Use Native File Open Dialog under Windows

[Ghabry]

In order to improve the bad user experience of GTK programs under Windows I suggest using the shiny Windows File Dialog instead of the GTK one...
Because I'm the only active Windows dev: Can you provide me with some help file how to bind normal (non-g) functions to vala?

Except Project->New all File Dialogs are normal file selection ones.

Special case is Project->New...

It contains the extra items "Project Name" (an Editfield) and "Only allow RPG Maker compatible features" (a Checkbox).
Vista and higher have a new file dialog that has a Api for adding new controls to a file chooser. So I would say XP should get the GTK one (otherwise you have to stick to ugly hooking and I don't care about XP anymore...).

Or replace that special Folder Selection Dialog with the Dialog RPG2k3 uses for new projects (imo that dialog is completly fine), but OK and Cancel should be at the bottom, not at the top right... (and use a normal chooser for the selection)

[fdelapena]

A possible approach to include C WinAPI code for this need:
https://mail.gnome.org/archives/vala-list/2011-May/msg00060.html

[Falc]

Since the "project create" dialog was made without following guidelines (there was no talk about it, no mockups...), it can be considered not definitive.

Now the problem is not about if it is good or bad, pretty or ugly. The problem is that we should decide how it should be:

• Simple like RM200X?
• Something brand new and fully customized?
• Using GTK.FileChooser as the base or only as the "select folder" dialog?
• Supporting each OS default dialogs?

Probably the more "user-friendly" option is the last one, but it involves detecting the OS version and researching how is done in each OS (and test). Should we use that solution for every other dialog?

[fdelapena]

In case of adopt classic RM200X dialog, it could use native Win32 folder choosing dialog, so the WinAPI usage could be cool to keep in mind anyways. GTK+ uses the same dialog for both file or folder selection. Native dialogs are OK, but in my opinion, each OS maintainer should do this specific work, and use GTK+ default dialog if there is no contribution yet.

[fdelapena]

As for many other possible improvements like changing brand new for open file, delay any revolutionary UX improvement after implement all 200x features. Once the basics are done, then smoothly revamp all could be better. Like XP/VX UI good things, use 1 menubar, less clicks to do frequent tasks and so on.

[Ghabry]

Okay lets delay this until more of the editor is done.