GUI iterfacing

[kakashi]

Good job on creating Coollector!

Ive tried almost every Movie Movie Collection Database on Download.com before finally settling on Coollector. After scanning in over 250 movies files (many of which weren't even named properly) only about 7 had incorrect labeling. The program runs really great and the added the cooliris rss feed made my day.

Your program is really appreciated. Its a great program but i think that it's being held back by the graphics and interfacing. Even though its a good program when you give it a try. It just doesnt catch my eye the way some other programs do.

For example. If the panel at the top of the screen looked as good as the menu at the top of of this web page the program that'd be terrific. Plus it shouldn't bee too hard to script... you already have all the images you need too.

You could just remove the window frame, add this website's background at the top of the window, change some colors, and switch the 3 buttons to bitmap buttons.

Enough talking, let me show you what i mean... (image is attached, sorry i couldnt attach a better quality pic)

The new look shown on my desktop

New Coollector Interface (small).jpg (171.33 KiB) Viewed 6948 times

A Close up of Coollector

New Coollector Interface 2.JPG (203.28 KiB) Viewed 6947 times

> I know I'm pushing it here but how about a splash screen?

Splash Screen

splashCapture2.jpg (102.27 KiB) Viewed 6942 times

> Also do you have time in your busy schedule to create an option to see the pictures/Thumbnails when viewing the movie list?

Last edited by kakashi on Thu Jan 06, 2011 7:50 am, edited 1 time in total.

[(cool) Hector]

Good job on creating Coollector!

Thank you very much !

Its a great program but i think that it's being held back by the graphics and interfacing. Even though its a good program when you give it a try. It just doesnt catch my eye the way some other programs do.

I wholeheartedly agree with you !

We're in the process of revamping the interface, to make it more good-looking and efficient.

We'll go in several stages, and the first stage will take place in a few days, with version 2.96.

I'm sure that everyone will LOVE this first stage (took us a lot of work, but really worth it)..

For example. If the panel at the top of the screen looked as good as the menu at the top of of this web page the program that'd be terrific.

This is a nice idea, thank you very much for the time you've spent on it.

Unfortunately, it's not compatible with the direction we're going to, I'm sorry.

create an option to see the pictures/Thumbnails when viewing the movie list

What do you mean, exactly ?

[kakashi]

This is a nice idea, thank you very much for the time you've spent on it.

Unfortunately, it's not compatible with the direction we're going to, I'm sorry.

Lol, no problem whatsoever, just messing around with ms.paint. Drafts/Mockups are pretty easy to put together... Besides I'll do anything it takes to have the perfect Movie Manager Application. I'm looking forward to writing/editing skins soon.

What do you mean, exactly ?

clicking movie covers instead of a name in a list when you're looking for a movie to watch. Just like in explorer.exe when you switch from list/detail view to icon/thumbnail view.

explorer.jpg (43.39 KiB) Viewed 6885 times

(kinda like a simple version of the Cooliris idea except this time its not web dependent and also info. and the play button would still be right there on the right. This seems to be the same "BOOKSHELF" idea Sammotor was suggesting here: http://www.coollector.com/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=506. His "GRID" idea also sounds cool and is probably simular to the one above where you can resize columns and the little arrw at the top of the row can be used to sort by that column in ascending or descending order.

Coollector Interface(small).jpg (189.41 KiB) Viewed 6886 times

> Hey by the way, nice idea using filter shortcuts for encyclopedia, owned, and existing. I would've probably used tabs and three separate tables. (would've been a complete waste of time, ram and hdd)

Last edited by kakashi on Fri Jan 07, 2011 4:12 am, edited 2 times in total.

[(cool) Hector]

I'm looking forward to writing/editing skins soon.

Skins will be the last stage of our interface redesign. When it's done, we'll call it Coollector version 3.0 !

This seems to be the same "BOOKSHELF" idea Sammotor was suggesting

Yep, bookshelf is the first stage, brought by the next version. Told you you would LOVE it

> Hey by the way, nice idea using filter shortcuts for encyclopedia, owned, and existing. I would've probably used tabs and three separate tables

You're almost spot on. The second stage of the interface redesign will be to add tabs. But not in the way that you think...

