Ethereal-dev: Re: [Ethereal-dev] RFC: add option to change main GUI layout like in Analyzer pr

Note: This archive is from the project's previous web site, ethereal.com. This list is no longer active.

From: Gerald Combs <gerald@xxxxxxxxxxxx>
Date: Wed, 28 Apr 2004 08:42:22 -0500
Biot Olivier wrote:

Let's try to summarize this:

L = packet list
D = packet dissection (or packet details)
B = packet (or reassembly) bytes

I'd propose we specify the lay-out of the window in 2 steps.

Step 1: Provide a "Window layout" option.

An end-user can toggle between the following options:

(o) Stacked   (.) Large left pane  (.) Large right pane
     +---+
     | 1 |          +---+---+          +---+---+
     +---+          |   | 2 |          | 1 |   |
     | 2 |          | 1 +---+          +---+ 3 |
     +---+          |   | 3 |          | 2 |   |
     | 3 |          +---+---+          +---+---+
     +---+


Step 2: Fill in the panes.

Here there are many options:

 1. Provide a fixed list of entries (6 possibilities)
	(o) L/D/B   (.) D/L/B   (.) B/L/D
	(.) L/B/D   (.) D/B/L   (.) B/D/L
    The defaults would be:
	- Stacked L/D/B
	- Large left pane L/D/B
	- Large right pane L/B/D

 2. Provide select boxes for the 3 panes, where the choices have
    to be made from the 3 possibilities L, D and B.

Should we limit ourselves to the 3 panes currently available? It might be useful to have a list of endpoints, or a TCP stream display in the "B" pane, for example.

 3. Provide "progressive radio button choices" where the choice
    for 1 eliminates it in steps 2 and 3, and the choice for 2
    automatically determines the choice for 3.
    One must however provide a "reset" option in this scenario,
    as an end-user may want to remake his choice.

We could provide a drop-down list for each pane (with "Nothing" as one of the choices). When a user makes a selection from one list it would be easy to adjust the other two accordingly.


 4. A mix from 2 and 3 where the end-user is offered the
    possibility to set the pane type for the first 2 panes only
    by means of 2 select boxes; the 3rd panel is automatically
    filled in based on the end-user's input of the 2 first panes.

The lay-out of the panes and the mapping of pane number with pane
type must be stored in preferences.

Should we offer the ability to switch between multiple layouts?