80 replies to this topic

[Legolash2o]

In v51 (next release) you will see a new main menu design. The changes I have made will hopefully allow beginners to see what each tool does whilst making the tool looking more professional.

It looks great on Windows 8 and I have listened to users feedback about the design to make sure it's clean, sleek and less cluttered. The first thing you will notice is that all of the buttons are smaller as they are now 32x32 instead of 64x64, which has also allowed a smaller WinToolkit.exe filesize.

Below i will go into detail of what has changed in each page. I've also changed some tooltip settings which will hopefully improve things.

Welcome
 Welcome.png   577.61K   48 downloads
The welcome screen was initially just one big text box, but i've now separated each part of the text into their own box. This allows the user to see information easier and it also matches with the rest of the new look on the other pages.

You will also notice a new 'Report Bug' button which allows users to report bugs much more quicker and easier but most importantly removes the confusion of where to post issues. To make things easier, this button will NOT go through 'adf.ly' links.

Main
 MainBasic.png   82.87K   40 downloads  MainBasic2.png   88.66K   13 downloads  MainIntermediate.png   78.17K   11 downloads  MainAdvanced.png   65.16K   12 downloads

As you can see now there centered text at top giving a quick description about that page in general. As mentioned above the icons are a lot smaller but the biggest change you will see is a short description about the tool next to each button which will help beginners.

When you put your mouse over a button it will glow a light blue and will also show a tooltip with more detail about what that tool does. You will also notice that All-In-One Disk Creator has now been moved to the 'Intermediate' tab.

Tools
 Tools.png   73.36K   18 downloads
Tools has had a similar makeover as the 'Main' tab. You can easily scroll up and down to see the other tools.

Downloads
 Downloads.png   103.23K   15 downloads
The 'Downloads' tab looks a lot tidier, especially with smaller icons.

About
 About.png   80.56K   18 downloads
Smaller image and the text is not bolded.

Download
Feel free to download the test version and leave feedback.
http://wincert.net/leli55PK/Testing/

[Thiersee]

ianymaty
Here's some caps with overlapping tooltips.

Not made with the latest Test version but it does the same.

Test7 doesn't show this behaviour (Windows 7).

Regards, Thiersee

Edited by Thiersee, 04 August 2012 - 04:02 PM.

[Muffy]

Looking at the photos you have put up to compare and test win toolkit beta 7

The welcome screen needs tidying up, even though iv got this on win xp (win 7 partition waiting to be re-installed)
If you change it to be just like "advanced" it will look much better!

need to fill those 2 spaces on the downloads page with something.

maybe you can looose the facebook and wpiw icons.

As peaple are seeing visual differences between win 7 and win 8, is it not feesable to do a win toolkit for each!

Win toolkit 7 v*******
Win toolkit 8 v*******

Actually using the name Win Toolkit 7 or 8 sounds pretty good!

Edited by Muffy, 04 August 2012 - 05:07 PM.

[Legolash2o]

1. Looking at the photos you have put up to compare and test win toolkit beta 7

2. The welcome screen needs tidying up, even though iv got this on win xp (win 7 partition waiting to be re-installed)
If you change it to be just like "advanced" it will look much better!

3. need to fill those 2 spaces on the downloads page with something.

4. maybe you can lose the facebook and wpiw icons.

5. As people are seeing visual differences between win 7 and win 8, is it not feasible to do a win toolkit for each!

Win toolkit 7 v*******
Win toolkit 8 v*******

Actually using the name Win Toolkit 7 or 8 sounds pretty good!

1, 2, 3 & 4. I've updated the screenshots and released a new test version.

5. Not a chance, my program used to be called Windows 7 Toolkit but since it works with Windows 8, we discussed and agreed Win Toolkit would cover both OS's. I'm not going through the process of changing the name again.

[ianymaty]

With the latest Test 9 version the overlapping tooltips looks more like a merge transitions.

It's definitely better than showing two - three at a time.

Edited by ianymaty, 04 August 2012 - 06:11 PM.

[Legolash2o]

So overall, what do you guys think about the new design?

[Muffy]

text disapearing on the getting started screen when accidently highlighted

downloads box.....BOOTUFUL

The welcome screen icons still need (i think) to be like whats in the downloads folder!

Options on far left much clearer!

a few icons in basic and intermidiate need a little colour

theres an odd little digit nest the wim merger icon and greyness overlap in icons

mefinks that as you are on win 8 you are seeing stuff ok as those on wi 7 / xp are seeing stuff differently!

Edited by Muffy, 04 August 2012 - 06:37 PM.

