Description of problem: I have some thoughts on improving UI for iok, particularly for the use case on non-Indic language. 1) Get rid of "English" entry from the language list. That is meaningless to keep it there since "to English" button is available. 2) should keep the same state to the initial state after clicking "to English" button. I think the initial state would be natural. I mean selecting the language from ASCII layout (English mode) since the neutral position is ASCII layout on other IM. however once selecting the language from the list and switch back to English mode with "to English" button, iok masks the language list. one needs to switch with "To <language" button to choose other language from the list. this behavior isn't consistent to the initial state and other IM. there are IM that supports to switch multiple IME regardless of current state though, if you want to provide such features, you should simply stop masking the language list. 3) maybe "to ASCII" is better than "to English"? I like to see the icon to indicate the state of "on" and "off" with the icon though, if you want to keep the string, guess that would be better using "ASCII" instead of "English". 4) selected the language from the list should keeps it default in next time 5) entries in the language list should be translatable Since it's hidden when running iok on any Indic locale, that should appears in the native language on current desktop. that would be helpful for those who wants to learn Indic but running iok on their locale. 6) simplify the language list like the IME list on ibus there are too many entries on the language list. that would be nice to simplify like ibus does.
(In reply to comment #0) > Description of problem: > I have some thoughts on improving UI for iok, particularly for the use case on > non-Indic language. > > 1) Get rid of "English" entry from the language list. > > That is meaningless to keep it there since "to English" button is available. > Consider a default case where Indic user used to get iok by default started in his language. That case we need that Indic keymap and English. This will enable user to quickly switch to English and can type English letters. Having English in language list allows iok to load English mappings when said "to English". Combobox entries when selected triggers keymap loading function and displays keymappings. > 2) should keep the same state to the initial state after clicking "to English" > button. > > I think the initial state would be natural. I mean selecting the language > from ASCII layout (English mode) since the neutral position is ASCII layout on > other IM. however once selecting the language from the list and switch back to > English mode with "to English" button, iok masks the language list. one needs > to switch with "To <language" button to choose other language from the list. > this behavior isn't consistent to the initial state and other IM. there are IM > that supports to switch multiple IME regardless of current state though, if you > want to provide such features, you should simply stop masking the language > list. Here I need to think then on UI as preferred UI, for iok is its default mode which opens iok in indic locale where no need to show language list. > 3) maybe "to ASCII" is better than "to English"? > > I like to see the icon to indicate the state of "on" and "off" with the icon > though, if you want to keep the string, guess that would be better using > "ASCII" instead of "English". Ok. I can change this to ASCII with the assumption that novice user knows what ASCII mean compare to English word. I can also think on adding on and off image labels but how can user know what it does? > 4) selected the language from the list should keeps it default in next time This can be implemented. > 5) entries in the language list should be translatable > > Since it's hidden when running iok on any Indic locale, that should appears > in the native language on current desktop. that would be helpful for those who > wants to learn Indic but running iok on their locale. Language list is not static. Its picked up from location /usr/share/m17n. If inscript keymaps are installed there then all those will appear in language list. > 6) simplify the language list like the IME list on ibus > > there are too many entries on the language list. that would be nice to > simplify like ibus does. Language list depends on 2 things 1) no. of inscript keymaps installed in /usr/share/m17n 2) static file with some xkb maps from /usr/share/X11/xkb/symbols/in Not sure how much simplification can be done in iok?
(In reply to comment #1) > Consider a default case where Indic user used to get iok by default started in > his language. That case we need that Indic keymap and English. This will enable > user to quickly switch to English and can type English letters. > > Having English in language list allows iok to load English mappings when said > "to English". Combobox entries when selected triggers keymap loading function > and displays keymappings. Sure. I'm not complaining what the logic iok is relying on, but saying that the meaningless _interface_ should be hidden or got rid from the front. given that iok doesn't disable the language list anytime, "to English" and "English" in the list is duplicate. plus, pressing "to English" button on "English" doesn't take any effects. this also means having "English" in the list is redundancy. > Here I need to think then on UI as preferred UI, for iok is its default mode > which opens iok in indic locale where no need to show language list. I know iok has different state on when running on indic locale and non-indic locale. it's not the point. I'm talking about the mask state of the language list. > Ok. I can change this to ASCII with the assumption that novice user knows what > ASCII mean compare to English word. > I can also think on adding on and off image labels but how can user know > what it does? As I pointed out somewhere, you could use the icon to indicate on/off state perhaps. > Language list is not static. Its picked up from location /usr/share/m17n. If > inscript keymaps are installed there then all those will appear in language > list. assuming that it has any language name, you can put the strings for translations maybe. > Language list depends on 2 things > 1) no. of inscript keymaps installed in /usr/share/m17n > 2) static file with some xkb maps from /usr/share/X11/xkb/symbols/in > > Not sure how much simplification can be done in iok? how many entries ibus will has also depends on how many engines is installed. you may learn something from ibus anyway.
There is no further development happening for iok so closing this. Feel free to open this if there is anything need to be fixed.