[Gretl-users] menu layout (was questions about translation details)

On Thu, 12 Jan 2006, Sven Schreiber wrote: OK, this is useful. You're forcing me to try to articulate the thinking behind the current layout. Ideally, of course, a set of GUI menus should be "transparent" to the user without having to read about its rationale, but here goes: "Data" menu: Basically contains "things you might want to do with more than one variable" -- other than constructing a model, which has its own menu branch. Examples: graphing, summary statistics, etc. Plus some things pertaining to the data set as a whole -- other than setting the sample range, which again has its own branch. Examples: edit values, read informative text, if any. "Sample" menu: The core functionality here is setting the sample range in various ways. Some other functions have been added here (e.g. set dataset structure, transpose data), and the location of these extra items may be debatable. "Variable" menu: Fairly clear -- things you might want to do with a single variable. A few more comments in the light of the above. As above, it's not just the dataset as a whole; it mostly pertains to subsets (selections) of variables. You suggest the move: I'll resist that. The Sample menu is basically about resetting the sample, not performing operations on subsets of variables. I can see a case for creating a "Dataset" menu branch, and putting all (and only) items dealing with the entire dataset (other than sampling?) in there (that would include some items that are currently under "Data" and a few that are currently under Sample, such as transpose). That leaves a problem with the items that are currently under Data but that would not fall under the new "Dataset". And I'd really prefer not to increase the total number of menu branches, if possible. Hmmm. I'll think about this some more. Allin Cottrell