[udig-devel] Feedback on uDig 1.1-RC3

[Matthias Basler]

Cory wrote:
> uDig 1.1-RC3 has been released.  Thanks to everyone who helped out by 
> testing and providing patches!

As usual I downloaded it and gave it some test run with the "usual" shapefiles. Here are my results/comments:

1. Status bar is now part of the map editor. Why this? It looks a bit strange to me, because the things shown there are typical status bar elements. But it's not a problem to me either.

2. CRS button on this status line now again updates its label after the user selected a new CRS. I closed my corresponding bug report.

3. Map rename is now in the popup menu. Fine!

4. Deleting a layer (Del key) in the layer view does not update the view until another editor/view is activated. 

5. Being in "mylar mode" and having the "selection view" visible I managed to create a kind of deadlock situation:
I had bc_2m_lakes and bc_2m_border (among others) in my map. I clicked through the layers to check the mylar effect, accidentially double clicking one. Its properties window opened I closed it. After that I found that uDig was constantly switching the active layer between bc_2m_lakes and bc_2m_border (the layer view +  flickered). There were tasks like (translated) "Fetching child elements" - and a big mass of them.
Then the application became unresponsive - no wonder with 50+ uDig tasks running in parallel... - and I had 100% processor activity. I had to kill uDig.
I don't know what of the reported things exactly caused the described effect. I havn't created a bug report yet, because I cannot recreate the problem at will. Just wanted you to know.

6. The help still shows the German basic tutorial for version 1.0.x (without the edit functions). I updated it two months ago!
At least those images that are shown are not corrupted any more. But a lot of English pages are showing up in the German help. Sure, I havn't yet translated the latest ones but cannot remember putting them into the TOC either. I will have another go at the German translations as soon as you guarantee me you are not going to implement new features and property page entries for 1.1 any more.

7. Copyright on help pages should be updated to 2006, shouldn't it?

8. In edit mode (no matter which), I oftern need to scroll the viewport. It would be nice if  there was some mouse action for scrolling without having to leave the edit mode (provided that extended edit mode is on). Zooming wors (scroll whee), so maybe panning could be realized when the mouse is moved with its scroll key being pressed.

9. When editing features, the actual features (filled polygon in my case) is not updated until the edit operation is finished (i.e. the features deselected). In the meantime the changes are only reflected by the yellow edit line. This makes sense from a performance POV, still I find it a bit irritating. I always think the edit operation hasn't worked, although it has.


Still unresolved "obvious" UI errors (bug reports exist)
--------------------------------------------------------
1. Dragging a layer down in the layer list inserts it at the wrong position.

2. Displaying "bc_borders.shp" and zooming in to Vancouver are, one finds that the US-Canadian border and adjacent pieces are not drawn. They simply disappear as the SE corner of BC is outside the window.

3. Help UI is still English.

4. The hole cutting tool has always been a bit tenacious, and still is. I am not able to cut holes into bc_2m_lakes as I want to. 
The other edit tools seem to work fine.

5. "Simple" page in style editor definitly needs a better layout. It spoils the nice professional look and feel of uDig.


I could probably find more bugs, but don't have the time for deeper testing now. Hope the above already helps. Good luck.
-- 
Matthias Basler
matthiasbasler at earthflight.org