Provide more render types for Dash lens

Registered by weihua zhang

    Currently, the dash lens has two forms to show searching results: listview and iconview. Is that necessary to provide more render types for dash lens to show the results? More render types can make dash more beautiful and more interesting : )
    For example,
    No.1: showing the pictures searched as the way of slide show or with "<" at left and ">" at right of results range for user to explore.
    No.2: when you moves mouse on one of the searched pictures, the picture is auto enlarged.
    No.3: when you are searching a translation of English/Chinese word and puts the mouse on one of the searched , its pronunciation is auto read, as well as other sound materials.
    No.4: animations, flashes or videos searched on the lens can be previewed without right click.
    No.5: provide more flexible filters for different lens to choose. For instance, in dictionary lens, user can select source languages and destination languages while music lens can select searching from local disk or from web.
    OK, can you give any more?

Blueprint information

Status:
Not started
Approver:
None
Priority:
Undefined
Drafter:
None
Direction:
Needs approval
Assignee:
weihua zhang
Definition:
New
Series goal:
None
Implementation:
Unknown
Milestone target:
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Since the goal of Dash is acting as a fast information searching entry, all kinds of information should be allowed to display on the lens. Different information have different show modes. It would make the dash more beautiful and more interesting if we provide more render types than just listing the searched results.

     According to the source codes, libunity is not used to implement Unity Shell but provide a client for the purpose deeply integrated with Unity Shell. While libunity defines enum types of Dash renders, actual renders are implemented by Unity in Dash directory.

    Items to be discussed:
    - necessity
    - overview of current design of dash renders
    - steps to write a common dash render for lens
    - what shoulde we do when extending current design of dash to provide more functions, such as No.1~No.5 in summary
    - new design which you think could work
    - other open ideas about the Dash UI design

Saviq [May 16th]:
Yes, there's going to be more renderers in Unity 8, and it's going to be possible to provide custom ones. Not sure about everything you've written, as it seems pretty mouse-oriented, and we have to think about touch, but some of those should be possible.
Flash is a no-no, though.
Videos will be available for preview in... previews... Filters are already flexible (each lens can define them) and will be so even more (each scope will be able to define them).
Hope that clears things up.

(?)

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