[Ext] Download Manager Tweak extension

andman42 · Post by **andman42** » February 20th, 2004, 4:57 pm

Stefan wrote:
andman42 wrote:I actually tried this and don't think it will work out.

I know you are wrong in your assumption and the reason I know that is becuse there are plenty of other windows apps that use exactly this method to show download progress.

Right, but none of the apps you speak of use the native Windows XP progress bar (with incrementing green blocks) like Firefox does. These other apps coded their own progress bars that are solid in color and have text whose color changes to contrast the background.

Firefox for Windows uses the native Windows progress bar, and layering text on top of the native progress bar does not look good. There are two ways around it that I can see.

1. If there is a way to skin the progress bar (I don't know of any, but there could be), one could skin the progress bar an acceptable color. Then they would still have to make the status text dynamically change color as the progress changes. Plus, skinning the progress bar may conflict or cause problems with Firefox themes. This sounds like a hassle.

2. Someone could write an entirely new progress bar implementation.

I'm not interested in doing either of those as I don't think they're worth the time. If someone else is, great. But, until someone does one of the two things above, stacking text on top of the progress bar won't look good.

TychoQuad · Post by **TychoQuad** » February 20th, 2004, 6:20 pm

The suggestion I made with my mockup, I specifically mentioned the issue we are discussing now, and I really cannot see this implimented in this style WITHOUT reskinning the progress bar. However, I think if we want real improvement in the download manager, I think that's what we need to do.

Jackpot89 · Post by **Jackpot89** » February 21st, 2004, 12:19 am

andman42:
I have a way to make your extention install automatically under firefox .8
i used

Code: Select all

<a href="[WEB ADRESS]/downloadmgr_20.xpi" onClick="XPIInstall('[WEB ADRESS]/downloadmgr_20.xpi', 'Download Manager'); return false;">[TEST]</a>

this will automatically load XPInstall, and install your extention pleas use this method, because then the average Joe who wants to use your extention can do so...

MoNkaholic · Post by **MoNkaholic** » February 21st, 2004, 1:35 am

Stefan wrote:Any problems reading the text?

Obviously there are problems, the very nature of text layered on top of a progress bar creates legibility issues. The real question is, is the vertical space you save worth the reduction in legibility?

I would think not, since the download manager wont show many downloads by default, and users are already quite accustomed to vertical scrolling.

But I'm sure you'll disagree.

[Edit: Oh, and I meant "placed" in my previous post]

Stefan · Post by **Stefan** » February 21st, 2004, 3:52 pm

andman42 wrote:Right, but none of the apps you speak of use the native Windows XP progress bar (with incrementing green blocks) like Firefox does. These other apps coded their own progress bars that are solid in color and have text whose color changes to contrast the background.

Yes sorry, I thought my images would convey that but I realize I should probably have pointed that out clearly in writing too. I also agree 100% with you and Tycho that your option 1 or 2 must be implemented for this to work.

I presume it wouldn't be too hard to implement a skinned progressbar of your own, as long as you know how to gain access to the "downloaded %"-data of the engine.
2 boxes made with CSS, one 100% wide and the other positioned ontop of it with width="downloaded %" would be all that would be needed.

MoNkaholic wrote:Obviously there are problems, the very nature of text layered on top of a progress bar creates legibility issues.

Well, several 100.000 DC++ users would strongly disagree with you. Then again I would expect no less from you then to try to argue that a proven concept doesn't work

In any case, for me, going from 3 lines to 2 for each download, without losing information, makes a big difference. This extension already does that, but the placement of the progressbar isn't optimal.

Oh, and I meant "placed" in my previous post

Yeah, I figured that out after reading andmans post.

intatia · Post by **intatia** » February 21st, 2004, 4:37 pm

Why do you need to squish it even more? In DC it's because you tend to have a fair few uploads and downloads and that it'd use too much space otherwise.

I can't think of too many instances where you'll be downloading several files at once for long periods of time which you'll spend the entirety of it watching the download manager. *g* (This was meant to be humourus.)

andman42 · Post by **andman42** » February 21st, 2004, 9:35 pm

Jackpot89, thanks. I tried code similar to that a while back and it didn't work. I thought the problem was just that I was doing something wrong.

