See bug 17686.

| Category: Multimedia ::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: | | +-------------------+ | | |=General===========| [/] Automatically load ima_ges and plugins | | |=Display===========| [/] Allow images as _backgrounds | | | Languages | [/] Show _animations | <-- | | Fonts | [/] Allow _looping of animations | <-- | | Colors & Effects | [/] Play sounds | | | Styles | [/] Allow loo_ping of sounds | | |::Multimedia:::::::| [ ] Include images and plugins in _Tab cycle | | | Filters | [/] Show _frames | | | Scripts | [/] Show _in-line frames | | | Privacy/Security | [ ] Always allow frame _resizing | | | | [ ] Always allow frame _scrolling | | | | | | +-------------------+ :::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: |

This is just a simple "Add prefs to XUL and JS" bug, right? I could probably do this tonight. Nominating for Mozilla 0.8 so this bug doesn't get left behind.

To me, something like "Animations: [/] Normal [ ] Once [ ] Never" (or Continuous/Once/Never) is clearer than trying to figure out that "looping" means "animate more than once", but maybe that's just me being geeky (I won't argue the point if everyone else likes "looping").

I like akkana's better, although it should be (/) [silly radios] and we might benefit from a replacement for 'normal'.

Yeah, I preferred a radio button UI until a few months ago, when I realized I'd never be able to come up with highly understandable text for `Normal'. The best I could do was `Allow animations: (*) as specified ( ) once ( ) never', but `as specified' is pretty tacky too. And what does `Allow animations ... once' mean? Only allow them on the first page you visit which has them? Etc.

Does 'Allow each animation to loop: (*) as specified ( ) once ( ) never' sound more clear?

yes it does :-), ... waiting for reply from mpt.

Well, I still think two checkboxes with the odd word `looping' is more usable than three radio buttons with the odd phrase `as specified' ... But as usual, he who checks in the code has the final say.

How about 'default' or 'forever' instead of 'as specified' since what I think what we really mean is 'as long as it wants to'. (Now there's a clunky phrase to use...) Or would it confuse people to say that their images could loop forever...? I agree that as specified could sound like the user is supposed to specify how many times it should loop.

I'd vote for "as specified by image" - although not as catchy as the shorter alternatives it's exactly what we want to say. No confusion at all.

I like nbidwell's UI, with or without Nils' modification (depending on whether we think we might run out of space in the window; it's better but we might not have the space).

I'd prefer Default, or even Normal. To someone that doesn't understand, they may not realise it's an image, or that it can even be specified in the image, whereas Default or Normal would better indicate "this is what you would expect it to do"

I think mpt's version is likely to be clearer to newbies. Might want to change the second checkbox to "Allow animations to repeat"

How about a drop down list, containing the three options? It'd look something like this: _____________ _ Image Animation: |_____________|*|___________ |Normal (Defined by Image) | |Once Only | |Never | ----------------------------- Not only does this minimise the window space taken by the preference, but it also allows for longer and clearer descriptions of each option. Also this should only be enabled when image loading is also enabled to make it clear to the user there is a link between the two. The only problem is of course if later down the track the "Once only" option gets replaced by "User defined number of timer" at which time the above solution would no longer be workable. And it also looks different from all the other options on the screen (but that's not really a problem as such).

> it also allows for longer and clearer descriptions of each option Unfortunately not, because items in a popup menu should be kept very short (see my 2001-01-14 comment in bug 42038). > Also this should only be enabled when image loading is also enabled to make it > clear to the user there is a link between the two. Ah, but there isn't. You can still load animations when automatic image loading is disabled -- by choosing `View Images' or `Load This Image'.

So, er...now that everyone's had their two cents (and some have had more), anyone wanna make the final call? tor, akk?

Not my place to make a final call, but I like Johan's wording. I have a preference whether it's a dropdown or radio buttons, or about the physical layout; Blake should probably make the layout call when he implements it, based on how much space is available in the window.

*** Bug 66365 has been marked as a duplicate of this bug. ***

I'd recommend fixing crasher bug #65016 before implementing this UI. Otherwise, people play around with animation control and report all sorts of duplicates that actually are #65016. (BTW, does this mean this bug depends on 65016?)

> | |::Multimedia:::::::| Why not use the Advanced|Images panel until we have a new prefs UI design? > I'd recommend fixing crasher bug #65016 before implementing this UI. the crash happens only for "never", right? Maybe we can just omit that option (leaving only "once") until that bug is fixed.