We'll add 3 tabs on the left panel ("Person Panel", "Movie Filtered Search", "Movie String Search") and 3 tabs on the right panel ("Movie Panel", "Person Filtered Search", "Person String Search").

This way, users will understand more easily how the program is organized, and they won't get lost when a panel disappears to be replaced by another one.

Also, they'll realize that "Movie Encyclopedia", "Owned Videos" and "Existing Videos" are all shortcuts to the movie filtered search. "Movie Encyclopedia" simply resets all the filters, while "Owned Videos" sets the status filter to "owned", and "Existing Videos" sets the status filter to "existing video is available in stores".

And being able to click the "Movie Filtered Search" tab will allow to make it reappear without losing your filter settings.


P.S: I just discovered your review on download.com. Thank you very much !

[(cool) Hector]

Since you had 3 stages out of 4, here is the third stage:



(very rough mockup)


Let's sum it up:

1) multi-column adjustable grids (as soon as version 2.96).

2) tabs.

3) "Owned videos" and "Existing videos" boxes showing the video covers (picture above).

4) skins (version 3.0, but just before we'll have a few weeks of beta testing, to have at least some nice skins to show).



P.S: it's not compatible with the design you showed, because users don't necessarily have a screen as huge as yours, and 2) and 3) will take a little more space. Also, your design would reduce the skins possibilities. And finally, we want to keep the standard design with a title bar.

[kakashi]

I absolutely love it! can't wait, when is the new version going to be released?

PS. don't you think you work a bit too hard? I know you wanted to release version 2.95 as a Christmas present to users, but seriously 11pm on Christmas night shouldn't have caught you using Visual Studios. (Don't take this wrongly though cause I'm really glad put so much effort into this). I really hope you enjoyed the holidays to the fullest.

Oh, and how did you know that was me on Download.com? (I joined Upload.com to upload my own software but i don't have the same username that i do on this forum.

[(cool) Hector]

I absolutely love it! can't wait, when is the new version going to be released?

I'm almost done. This week-end, I'd say.

PS. don't you think you work a bit too hard? I know you wanted to release version 2.95 as a Christmas present to users, but seriously 11pm on Christmas night shouldn't have caught you using Visual Studios.

When I said that, I thought it would be ready several days before Christmas. But I was completely wrong. There was much too many broken things. And for Christmas I had invited my family for several days and could not work at all (it was skiing instead)...

Oh, and how did you know that was me on Download.com? (I joined Upload.com to upload my own software but i don't have the same username that i do on this forum.

Oh, come on ! You said in your review the exact same things as you said here

[(cool) Hector]

I joined Upload.com to upload my own software

Can you tell us what your software is ?

(I allow you to post a link).

[kakashi]

I'm just a novice That was a group effort back in the days when I had time, we wrote a few small applications together and have a few larger projects already started. Unfortunately we had to call an indefinite rain check and decided against uploading software so there is nothing on download.com as yet. (I can however show you screenshots). I personally have stopped writing software for a while (architecture school now takes up all my time) and our graphic designer is currently working on a degree in 3Danimation and graphics. We wont be uploading anything until maybe next year or year after... As for my current applications, All are either

1) Experiments with unfamiliar coding
2) Unfinished pieces of larger software
3) Too bug filled to be of any use

The plan is that we stop developing software and develop our skills for a few years then regroup after college. For now I'm just learning all I can until the time comes to start scripting again.

An pizza delivery application:

2.jpg (72.05 KiB) Viewed 6898 times

This is an unfinished 3D engine. So far It works but as you can see it definately isnt complete.


Hope fully sometime in the near future I'll be able to finish up some of my more useful projects and upload them as freeware.

Last edited by kakashi on Fri Jan 07, 2011 4:13 am, edited 1 time in total.

[(cool) Hector]

I wish you the best for your future career