Well, I just tried used your code, and it still didn't work. So, I think my host just sucks. Thanks for the suggestion, but until I find new hosting...

wildman · Post by **wildman** » February 21st, 2004, 10:30 pm

andman42 wrote:Right, but none of the apps you speak of use the native Windows XP progress bar (with incrementing green blocks) like Firefox does. These other apps coded their own progress bars that are solid in color and have text whose color changes to contrast the background.

Firefox for Windows uses the native Windows progress bar, and layering text on top of the native progress bar does not look good. There are two ways around it that I can see.

1. If there is a way to skin the progress bar (I don't know of any, but there could be), one could skin the progress bar an acceptable color. Then they would still have to make the status text dynamically change color as the progress changes. Plus, skinning the progress bar may conflict or cause problems with Firefox themes. This sounds like a hassle.

2. Someone could write an entirely new progress bar implementation.

I'm not interested in doing either of those as I don't think they're worth the time. If someone else is, great. But, until someone does one of the two things above, stacking text on top of the progress bar won't look good.

Spoken like a true OpenSource Dev Leader! I think what you've accomplished so far is great & commend you for standing your ground with chaotic feature/bloat/whatif requests you get from us fans. You need to make judgement calls & I agree with your logic. I would really like to see an overlapping text/progress bar, but if it's too much touble I understand. I had a couple of thoughts though...

If it uses the "Windows Progress Bar" code, how does this work with other OS (mac, linux...) clients? Shouldn't an OS neutral bar be used? Seems to me, Ive seen some color code in web design that take the hex color code & applies an algorithym to find the "complimentary" color (like reverse video) of a given background color. Do javascript mouse rollovers use that... (cobwebs, it's been awhile)?

Doesn't the original Mozilla DM Sidebar use a flat color progress bar like this? Could that code be harvested?

Also it may sound ghey, but lighter pastel colors make the best backgounds for text IMO. I like the the light teal colors used in these MozillaZine forums for example.

-HTH, Welcome to the madhouse & Good Luck!

MoNkaholic · Post by **MoNkaholic** » February 21st, 2004, 11:27 pm

Stefan wrote:Well, several 100.000 DC++ users would strongly disagree with you. Then again I would expect no less from you then to try to argue that a proven concept doesn't work

Erm? The text is shown with multiple colors, offering differing levels of contrast. Obviously I feel the vertical space isn't worth the sacrifice in legibility, but these issues exist regardless of how many users of DC++ may disagree.

I mean, I don't think the method is entirely without merit. I definitely think it's better than the extensions default, but both, to me, are Evil solutions nonetheless.

GreenGo · Post by **GreenGo** » February 22nd, 2004, 3:37 am

When I try opening it an error message comes up saying windows can’t find the file that created it, humm

Stefan · Post by **Stefan** » February 22nd, 2004, 5:15 am

intatia wrote:Why do you need to squish it even more?

What do you mean? Ie squish it even more relative to what?
"My" suggestion would use the same ammout of space for each individual download as is used by this plugin currently, but allow for longer filenames & equal sized progressbars.

Relative the current default in FF, why waste space needlessly?
Waisting screenspace for no good reason at all is an example of a poorly designed UI and something one should always try to move away from.

Stefan · Post by **Stefan** » February 22nd, 2004, 5:22 am

MoNkaholic wrote:
Stefan wrote:Well, several 100.000 DC++ users would strongly disagree with you. Then again I would expect no less from you then to try to argue that a proven concept doesn't work

Erm? The text is shown with multiple colors, offering differing levels of contrast.

This post is also shown with differing levels of contrast, but I don't consider that sacrificing legibility either. But please go ahead and complain to the MZine people to change the backgroundcolor of both normal and quoted text to be the same so "legibility isn't sacrificed" :roll:

flfenn · Post by **flfenn** » February 22nd, 2004, 7:35 pm

How do I enable the installer?

Waldo · Post by **Waldo** » February 22nd, 2004, 7:58 pm

flfenn wrote:How do I enable the installer?

Just to let you know, the devs will be breathing down your back soon. ;-)

flfenn · Post by **flfenn** » February 23rd, 2004, 6:23 am

Well, it seems to have been removed from functionality anyway. If the devs want to breathe down my back, then they will be doing better than my wife has been doing lately, and they must not have anything better to do than to police the forums for decor and content. \

I have voluntarilly deleted my avatar . . . even though it was initially approved by whatever approval process the server was programmed to do and even though it was forcibly removed from this display by heavilly breathing dev.

Thanks for the warning, I will be waiting with baited breath . . .