Layout Editor feature requests and bugs

[Jeff]

First, I should point out that I'm very happy overall with the updates to the app. From one developer to another, great job. I truly know how much work it takes to do these types of major updates.

1. Z-index
When editing objects in the layout editor, can you give us the ability to set the z-index on each object? So far it's a bit difficult. Example: I'll spend 10 minutes creating a box and setting it just right (because it's very difficult without a mouse, grr touch devices ), then I'll create objects to put on top of it, only to find that they have went behind it and I have no easy way to re-order them (I seem to have to fiddle with it for 20 minutes to get it to work right). Many apps today seem to get around this by offering a menu option called "order" with the sub-options "Bring Forward" and "Send Backward". In the app itself, the app is usually giving the object a weighted value/number. So you might have to move an object forward a few times before it goes above another object (assuming the user has set a bunch of levels already).

Note: when I've done this with other apps I've written, what I do is allow them to set the "forward/backward" feature as many times as they want. To overcome a potential bug of having an object be too many numbers above the next closest number/weight, all I do is check the value of the highest (or lowest) number when a user tries to move something forward (or backward) and don't allow their currently selected object to go more than the current max+1. If this didn't make sense, then just ignore this part - just thought I'd help save potential headaches later.

2. Change color of box
Even if it's just a greyscale slider. Something would be nice

3. Change the color of any text "field"
Example: It lets you change the color of the artist, but not the title.

4. Add custom static text object (with custom color option)
Example: I added a "title +1" field, and above the field I wanted to have the string "Next song" instead of using the existing label of "title +1" (and have it be a custom font color). If we had the ability to add a custom text box anywhere (with any size and color) it would solve this and many other potential use cases.

5. Allow duplicate objects
I'd spend a lot of time setting up an object "just right", then while adding other objects, I'd accidentally choose to add one that I'd already used and it would delete my old one that I spent a lot of time on. That makes things a little more frustrating when you have object on top of the another object that is now gone - you have to figure out how to re-add them and get them in the right order again (See #1 z-index above). If allowing duplicate objects isn't feasible, maybe you could disable the option to add another of the same object or give a warning prompt when selected or something.
An actual use-case where I've "wanted" duplicate objects was the song title (I wanted a large one at the top and a small one in the bottom right. Looked really nice until I realized my other title was gone (and messed up my z-index with boxes and other objects - (see #1 above)).

6. Font Size
I don't know how, but I had this really nice small font size for my song title at the top (below a larger artist field). Somehow when either editing or moving the title object around a few times it became really small and was perfect. Then I accidentally deleted it when trying to duplicate the title elsewhere (see #5 duplicate objects). How can I get that smaller font size back?  Ah ha! I just found it.  It's a bug actually. If you click on the title, then choose the option button and either enable the "label" field OR change the color, it lets you shrink the title down really small. Then just repeat the process and "disable" the label field. If you're going to fix this bug, please still allow us to do this really nice small font size

7. Bugs when edit a "field" option (changing color or trigger the label boolean)
Okay, so as you say in item #5 above, I found a new bug, but it's a 2-part bug (both seem related). If you add any of the title fields, then choose a color, the font immediately shrinks down to a very very small font size (I really like having the ability to go that small now, but this kind of broke a couple fields I spent time getting just the right size). It appears that it sets a space for the "label" above it and you no longer have the option to remove that space without deleting the object. Also, when you choose a color from the select wheel, the "cancel" and "select" options don't trigger anything. You have to instead click outside the area/box. Also, if you remove a color (using the "x") it keeps it anyway instead of going back to the default color.

8. Undo last action
Man is it difficult to get something just right sometimes in the editor (not your fault - the nature of touch screen editing). When I accidentally move an object I spent a long time getting in place, or I accidentally delete an object (by adding a duplicate, see #5), etc. it would be so nice to have an "undo" option (preferably with a little history - like the ability to undo 'n' amount of times. I can't see this being a memory issue since the user is in a controlled environment - the editor. Thus you can wipe the history memory anyway when the exit the editor. At least, in theory.  I'm not sure if Swift has that ability).

[arlo]

First, I should point out that I'm very happy overall with the updates to the app. From one developer to another, great job. I truly know how much work it takes to do these types of major updates.

Thanks ... it sure does.

1. Z-index

I plan to give more thought to this when things have settled down with the new releases.

