The survey I sent to users earlier this month identified ease of use as the most important area for improvement, so I've started testing some ideas for that. To preview the changes, you can turn on Help > Utilities > Test New Interface in the iOS or Android app. The October 23 release added:
- Flatter navigation structure. The account and project selection is now combined into a single menu, and the shortcuts are moved to the main menu. This means if you add your desired set lists or smart lists to the shortcuts, you can view them with two clicks: first select your project, then select your set list. So you can basically set up a "simple mode" for your bandmates by ensuring that the set lists you're using are in the shortcuts. (Dated items will appear there automatically, or you can click the Add To Shortcuts setting on an edit page to add it items manually.) If you want to access something that isn't in the shortcuts, you can click the module name (Repertoire, Schedule, etc.) to proceed to the submenu for that module.
- Unavailable modules are hidden. Currently, the main menu items that are unavailable in Basic and Plus accounts are still visible, but faded, with an explanation that appears if you click them. In this preview, these are replaced with an Upgrade button that describes the additional modules.
The October 30 release added:
- Simpler layout selection. If someone bypasses the shortcuts on the main menu and goes into the full navigation to view a set list or smart list that isn't in the shortcuts, the list of available layouts that used to appear after selecting a set list or smart list is now replaced with a single View button, which opens the set list or smart list with the last-used layout, plus a More Layout Options button, which displays the full list as before. This is meant to address the issue of someone getting to the layout selection step and not knowing what it means to select a layout. Basically, if you know what layouts are and want to select a different one, you can do that with one extra click. If you don't know what layouts are, or are using the same layout most of the time, you can just click View and be on your way.
- Set default layout explicitly. When selecting a set list or smart list from a shortcut, BandHelper immediately displays it with your default layout, which is simply the last layout you viewed. So you could change the default layout by going to a set list or smart list not through the shortcuts, and selecting a different layout, or by changing layouts with the Layouts button in the bottom toolbar of the set list view. Now you have an additional and perhaps more intuitive way to change the default layout, which is to go to Repertoire > Layouts > [layout name] > Edit Details and click the Set as Default button. In some situations, this could be an easier way to explain to someone how to change their default layout.
The November 26 release added:
- Easier menu shortcut setup. If you go to Repertoire > Set Lists, Repertoire > Smart Lists, Checklists > Checklists, Stage Plots > Stage Plots or Files > Files, you will now see a star icon next to each list item. You can click that to add the item to the shortcuts on the main menu. (This is the same as the Favorite setting on the corresponding edit pages.) Set lists for upcoming events are automatically added to the shortcuts, and those will appear in the list with a star icon that you can't change.
- Easier title shortcut setup. If you go to Repertoire > Set Lists or Repertoire > Smart Lists, you will now see a downward-pointing triangle icon next to each list item. You can click that to add the item to the title shortcuts in the set list view. (This is the same as the Title Shortcut setting on the corresponding edit pages.) This replaces the previous functionality of including the last five viewed set lists and smart lists in the title shortcuts.
- Assign set lists to users. You can now select specific users on the set list edit page. This will determine whether the set list appears for each user in the main menu shortcuts, allowing you to further customize the shortcuts. For example, you could set up a personal practice set list and mark it as a favorite but only assign it to yourself; then it will appear in your shortcuts without cluttering up other users' shortcuts.
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Topic: Preview: Interface Updates (Read 18582 times)