KubuntuFeistyLanguageSelector

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Summary

Port Language Selector to Qt 4, integrate it better with KDE and improve usability.

Rationale

To prepare for KDE 4 we want to port applications where it is possible to port to Qt 4 without needing KDE 4, Language Selector is one such application.

Language Selector is a standalone application and not in the same place as other language settings in KDE.

Use cases

Maisie wants to use KDE in Gaelic, she goes to KDE language settings but gets stuck when the only language listed is English. Better integration with KDE will allow her to find it.

Jon runs the Language Selector to enable Romanised Klingon, but does not realise this involves a large download. Improved usability will indicate what is going to happen.

Scope

Porting, usability, integration.

Design

Language Selector should not be a stand alone application, but should be launched from the language module of KDE's System Settings. It should be made clearer to the user that Language Selector means install/uninstall from the system.

Implementation

Qt 4 Porting

Use Qt 4 Designer to convert the UI file to Qt 4. The widgets used (drop down box, list view, push buttons) are standard widgets with little API change from Qt 3 to Qt 4 so no other changes should be necessary to the code. Convert the .deb packaging to use the Qt 4 UI file to .py compiler and depend on PyQt4.

Integration

In the Region and Language panel of System Settings add two buttons "Install Language" and "Uninstall Languge". Clicking these will launch Language Selector in install mode or uninstall mode.

Usability

Give Language Selectors two modes, install or uninstall, which are specified on launch.

Remove the tickboxes from the listview and simply have the user click to select a language. Rename the buttons from "Apply" to "Install" (or "Uninstall") and "Close" to "Cancel".

Change "Supported Languages" label to "Select Language to Install".

Once the language is installed (or uninstalled) show a dialogue "German Language Successfully Installed" with buttons for "Close" and "Install Another Language".

Launch the application with the title "Language Installer" rather than "Language Selector".

Mockups at

http://kubuntu.org/~jriddell/system_language_management.pdf

The first slide in this PDF is an extra module in system settings, but we will not implement that as part of this spec because it will need to wait for KDE 4 to work with PyQt 4.


CategorySpec

KubuntuFeistyLanguageSelector (last edited 2008-08-06 16:16:34 by localhost)