Menu reworking

[aliask]

After using rockbox for a while I've finally decided that the menu system needs a bit of a rework - the settings in particular.
I remember one of the hardest things about switching to rockbox was the way the menu was laid out, I could never remember where things were, but I got used to it gradually.

The main thing I want to change is to get all the settings under a general "Settings" menu item, so you don't have 3 or 4 items in the main menu relating to settings.
Midkay expressed his wish to keep "Sound Settings" in the top level of the menu, which I'm happy to keep, but I'd like feedback as to what people thing should change, before I start working on the code.

[LinusN]

If I enable my crystal ball, here's a summary of the suggestions you will get:

"I want my favourite options on top, and easily accessible via the Rec button"

 

[aliask]

I've created a wiki page with a rough first shot - it's still very much open to changes, please contribute.

http://www.rockbox.org/twiki/bin/view/Main/MenuRework

[keuleJ]

Hey I'm glad someone spends a few thoughts on the usability of rockbox!
I personally wouldn't like to have the bookmarks on the first menu item as i never use them.

And some more thoughts on the menu logic. Why are the recording screen and the fm radio menu items while the wps isn't? This doesn't seem logical to me. For me these three screens (wps, recording and radio) should somehow be treated similarily.

That's just my 2ct.

[Yotto]

This gets shot down every time (well, the one time) I brought it up, but I'm going to say it again.

We need customizable menus, or a customizable area where we can put our favorite menu options.

[Febs]

The main thing I want to change is to get all the settings under a general "Settings" menu item, so you don't have 3 or 4 items in the main menu relating to settings.

Or should we say, "General Settings"?

Midkay expressed his wish to keep "Sound Settings" in the top level of the menu, which I'm happy to keep, but I'd like feedback as to what people thing should change, before I start working on the code.

Soooooo, the Main Menu would have a "Sound Settings" and a separate "General Settings" menu?  There's something that sounds very familiar about that.

OK, all kidding aside, I understand what you are getting at.

Can I strongly suggest that you review (and add to, if you feel it appropriate) this existing wiki page rather than putting a similar discussion on a separate page?

[aliask]

What do you mean Febs? That's the page I created, the one you linked. I'm calling for input on it, so if you think it needs revising, feel free to edit as you see fit.

Ideally, I would like to have the Sound Settings in the Settings menu, but if everyone likes it the way it is, who am I to complain?

[Febs]

Grrrrr.  Sorry, cut and paste error.  (More like user-hasn't-had-enough-coffee error ).

This is the page that I meant to link to:  http://www.rockbox.org/twiki/bin/view/Main/MenuLayoutDiscussion

I'll correct the above link.

[aliask]

That page is great - I'll update the page I made to just link there and encourage input

[ego]

i'd like crossfade (and probably replaygain) in the sound menu. seems to me they effect the sound, i never really understood why they were under general

[Febs]

I could see putting replaygain under sound settings, but  IMO, crossfade is clearly a playback option.

[ego]

well.... yeah, i guess it should be with shuffle and repeat.

but that gets me thinkin, should playback mode really be in a different place from volume? i know they made the quick menu for easy access, but the QM would be less important if the more commonly used options were in one place. maybe a deeper re-organization makes sense - i'd imagine most people set the balance, channels, and stereo width one and forget about 'em, and (this one's more open to debate) i pretty rarely change my EQ, just switching between off for line out and one setting for my headphones. on the other hand, shuffle, repeat, crossfade, and auto change directory i might use more frequently.

is something like that within the scope of what we're talking about, a scrapping of the current subheadings to make things more practical?

[Mikerman]

Hey I'm glad someone spends a few thoughts on the usability of rockbox!
I personally wouldn't like to have the bookmarks on the first menu item as i never use them.

I can understand your thoughts.  I use bookmarks and like having them readily accessible, as I'm sure others do ...

[fml2]

IMHO 'Crossfeed' belongs to sound settings (=what to do with the sound). Whereas 'Crossfade' is rightfully placed in the Playback settings (=what to play).

[ego]

IMHO 'Crossfeed' belongs to sound settings (=what to do with the sound). Whereas 'Crossfade' is rightfully placed in the Playback settings (=what to play).

any thoughts on my suggestion that 'sound settings' and 'playback settings' might not be the best way to organize a menu system? that there may be another way, that would group more commonly used settings away from less commonly used settings? something like

Basic-
  Volume
  Shuffle
  Repeat 
  Bass
  Treble
  EQ
  Crossfade
    Crossfade Duration
  Replaygain
  Crossfeed
 
Advanced
  Balance
  Channels
  Stereo Width
  Play Selected First
  Resume on Startup
  FF/RW steps
  Fade on stop/pause
  Auto Change Directory

Anti-Skip and Beep Volume may or may not be better suited to system settings, Optical Recording should be a recording option, and ID3 tag priority should be a display option.

i know if the menus were organized in this way, i would rarely if ever go into the advanced menu once the settings were set up the first time. if other people agree, this or something similar might be worth considering.