Nominating for 0.9 since 0.8 is out now

Mass-change: Do not remove nominations (even if Milestone passed). Readding mozilla0.8 nomination.

I like it, except (sorry, I hate to quibble more about wording, any wording is better than none!): "Use animated image settings" makes me wonder "Aren't these the animated image settings I'm changing right here?" Clearer might be something like "Use the settings in the image" or "Use each image's settings". The comment about Flash seems too specific -- it would be better to make it more general, e.g. "does not stop animations in plugins". For instance, it won't stop Java animations either, and I'd guess a lot more people and sites use Java than use Flash.

I also guess this controls image animation for MNG files as well as GIF (and if it doesn't it should), so the wording should be modified to remove references to GIF. "This setting controls the display of animated images within Mozilla. You can turn off animations or make the animation loop only once. This setting only applies to images it does not affect animation in other media files"

With regards to H-J's screenshot: shouldn't the explanatory text be before the options, or I am missing some UI convention here? Also, I think the options should be in the reverse order, so they get less permissive the further down you go, in line with the image blocking options. Anyway, incorporating other people's suggestions and a few of my own, here's what I suggest for the layout and wording: ---Image Animation--- This setting controls animated images, but does not control animation in other media files (such as Java or Flash). By default, most images will animate continuously (or a set number of times), but you can choose to have animations shown only once, or not at all. (.) Use each image's default settings ( ) Show animations only once per page visit ( ) Do not animate images Feel free to comment on/abuse my ideas. I tried to define the 'Normal' setting in the explanation, but I'm not exactly sure what it means myself, so correct me if I'm wrong. Even if it is right, I still think it's a bit kludgy. I'm a little concerned that the explanation is a bit too long and wordy (users don't like reading!). If it is too long, how about just: "Specify how Mozilla handles animated images (this setting does not control animations in other media files)." The rest of the explanation could be put in the help file.

So tor, akkana, do you think this is ready for ui in .9?

If I get a review for 74169 in time to get the changes in for 0.9, then yes, I think it will be reliable enough. But that's just a guess -- until we actually get that regression fixed, we won't know for sure whether it triggers any unknown problems in libpr0n. It does seem to work much better (with the patch in that bug) with libpr0n than it did with the old imglib.

I checked in the animation pref backend today. Don't know if that leaves enough time to get the UI in or not (sorry, was backed up getting reviews).

lets hold off on any new UI until 0.9.2. let me know if this creates problems. thanks

r=hixie at the code level, mpt, could you review the screenshot?

How about +--- Animated Images should loop: -------------+ | (*) ...

And add a newline to the end of the file ;)

sr=ben@netscape.com with those changes ('Image Looping' just seemed redundant, given only one set of options with a single statement).

a= asa@mozilla.org for checkin to the trunk. (on behalf of drivers)

Question: If I want to let the GIF loop as many times as it was specified/designed, which radio button should I choose?

Good point....hrm.... "As many times as the image specifies"? I guess that's pretty wordy. Other suggestions?

Loop as many times as specified should just be "Default," I would think.

I raise this question because I found out from Bonsai that some files (pref-images.xul, etc.) have been checked in. I am afraid there's no "default" button for me to choose... The 3 radio buttons are only "LoopForever", "LoopOnce" and "LoopNever".

Wouldn't people wonder: "what is the Default, then??" So ... what about "as specified by animation"?

UI for this has been checked in, with the wording "As many times as the image specifies". Yes, the wording needs work (for example, the sentence reads "Animated images should loop as many times as the image specifies"). I just wanted to get it in since it's just barely missed every milestone since .8.1, and .9.2 is coming very shortly. I'll leave this open to discuss better wording, and then we'll fix it up. I'd really rather stick with the radiobutton UI.

Here's my latest and greatest thoughts on the wording: -----Image Animations--------------- (.) Show and repeat image animations ( ) Show image animations once only ( ) Do not show image animations I used "repeat" rather than "loop" because I think it will be understood better by most people. The only problem is that by default some images animate only once in which case the text for the first button isn't strictly accurate.

Actually, I've changed my mind. The title of the setting should be "Animated Images" (not "Image Animations").

If people are still interested in pursuing this, please move the discussion to the ui newsgroup, and then file a bug on the consensus.

The groupbox used in this UI falls off the edge of the prefs panel in Mac Classic.

Sheesh. I can't believe this dialog doesn't have vertical and horizontal scrollbars. All the other oversized dialogs I see in applications do...

Hmmmm, I think a sledgehammer is needed to solve this problem.