2. Change color of box

I'll put this on my wish list.

3. Change the color of any text "field"

You can't change the color of the title field for all songs because there is an option to set a color for each song and the title will display in that color. But you can set the color for all songs for any other field.

4. Add custom static text object (with custom color option)

What are some other use cases?

5. Allow duplicate objects

I'm not sure there would be much need to really add duplicate objects. In  your example, you could do that by adding a resizable field to your layout, and also selecting the title for one of the bottom toolbar fields. For the interactive buttons, it would be a lot of work to support duplicates and I don't think the amount of need would justify that. If duplicates are not supported, then a better solution is probably to disable an item in the popup menu if it is already in the layout.

6. Font Size

When you resize a field, the height determines the font size.

7. Bugs when edit a "field" option (changing color or trigger the label boolean)

What platform are you using?

8. Undo last action

I'll add that to my wish list.

[Jeff]

4. What are some other use cases?

I don't have any others at this time. It's possible that other people might have other use-cases, but this is super-low priority that I wouldn't worry about it if it's going to take more than 5 minutes to implement.

5. If duplicates are not supported, then a better solution is probably to disable an item in the popup menu if it is already in the layout.

It's far better than losing your current work.  I say go for it.

6. When you resize a field, the height determines the font size.

Yes, and it works really well. But unfortunately it only lets you go down to a fairly large size. You "can" go smaller if you trigger the label bug I mentioned (and then it's the perfect small size). So, my request is that since it "can" go smaller (with the bug I mentioned) can you officially allow us to go that small?

7. What platform are you using?

iOS 9 on iPad 5 (iPad Air) in both portrait and landscape.

[arlo]

Yes, and it works really well. But unfortunately it only lets you go down to a fairly large size. You "can" go smaller if you trigger the label bug I mentioned (and then it's the perfect small size). So, my request is that since it "can" go smaller (with the bug I mentioned) can you officially allow us to go that small?

I'll put this on my wish list.

iOS 9 on iPad 5 (iPad Air) in both portrait and landscape.

I think what you're seeing is that the changes in settings are saved correctly, but adding/removing a label or removing a color doesn't redraw the layout right away. It will draw correctly next time you view the layout. I'll add that to my do to list. The select/cancel thing is already on my to do list.

[arlo]

I just submitted an update that fixes the immediate updating of the field color after clearing the field color:

http://www.arlomedia.com/apps/setlistmaker/support/release_notes.html

[Jeff]

Thanks man. Much appreciated

[arlo]

When editing objects in the layout editor, can you give us the ability to set the z-index on each object? So far it's a bit difficult. Example: I'll spend 10 minutes creating a box and setting it just right (because it's very difficult without a mouse, grr touch devices ), then I'll create objects to put on top of it, only to find that they have went behind it and I have no easy way to re-order them (I seem to have to fiddle with it for 20 minutes to get it to work right).

In the app version I submitted today, the document viewer, song list or background boxes will move to the front automatically when you select them, so you can move or resize them more easily, then they will move to the back again when you deselect them. That should help a lot.

I'd spend a lot of time setting up an object "just right", then while adding other objects, I'd accidentally choose to add one that I'd already used and it would delete my old one that I spent a lot of time on. That makes things a little more frustrating when you have object on top of the another object that is now gone - you have to figure out how to re-add them and get them in the right order again (See #1 z-index above). If allowing duplicate objects isn't feasible, maybe you could disable the option to add another of the same object or give a warning prompt when selected or something.

Also in the new version, most layout items are disabled in the menu after they have been added, so you can't accidentally reset an item by adding it again. The only exceptions are the boxes and lines, which can be added multiple times.

Complete release notes are here:

http://www.arlomedia.com/apps/setlistmaker/support/release_notes.html

[arlo]

2. Change color of box
Even if it's just a greyscale slider. Something would be nice

In the new app versions I submitted to the app stores today, you can tap the options button for a background box in a layout, and choose from a handful of colors.

The Android version should be available later today and the iOS version in a few days.

The complete list of changes is here:

http://www.arlomedia.com/apps/setlistmaker/support/release_notes.html

[arlo]

Today's app version 6.0 includes undo/redo buttons on the rich-text fields. (I removed the alignment buttons to make room for them.)

All today's changes are listed here:

https://www.arlomedia.com/apps/setlistmaker/support/release_notes.html