... The bars are easier to follow, but then you have no clear indication of the correct level...

But having the option for those who can use it would be nice.

So Yes, it would be very nice!

P.S. Leds for Input L/R and 3 color bars for faders would be even nicer ;=)

[pgScorpio]

Just found another bug on compact skin:

Changing from Round LEDS's to Small LEDS's doesn't change the fader width. (But changing to Narrow Bar does.)

Also the naming seems to be inconsistent and not logical when sorted on name in the list.
I suggest:
Bar (Narrow)
Bar (Wide)
LED's (Round)
LED's (Small)
LED's (Square)

:

[henkdegroot]

(But changing to Narrow Bar does.)

Correct noticed and this is as per design. The narrow bar is using the minimal space required. All LED options use a little more space. To prevent impact on appearance and usage, the size of the narrow bar has been kept the same as in the current version when using the compact skin. It is not intended that someone will keep switching between the different styles, and should therefore not be an issue.

not logical when sorted on name in the list.

The current order of the list is the 3 existing options first and added new modes/options at the bottom.
This could be improved/changed but not sure if that is really needed.

naming seems to be inconsistent

The Bar (Wide) sound incorrect to me, true that it is wider compared to Narrow but it is not wider compared to the LED's.
The LED's (Square) also seems not correct to me as they are not really square. Not sure what the correct "shape" name would be, rectangle would come closer to the actual shape. Currently just went for "without" any shape reference to make it a more "default" choice which matches the current versions used in Fancy/Normal/Compact skin.

[pljones]

LED's (Square)

Could be "Stripe"?

[henkdegroot]

Leds for Input L/R and 3 color bars for faders would be even nicer ;=)

Guess an improvement could be implemented to allow independent selection of the Input Meter style vs Mixerboard.

[pgScorpio]

Guess an improvement could be implemented to allow independent selection of the Input Meter style vs Mixerboard.

That would be very appreciated!

[pgScorpio]

(But changing to Narrow Bar does.)

Correct noticed and this is as per design. The narrow bar is using the minimal space required. All LED options use a little > more space. To prevent impact on appearance and usage, the size of the narrow bar has been kept the same as in the > > current version when using the compact skin. It is not intended that someone will keep switching between the different > styles, and should therefore not be an issue.

But when changing from "small LED's" to "Round LED's" the fader width is adjusted, but when changing back to "small LED's" it stays wide. Only switching to "Narrow Bar" gives the narrow fader again.
And "Small LED's" seem to fit into the same fader width as "Narrow Bar", as changing from "Narrow Bar" to "Small LED's" does not change the total fader width.

But when changing the meter type the fader width should always depend on the selected type, and it should not depend on a previous selected meter type. That's the bug I meant.

not logical when sorted on name in the list.

The current order of the list is the 3 existing options first and added new modes/options at the bottom. This could be improved/changed but not sure if that is really needed.

OK. But I think it would be more logical to group Bars and LED's in a logical order with a consistent naming format.

naming seems to be inconsistent

The Bar (Wide) sound incorrect to me, true that it is wider compared to Narrow but it is not wider compared to the LED's. The LED's (Square) also seems not correct to me as they are not really square. Not sure what the correct "shape" name would be, rectangle would come closer to the actual shape. Currently just went for "without" any shape reference to make it a more "default" choice which matches the current versions used in Fancy/Normal/Compact skin.

I think Wide/Narrow and Big/Small is not really incorrect since they are relative, and you can't compare Wide to Big or Square, since width, size and shape are different types of attributes.
Also "LEDS's Square" could also be named "LED Bar" as this type of led VU meters are commonly referred to as such.

I was more referring to LED's/Bar without prefix/suffix and those with prefix/suffix, but I understand that's related to your previous remark about "the 3 existing options".

So I still suggest changing the names for the official release, but this could also be:

Bar (Narrow)
Bar (Wide)
LED Bar (or LED's (Bar) or Bar (LED's) to be consistent in using a suffix)
LED's (Small)
LED's (Big)

or (Though I personally like the previous one better)

Narrow Bar
Wide Bar
LED Bar
Small LED's
Big LED's

[hoffie]

But when changing from "small LED's" to "Round LED's" the fader width is adjusted, but when changing back to "small LED's" it stays wide. Only switching to "Narrow Bar" gives the narrow fader again.
And "Small LED's" seem to fit into the same fader width as "Narrow Bar", as changing from "Narrow Bar" to "Small LED's" does not change the total fader width.
But when changing the meter type the fader width should always depend on the selected type, and it should not depend on a previous selected meter type. That's the bug I meant.

I can confirm and have opened #2351 to track this.

[henkdegroot]

But when changing from "small LED's" to "Round LED's" the fader width is adjusted, but when changing back to "small LED's" it stays wide. Only switching to "Narrow Bar" gives the narrow fader again. And "Small LED's" seem to fit into the same fader width as "Narrow Bar", as changing from "Narrow Bar" to "Small LED's" does not change the total fader width.

But when changing the meter type the fader width should always depend on the selected type, and it should not depend on a previous selected meter type. That's the bug I meant.

Thank you for spotting this, and thanks to @hoffie for already getting a fix for this.

[henkdegroot]

So I still suggest changing the names for the official release, but this could also be:

Bar (Narrow) Bar (Wide) LED Bar (or LED's (Bar) or Bar (LED's) to be consistent in using a suffix) LED's (Small) LED's (Big)

or (Though I personally like the previous one better)

Narrow Bar Wide Bar LED Bar Small LED's Big LED's

Created #2353 for this.

[ann0see]

Oh - I saw a strange bug earlier (not entirely related but I better write it down now before I totally forget).

Interesting: I also saw this happening with Qt6 #2363

[hoffie]

Oh - I saw a strange bug earlier (not entirely related but I better write it down now before I totally forget).

Interesting: I also saw this happening with Qt6 #2363

Not sure if the strange emoji splitting in @pljones's screenshot is what he meant, but this should have been solved by #1451 (and its multiple related PRs) with 3.8.2.

[ann0see]

No it's about the white bars in the screenshot.

Edit: they seem to be screenshots merged together. So this picture is unrelated.