If I want to Replace an image in a layout in the new V2 Layout Editor, I can only upload a new image from my PC and cannot use a media already uploaded to Xibo’s library.
When inserting a new image from the bottom toolbar by clicking on the + button, the layout areas are all changed to areas shaded with orange diagonal stripes with no visual clue or image names as to what is in the various regions. You have to keep your wits about you to not place the new image in the wrong region.
The V2 layout editor is a good replacement of the old clunky v1.8, but still need work!
The Replace functionality is so that you can replace an existing media file with a new file which does not already exist in your library. If you want to use an existing file you would simply add the new file and delete the existing from your timeline.
The new Library Search window can be resized and moved anywhere within the layout designer screen for ease of use. Once opened select the file you wish to use by clicking on the blue cross at the end of the media file row. The areas that this file can be added to will be shaded orange as you describe, clicking in the target region will add your selected file.
Have you any suggestions as to what could be enhanced with this flow to make it clearer?
I am not so convinced that Xibo development team’s philosophy on the “replace” functionality is sound. You should not be limited to replacing a graphic just from a new upload but be able to replace a graphic via a new upload and from the existing media library.
We do it all the time replacing old graphics with updated graphics or ones that have been used before, (like weekdays) The fact that the new layout editor warns me that there is already a graphic of the same name in the library YET doesn’t give me the choice of using either a new upload or the Library copy irks me. and adding the image in as an additional graphic in a region then deleting the old old seems clumsy and counter-intuitive.
…yet when you drag or click on the + button the names and visual clues are all hidden or lost under orange stripes. You have to really keep you wits about you to not drag it by accident on the wrong region.
And that is exactly what happened to us last week. The graphic was dragged onto the wrong region and was incorrectly displayed, leaving us with 300+ confused students who didn’t know where to report to for their exam. The name of the region or the graphic should remain when you drag the image onto it so you retain context!
So these two points are my suggestions to improve the editor.
Allow images to be replaced either from the Library or with a fresh upload, and if there is an existing identical image in the library, allow it to be used.
Leave the name of the file in the regions when dragging or adding content from the Widget bar to the orange regions. It might be better to allow the user to highlight the target region and “gray” out the other regions for the adding operation, instead of offering them ALL the possible regions (currently with no namers or visual clues as to content.
