1132756 - Options are too obscure

Status: RESOLVED WONTFIX

(DevTools :: Performance Tools (Profiler/Timeline), defect, P3)

Description

[Nick Fitzgerald [:fitzgen] [⏰PST; UTC-8]]

This isn't a user preference that should be hidden in a drop down and always left on or always left off depending on if I like it this way and you like it that way. This is a toggle-able mode with huge implications for the type and quality of data you record, and depending on what you are profiling you want it on or off, perhaps toggling multiple times in one session.

I think this should be a checkbox (like it used to be? or is on the timeline?), perhaps in the bottom left, like where the current profiler has the invert tree option. This is where the gecko addon and OSX instruments put similar things, and I think it belongs there as well.

Comment 1

[Nick Fitzgerald [:fitzgen] [⏰PST; UTC-8]]

In fact, I would say put all the options there, in the bottom left.

Comment 2

[Nick Fitzgerald [:fitzgen] [⏰PST; UTC-8]]

(In reply to Nick Fitzgerald [:fitzgen] from comment #1)
> In fact, I would say put all the options there, in the bottom left.

It's rare that we will have so many recordings to even get into a position where we will have to scroll because of the vertical space taken by the options.

Comment 3

[Jordan Santell [:jsantell] [@jsantell]]

Open to new places for these options, but some are probably going to be changed infrequently, and some more frequently, and maybe some should be contextual (invert tree checkbox only on the tree views). I don't think there's enough space on the bottom left for 6 options, though. And any other sketches we had, we'd have to overlay a checkbox on a graph or something.

I agree, it's obscure, but not sure how to make it more noticible. An "options" bar in the bottom left that opens the same window up (so we spell it out rather than have a gear icon, so close to the normal toolbox options view)?

Comment 4

[Nick Fitzgerald [:fitzgen] [⏰PST; UTC-8]]

How about:

* Options that will likely change frequently go in the bottom left
  - Toggling memory recording
  - Invert call tree
  - Flatten recursion

* Options that will rarely change (often only one time to change from default if you are a power user) go in the toolbox level options
  - Show gecko platform data

Aside: why is toggling FPS an option? Why would anyone ever disable that?

Comment 5

[Nick Fitzgerald [:fitzgen] [⏰PST; UTC-8]]

Attachment: hashtag mock up

Looks like plenty of room to me...

Comment 6

[Victor Porof [:vporof][:vp]]

(In reply to Nick Fitzgerald [:fitzgen] from comment #4)
> 
> Aside: why is toggling FPS an option? Why would anyone ever disable that?

Graphs can currently get heavy after 5-6 minutes of recording. If you want super clean overviews with zero overhead, you have the option to turn off all the things.

Comment 7

[Nick Fitzgerald [:fitzgen] [⏰PST; UTC-8]]

Attachment: Screen shot of Instruments

Similar sidebar checkbox options to what I'm proposing. In the previous OSX version it was on the left too.

Much more discoverable, IMO.

Comment 8

[Victor Porof [:vporof][:vp]]

(In reply to Nick Fitzgerald [:fitzgen] from comment #5)
> Created attachment 8563888 [details]
> hashtag mock up
> 
> Looks like plenty of room to me...

I disagree. My toolboxes are very rarely taller than 400px. When having console recordings, that list can fill up pretty quickly.

Comment 9

[Victor Porof [:vporof][:vp]]

Not specifically blocking v2.

Comment 10

[Victor Porof [:vporof][:vp]]

Triaging. Filter on ADRENOCORTICOTROPIC (yes).

Comment 11

[Greg Tatum [:gregtatum]]

This UI work is no longer relevant with Bug 1408124.