Puzzling UI set-up of new dt 4.0

[Nilvus]

@garrett

I agree. The default modules aren’t great, the new filter stuff is confusing (and it feels like there are now 3 places to filter images?!), and it takes forever to find a setting in the settings panel now.

I’ve used darktable for a few years, but the UI of darktable 4.0 is quite a big regression. It hasn’t kept up with the strides darktable has made in the workflow.

As an experienced user, I do know which modules to enable and disable to get a modern workflow, which options need to be on or off, and how to mostly hide the new mostly-superfluous filtering. I can make darktable still work for me. But I’ve invested time into knowing how to do all that (including the how and why).

There’s 2 things you pointed:

• default modules set on modules presets. This had probably just been forgotten. I don’t see any regression on that part as it was already the same in previous release. I thinks posting an issue to ask for an update on that would be good. Of course, as new workflow is recommended, default modules preset should be updated. Unfortunately, manys developers and users who post feedback use darktable since a time and so probably had their own presets; And so didn’t thought about updating that.

• About new filters, it’s quite more complicate. At first, new filters had been added because some users had some complaints about historic filters, especially that they are not really simple to use (use boolean symbols that some users don’t understand, etc.). The idea was at first to replace old filters but lack of time and also worries about complaints if we remove too early old ones make that old ones had been kept. New design filters are indeed quite controversial but we have had probably something near 50/50 hate or love them feedback.
  I personally find new star rating filter much better and quicker (on click or drag and click, instead of 2 to 4 clicks on old one. I don’t understand feeback about counting stars. I find it really quick (less than a second) to see which stars are selected (it’s only 5 stars and one no star icon). I anyway understand that we are all different.
  I will not talk about other range filters (those with “timeline” view) as I don’t use them, even same filters with old system. And I don’t like timeline view in bottom of lighttable so I do not add more feedback on that part.
  Said all that, we have had users who find them better, and of course at the end, it’s not good to keep 3 parts to filter images. Having just 2: one main part and top bar for some quick filters choosed by the users should be final part (and this what is it planned since the beginning). Old system is not good, new one need to be improved; What’s difficult is to find which way to fit to more users and having a system which is appreciated by more people than old one and new one.

For that filters part, I think this thread recently opened could be a good way to continue discussion: A calm, rational and respectul discussion about the new collection filters