Bug 77824 - Display metric units on ruler in multiples of 5 when possible (i.e., for certain scale + zoom levels)
Summary: Display metric units on ruler in multiples of 5 when possible (i.e., for cert...
Status: NEW
Alias: None
Product: LibreOffice
Classification: Unclassified
Component: Draw (show other bugs)
Version:
(earliest affected)
Inherited From OOo
Hardware: All All
: medium enhancement
Assignee: Not Assigned
URL:
Whiteboard:
Keywords: needsDevAdvice
Depends on:
Blocks: Rulers
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Reported: 2014-04-23 17:25 UTC by Gerhard Mesenich
Modified: 2019-10-12 19:39 UTC (History)
7 users (show)

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Description Gerhard Mesenich 2014-04-23 17:25:52 UTC 
Only step 1,5,10 should be allowed for better visual guidance at metric settings.


Currently the ruler often shows uneven numbers, if set to mm (i.e. 4,8,12 ..., step 4) on every zoom change. These look visually confusing. 

On the Ruler, numbers ending with 0 or 5 should always be be prefered. Only on high zooms every number (step 1) should be displayed.
Comment 1 Jean-Baptiste Faure 2014-06-22 17:29:48 UTC 
Do you use the grid ? I think that the more clear is to use the cm as unit and a grid step which is a subdivision of this unit (1 or 0.5 cm for example).

Set status to NEEDINFO, please set it back to UNCONFIRMED once the requested data have been provided.

Thank you for your understanding.
Best regards. JBF
Comment 2 Owen Genat (retired) 2014-07-16 10:46:27 UTC 
(In reply to comment #0)
> Only step 1,5,10 should be allowed for better visual guidance at metric
> settings. Currently the ruler often shows uneven numbers, 
> if set to mm (i.e. 4,8,12 ..., step 4) on every zoom change.

Under Debian 7 x86_64 running v4.3.0.2 Build ID: 14ed55896fdfcb93ff437b85c4f3e1923d2b1409 there does appear to be greater change in the displayed ruler marks when zooming for millimetres than any other unit. I mainly use points so I expect to see multiples of 18 or 36, which is exactly what I do see (at 1:1 scale), unless I zoom out, where the multiple becomes larger.

For those using metric measurements as a unit (e.g., kilometre, metre, centimetre, millimetre) at a scale where the sheet width numbers in the tens of units, this would seem a reasonable request. Confirmed. Status set to NEW. Summary amended for clarity. Does seem more like an enhancement request than bug though.
Comment 3 QA Administrators 2015-07-18 17:44:18 UTC Comment hidden (obsolete)
Comment 4 QA Administrators 2016-09-20 10:18:20 UTC Comment hidden (obsolete)
Comment 5 Yousuf Philips (jay) (retired) 2017-09-17 20:56:39 UTC 
(In reply to Gerhard Mesenich from comment #0)
> Currently the ruler often shows uneven numbers, if set to mm (i.e. 4,8,12
> ..., step 4) on every zoom change. These look visually confusing. 

I see the ruler adopting based on the zoom level and it works fine to me with mm and i dont find it confusing.

100%: 0, 5, 10, 15, 20
140%: 0, 4, 8, 12, 16
180%: 0, 3, 6, 9, 12
250%: 0, 2, 4, 6, 8

> On the Ruler, numbers ending with 0 or 5 should always be be prefered. Only
> on high zooms every number (step 1) should be displayed.

Limiting it to numbers with 0 or 5 at 140% through 250+% zoom levels doesnt make sense to me.

@Regina: whats your take?
Comment 6 Heiko Tietze 2017-09-18 08:44:44 UTC 
(In reply to Yousuf Philips (jay) from comment #5)
> 100%: 0, 5, 10, 15, 20
> 140%: 0, 4, 8, 12, 16
> 180%: 0, 3, 6, 9, 12
> 250%: 0, 2, 4, 6, 8
  440%: 0, 1, 2, 3, 4

If you have a page size that makes millimeter necessary, for example 10x10 cm, you start with a zoom level of 220%. Talking about A4 pages the better choice is centimeter with 100% zoom - and there you get the 5mm steps up to a zoom level of 130%. Work perfectly for me too. We also provide meter or foot and with this setting you will not get any label for average page sizes. Having fix steps makes no sense.
Comment 7 QA Administrators 2018-09-19 02:51:27 UTC Comment hidden (obsolete)
Comment 8 Thomas Lendo 2018-09-20 11:03:58 UTC 
Nothing changed in LibO behavior since 2017. Tested with 6.2.0.0.alpha0+ from  2018-09-12.

I'm adding the keyword 'needsUXEval' despite most of the UX members are already in the CC list. It seems the discussion hasn't finished.

My opinion:
As a technician I understand the bug reporter's wish for steps in 5 and 10 and for example to see 10 in favor of 12. Owen also said that in comment 2. But it should be handled practical and the ruler should show the maximum numbers that helps the user and also looks good and clear. Maybe the actual system comes from the imperial/US measurement system where this is handled in another way than in the metric world.

120 % shows 5, 10, 15, 20, 25, etc. (mm) at an A4 page.
80 % shows 7, 14, 21, 28 (weird mm numbers in my view)

Can the algorithm be adapted to show 10, 20, 30 in for example the 80 % view?
Comment 9 Heiko Tietze 2018-09-23 16:25:51 UTC 
If we always have 5 steps between the guides the ruler has much white space on high zoom levels, which is avoided by the adjustment to less distances. Not sure that we really want this behavior.
Comment 10 Thomas Lendo 2018-10-03 18:07:46 UTC 
Maybe a developer can say what's possible or not.
Comment 11 Heiko Tietze 2018-10-04 14:59:33 UTC 
We discussed the request in the design meeting and agree to favorize steps of 1 and 5.
Comment 12 QA Administrators 2019-10-05 03:05:46 UTC Comment hidden (obsolete)
Comment 13 Thomas Lendo 2019-10-12 19:39:30 UTC 
Changed importance form Trivial to Enhancement.