General app navigation

Somehow the navigation in the app doesn't feel quite well, especially the way to switch hosts is very awkward since i need to go inside a project in order to see the settings wheel which lets me switch the server. Did you think about leaving the tab-bar navigation style and moving to a sidebar menu? Something like this would make the general navigation in the app more easy I think.

Hey Thomas,

I really appreciate the time you've gone to think about this issue!

My concern with a hamburger menu is that it's not standard Apple HIG and (depending who you talk to) is considered poor UX (https://lmjabreu.com/post/why-and-how-to-avoid-hamburger-menus/).

I agree the Tab Bar is cramped, especially when switching Hosts and Projects - I haven't found a better solution fitting within the Tab Bar design. What I particularly dislike in the current implementation is the settings Tab is a mash of many different settings, and Switching Host isn't really a 'Setting' I don't think.

If you can think of a way to do that, using a Tab Bar design (or some other standard HIG), I will implement it (if you would like, I will happily credit you on the website for your advice on this issue!).

P.S Also the iPad navigation is going to be similarly challenging once it's optimised!

Milestone changed to Version 1.5

Just reading some API enhancements in GitLab 8.5 projects, I think the Project Selector itself needs an overhaul see #131 (closed)

Milestone changed to Version 1.4.2

Hey Thomas,

Just working on the Navigation changes, what I thought of doing is making the Modal window have a segment control (so you can select between GitLab and GitHub Servers / Accounts). The new changes will mean you can have multiple accounts on the same server!

Secondly, you initially see a list of servers with their respective accounts. Tapping the information button on the right allows you to logout of the server or refresh the API token.

Thirdly, when you tap a server, a few rows are added beneath the server (it's like a menu). Your Projects, Starred Projects, Groups, etc. Tapping one of those options then allows you to select a project.

Finally, by default the current 'selected' server will already have its menu items shown (so no need to select it again).

Hey, glad to hear you are working on it!

• Well, I don't know about the advantage of having multiple accounts on the same server. Do people do such stuff? Personally I would not do so but maybe its a thing?
• I don't quite get the advantage of the segmented control, why not just list the servers no matter if they are GitLab or GitHub like its shown on the screenshot? Could you explain the advantage of the segmented control?
• If you want to keep the servers directly on the view it should be made visually clear which server you are connected to at the moment. I can't see it very well on the screenshot you attached.
• I'm missing somehow a button on the top left to dismiss the modal view without the need to reselect a server/project ;)

• Multiple Accounts I think is more useful for GitHub users!
• Agree, the segmented control for GitLab / GitHub wasn't useful!
• I've split the view so the 'Selected' Host is in the first view, with all other hosts listed in a the second. How about this?
• I've added a cancel button to dismiss the modal view.

See this movie.mov for a preview

I took a look at your new build and have some suggestions you might think about :)

• first one is using the project avatar as the indicator in the top left corner, i know apple apps using text a lot, but project names can be long (and in our case many have the same name but belong to different groups as you know). So i personally think it makes sense to use the avatar if there is one available and use text only as a fallback if there is not icon.
• I would shift the search bar out of the view by default and only reveal it once you scroll past the top like its done in the messages app for example. It makes the initial look more clean i think.
  

As I understood you are clearly a fan of the segmented controls ;) But I still don't quite understand why it should be necessary or comfortable to split the modal view in 2. If you add "hots" in the tableview and just use the top cell to display the current host it would eliminate the segmented control which makes the view look cluttered as for me. If I where you I would take a close look on when a segmented control makes sense and when not.

Don't get me wrong, im just making suggestions and trying to improve the app since i like it so far :) Keep the good work up!

Thanks for looking Thomas!

• I thought about this, even tried it in code, but went with the Text solution. Text keeps things clearer than Icons generally I think?
• I want to do that. I've already tried to do it, but there are some bugs preventing it at the moment. I will revisit this though!
• I'll explore if there are any UX issues with the Selected Host / All Hosts segmented control.

Milestone changed to %Version 1.5

Reassigned to @matt.wilkinson

How do you like the new navigation thomas?

Hey Matt!

Sorry that it took me so long to answer, busy times :) Yeah the general navigation got a lot better Only thing I'm missing now somehow is a milestone view. We only look at issues on a milestone bases nowadays, that I'm missing somehow. But great work over all! :)