[spidernz]

ooooooooooo I love it!

so much cleaner looking. Well done. looks great on windows 8

[ianymaty]

I still don't know why the buttons looks like are constructed from two zones one top and one bottom with different shades and a little see through window between them.

On the menu buttons that are smaller then the rest it looks like a line but on the other buttons becomes thiker and more visible.

As I see in any of your screens here isn't visible for you.

Thiersee put a screen here where you can see how it looks for him http://www.wincert.n...__60#entry87633

Here is how it looks for me

 WinToolkit.png   130.81K   21 downloads

Tweek the text on all buttons to center on the space left on right of the icon or group the icon with the text and center it to button.

I marked the WIM Registry Editor button where it's most visible but you can see the differences on the others too.

Also you can see the two shades of colour on Check for Updates button that I mentioned.

[myselfidem]

Many thanks for the new design!
However I see black lines on all boxes separating 2 different colors!
MS Security Essential installed.
Regards

Attached Files

•  WinToolkit 140-51_Test9.jpg   69.29K   16 downloads

[Legolash2o]

Do you have a custom theme installed?

[Kelsenellenelvian]

I get the same and NO custom theme.

[myselfidem]

No, I haven't set a custom theme, only set a new wallpaper img0.jpg.
Regards

[Legolash2o]

Does the same thing happen if you go into Options > untick 'Tools Manager Aero'?

Does it only happen in the latest test versions?

[RicaNeaga]

Those lines are very transparent, and if the desktop wallpaper is very dark, the same are those lines. And yes, the issue is gone if I untick the 'Tools Manager Aero' option. So maybe you can set thyose lines with a lower transparency by default.

The overall design I think it's a stept ahead over the old design. So congrats, I like it very much!

Besides that line, that's very annoying, only one suggestion: maybe it would be better to move the All-In-one Disk Creator from the Intermediate tab to the Advanced tab, for two reasons - first, a better look, the advanced tab seems rather empty with only two buttons, second - the many issues (I've seen them here in the forums, I've never created such an AIO disk) that arise by modifying such a AIO disk. So maybe moving it to the Advanced tab would discourage new users to make them.

[myselfidem]

Solved like you said: untick : "Tools Manager Aero" inside Options with WinToolkit140-51_Test9.
The same trouble is solved also using WinToolkit140-51_Test8 !!
Regards

Attached Files

•  Win Toolkit New Design.jpg   64.87K   5 downloads

Edited by myselfidem, 05 August 2012 - 09:42 AM.

[Legolash2o]

Those lines are very transparent, and if the desktop wallpaper is very dark, the same are those lines. And yes, the issue is gone if I untick the 'Tools Manager Aero' option. So maybe you can set thyose lines with a lower transparency by default.

The overall design I think it's a stept ahead over the old design. So congrats, I like it very much!

Besides that line, that's very annoying, only one suggestion: maybe it would be better to move the All-In-one Disk Creator from the Intermediate tab to the Advanced tab, for two reasons - first, a better look, the advanced tab seems rather empty with only two buttons, second - the many issues (I've seen them here in the forums, I've never created such an AIO disk) that arise by modifying such a AIO disk. So maybe moving it to the Advanced tab would discourage new users to make them.

But it's not an advanced tool and shouldn't just be in the 'Advanced' tab just to fill a space. They other tools are in advanced because they remove stuff from the image and/or edit the registry which both can screw up. The issues you are referring where bugs on my part and have been fixed.

Solved like you said: untick : "Tools Manager Aero" inside Options with WinToolkit140-51_Test9.
The same trouble is solved also using WinToolkit140-51_Test8 !!
Regards

Thanks, i might just get rid of the Aero option until a less buggy method appears.

[RicaNeaga]

Ok... then another idea. How about making the tool smaller in height by making the win toolkit guides button from main as another row in the welcome tab, below getting started? You'll then have 4 buttons in the main tab, 4 in the intermediate, and two in advanced, making the advanced tab not seem so empty as it is now.

Also, by making it smaller in height, the usused space in the left column, below Repot Bug and WPIW, would also be smaller and probably also make it look better overall. Once again, just a thought.

[Legolash2o]

Ok... then another idea. How about making the tool smaller in height by making the win toolkit guides button from main as another row in the welcome tab, below getting started? You'll then have 4 buttons in the main tab, 4 in the intermediate, and two in advanced, making the advanced tab not seem so empty as it is now.

Also, by making it smaller in height, the usused space in the left column, below Repot Bug and WPIW, would also be smaller and probably also make it look better overall. Once again, just a thought.

I've renamed it to 'Guides' and moved it to the left menu bar so it's always visible.

[RicaNeaga]

Great! So where's version test 10?