mouse: feature pointer size control

[monnerat]

This adds a mouse/touchpad pointer size control scale to both pages of the mouse properties dialog.

[cwendling]

Do we really want this? If you can control the size of the pointer there, why not the aspect/theme?

IMO if anything there should be a button opening the pointer theme options which include both, or redesign things to have everything in one place (a third tab with the theme, if really we want it there? but then there is the same problem in the theme dialog which would have to link here).

Also, I don't like the idea there are two sliders that control the same thing: it looks like you could control the size of the mouse and touchpad pointers separately with this, but it's not the case (and is not really a thing anyway).

Finally, this duplicates all the details of the slider (I didn't check if they were consistent), especially min/max values, which can be annoying to maintain and keep in sync everywhere.

[monnerat]

Do we really want this? If you can control the size of the pointer there, why not the aspect/theme?

From an UI designer point of view, you're right.
On a normal desktop user standpoint, this is natural to configure that as a mouse option.
I often had to help people that don't think to look in theme config for this option. This is not obvious for most of them: in their minds, the pointer is tightly bound to the mouse hardware.

IMO if anything there should be a button opening the pointer theme options which include both, or redesign things to have everything in one place (a third tab with the theme, if really we want it there? but then there is the same problem in the theme dialog which would have to link here).

This could be a possibility but I don't want to make a revolution! Some people already did and that led to the Mate fork!
I addition, both these suggestions are much heavier in terms of changes.

Also, I don't like the idea there are two sliders that control the same thing: it looks like you could control the size of the mouse and touchpad pointers separately with this, but it's not the case (and is not really a thing anyway).

I just mimicked what is done for the "Pointer Speed" option, that already duplicates controls.

Finally, this duplicates all the details of the slider (I didn't check if they were consistent), especially min/max values, which can be annoying to maintain and keep in sync everywhere.

Min/max/step values are taken from a GtkAdjustment that is shared between both scales.

[mbkma]

can't you already configure pointer size in AppearancePreferences->Theme->Customise->Pointer->Size ?

[monnerat]

can't you already configure pointer size in AppearancePreferences->Theme->Customise->Pointer->Size ?

Yes, you can.
But the path is so complicated and unnatural that normal users never find it.
From what I've noticed, they always expect it in the mouse config.
A redundant place for that doesn't hurt and avoids requests to IT people.

If you're seeking for complex ways to do it, you can also use dconf-editor :-)

[cwendling]

what about a button/link "Go to cursor appearance preferences" that would pop up the appearance prefs dialog at the right tab?

[monnerat]

what about a button/link "Go to cursor appearance preferences" that would pop up the appearance prefs dialog at the right tab?

Could be an alternate approach if the proper page can be accessed.
But I don't think it's currently possible as you can only use --show-page=[theme|background|fonts|interface] and we have to target page Pointer from the subdialog Customize... that can only be reached via a button in the Appearance Theme page..

In addition, mate-at-properties links to mouse config (among others) but not to the appearance dialog.

[cwendling]

That could probably be augmented to include the missing bits, it's not really a problem if it needs to pop another dialog on top of it, it's quite easy to do it. But it has to be done indeed, it's not already there.

[monnerat]

I don't think it would keep it simple, although logic from a UI designer standpoint:

• Additional piggy-back code in mate-appearance-properties
• More windows open for the user, even the Theme dialog that is not really needed.

code comments where handled, and the rest is discussion and opinion, not worth a blocker

[lukefromdc]

What is the status of this?