Though I believe the point was brought forth long ago that a P.O.S approach
might be superior to the current window config, the answer is actually even
simpler. The number of windows in Yoshimi makes it hard for the user to
focus on the task at hand, namely editing their instruments and setting up
their patches.
My solution, which will be triggered today, although it was sneaked in with
a one-line bugfix two weeks ago, will bring order to the chaos.
The change? Only one window may be opened at any one time!
Navigation? Solved! Clutter? Solved! Focus? Solved!
The hidden right-click for buttons was the way to go, but it didn't go far
enough!
The right-click on "close" buttons is also disabled, so as to not confuse
users by forcing them to remember the window previous opened. The past is a
different country and that old window won't be issued a visa! Instead, any
close button now consistently and predictably brings the user back to the
main window, where navigation can start again.
When testing this, I noticed that it took me a while to reach the inner
parts of the synth, so I removed all navigation buttons and replaced them
with single-letter keyboard shortcuts which can be used anywhere within the
window. Right now you have to guess what the shortcuts are, but people will
surely learn them soon enough and learn to enjoy this new, wonderfully
rapid, concentrated Yoshimi experience!
The logical next step is to bring focus to parameter editing by creating
new isolated windows for each control widget, progress reports on this to
be expected next week.
