[Xastir] Map Chooser Properties

[Rick Green]

I would go one step further, and allow multiple attribute change.  I find
the separate update buttons for every field slow.  I would prefer the
style of a single 'apply' button which updates all fields for a given
selection.

  So the user interaction would look like this:
1) Select a map from the list.  The current parameter values for that map
appear in the edit fields below.
2) Change whatever fields desired.
3) Click 'Apply'.
 3a)  If fields have been changed, and user changes the map selection or
clicks 'Close', prompt for confirmation "Abandon changes?"
4) Click 'Close'

I'd also like to see the interfaces menu consolidated.  Why are there
separate 'start/stop' and 'properties' dialogs?  Could we simplify it to:

1) Clicking the 'interfaces' menu brings up a dialog which contains a
table of the currently defined interfaces, and their current status.  At
the bottom would be buttons 'add', 'delete', 'edit', 'start', 'stop',
which would act on whatever interface was selected.

I guess what I'm saying is that in general, menus are nested too deep.
Put more information on the initial dialog, and only go to another level
when its necessary to 'drill down' to get more detail for a given
selection.  We now have large high-res displays.  It seems silly to
continue programming like we did with character-mode terminals over slow
modem links, where the goal was to give the user a choice as soon as
possible in order to focus the utilization of the limited bandwidth.
This isn't a complaint about xastir specifically.  It's a rant about the
inefficiency of so many GUI applications that still open a window, ask ONE
question, close that window, repeat...  This isn't BASIC on a TTY device.
How long have addressable-cursor terminals been on the market?  GUI's?
Let's change the mindset and use the capabilities to give the user more
information, and more choices in the top-level menus, so they don't have
to wade down and up, over and over thru a deep heirarchy of menus to find
what they're looking for.

Sorry for the rant... Sometimes old frustrations get triggered and I find
myself getting carried away...

-- 
Rick Green

"They that can give up essential liberty to obtain a little
 temporary safety, deserve neither liberty nor safety."
                                  -Benjamin Franklin