Ethereal-dev: Re: [Ethereal-dev] RFC: add option to change main GUI layout like	in Analyzer pr
Biot Olivier wrote:
Let's try to summarize this:
L = packet list
D = packet dissection (or packet details)
B = packet (or reassembly) bytes
I'd propose we specify the lay-out of the window in 2 steps.
Step 1: Provide a "Window layout" option.
An end-user can toggle between the following options:
(o) Stacked   (.) Large left pane  (.) Large right pane
     +---+
     | 1 |          +---+---+          +---+---+
     +---+          |   | 2 |          | 1 |   |
     | 2 |          | 1 +---+          +---+ 3 |
     +---+          |   | 3 |          | 2 |   |
     | 3 |          +---+---+          +---+---+
     +---+
Step 2: Fill in the panes.
Here there are many options:
 1. Provide a fixed list of entries (6 possibilities)
	(o) L/D/B   (.) D/L/B   (.) B/L/D
	(.) L/B/D   (.) D/B/L   (.) B/D/L
    The defaults would be:
	- Stacked L/D/B
	- Large left pane L/D/B
	- Large right pane L/B/D
 2. Provide select boxes for the 3 panes, where the choices have
    to be made from the 3 possibilities L, D and B.
Should we limit ourselves to the 3 panes currently available?  It might 
be useful to have a list of endpoints, or a TCP stream display in the 
"B" pane, for example.
 3. Provide "progressive radio button choices" where the choice
    for 1 eliminates it in steps 2 and 3, and the choice for 2
    automatically determines the choice for 3.
    One must however provide a "reset" option in this scenario,
    as an end-user may want to remake his choice.
We could provide a drop-down list for each pane (with "Nothing" as one 
of the choices).  When a user makes a selection from one list it would 
be easy to adjust the other two accordingly.
 4. A mix from 2 and 3 where the end-user is offered the
    possibility to set the pane type for the first 2 panes only
    by means of 2 select boxes; the 3rd panel is automatically
    filled in based on the end-user's input of the 2 first panes.
The lay-out of the panes and the mapping of pane number with pane
type must be stored in preferences.
Should we offer the ability to switch between multiple layouts?