PasswordMaker Forums
Firefox/SeaMonkey/Mozilla/Netscape/Flock Browser Extension => Feature Requests / Enhancements => Topic started by: ajw on October 06, 2005, 07:42:00 AM
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I often want to keep notes with passwords.
Things like a credit card web site, when account was opened, credit limit, *credit card number*, *PIN*, etc. This allows me to keep all the information in a single place.
I'd like a text field (just like I'm typing into right now to enter this post) on account settings.
Naturally, it would have to be encrypted.
It would be nice to be able to click on a URL in the note (like the credit card website) and go to that site, but that's not critical.
- Al -
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Hi Al,
If the "Description" field was called "Description/Notes" and was a multi-row textbox (instead of its current single-row), would that work? As for encrypting the field, it's currently not encrypted but this could be added. I'd like to know if you want yet another field on that dialog or the current one can be expanded/reused to fit your needs.
As an aside, PasswordMaker will shortly have the ability to auto-populate any field (e.g. PIN), not just username and password
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I think that'd be fine; I don't currently use Description at all; I use a descriptive name ("Alan's Discover card" "Alan's secret Swiss bank account"... :)
Initially I thought it would look better visually if the note field was at the bottom, beneath the settings, but then I realized that's only because it's like that in another app I'm used to.
I see no reason the notes couldn't be on top (expanded Description/Notes field) and the settings below, so expanding and encrypting Description is fine by me. Anyone currently using it as a single line would continue to do so. (although if they would like a separate notes field they'd be out of luck)
(hmmm... how about a notes field with tab pages... hmmm... and user-configurable forms.... and... and... :)
(Alan imagines Eric running away screaming...)
How do you think you'd handle sizing vertically? Can the Description field auto-size based on the window size? So you'd always see the Name above and 1 line of Desciption and all the settings, but if you make the window taller you'd have Name above, settings at the bottom and Description would expand to fill the available space. Is that possible? (I think that'd be ideal if it can be done)
Alternatively, a user setting for "display N lines of Description" would be ok - just not as clean.
As an aside, PasswordMaker will shortly have the ability to auto-populate any field (e.g. PIN), not just username and password
Excellent! I don't usually have other fields to fill in - will it be able to fill in things like name, address, phone, etc for purchasing forms? That'd be a definite improvement - repeatedly filling in that junk is a pain...
- Al -
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How do you think you'd handle sizing vertically? Can the Description field auto-size based on the window size? So you'd always see the Name above and 1 line of Desciption and all the settings, but if you make the window taller you'd have Name above, settings at the bottom and Description would expand to fill the available space. Is that possible? (I think that'd be ideal if it can be done)
Yes, this is possible with the XUL flex attribute. No problem.
Excellent! I don't usually have other fields to fill in - will it be able to fill in things like name, address, phone, etc for purchasing forms?
Yes -- anything.
Tyrantmizar, can you add to the FRL "Change description field in Account Settings to multi-line notes/description box"? I'm fairly certain Romeo asked for this once, too, or something similar.
By the way, you should be aware that the notes/description field won't appear as multiple lines in the Advanced Options->Accounts Tab->Description column without a serious amount of work on my part... so I'll probably leave that out unless you specifically request it.
-Eric
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By the way, you should be aware that the notes/description field won't appear as multiple lines in the Advanced Options->Accounts Tab->Description column without a serious amount of work on my part... so I'll probably leave that out unless you specifically request it.
I don't see that as a big limitation - it permits it to work as it does now, and I can't imagine anyone wanting to display many lines of description for every account! That'd be one messy display with lots of vertical scrolling!
- Al -
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Tyrantmizar, can you add to the FRL "Change description field in Account Settings to multi-line notes/description box"? I'm fairly certain Romeo asked for this once, too, or something similar.
Actually, that was me - although maybe Romeo did too at some point... ;)
I guess it slipped through the cracks - that was a while back...
As an aside, PasswordMaker will shortly have the ability to auto-populate any field (e.g. PIN), not just username and password
kewl! been waiting for that one...
By the way, you should be aware that the notes/description field won't appear as multiple lines in the Advanced Options->Accounts Tab->Description column without a serious amount of work on my part... so I'll probably leave that out unless you specifically request it.
Definitely don't need it there...
On this note though... Al hit all around a good idea...
Making the 'Description' field multi lines will definitely clutter this window a lot more. Have you considered breaking up the Account Details window into Tabs, to better organize and unclutter the windw? Maybe just start with two (but this way you could always add more, so adding more options will be much less problematic) - have the Account name, Description, URL stuff and Username on the Main tab, and put the other stuff on an 'Encryption Options' tab or something? Much cleaner...
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Hadn't thought of that. Good idea.
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kewl - I'll go post a FR...
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On this note though... Al hit all around a good idea...
(Al grins... :)
Making the 'Description' field multi lines will definitely clutter this window a lot more. Have you considered breaking up the Account Details window into Tabs, to better organize and unclutter the windw? Maybe just start with two (but this way you could always add more, so adding more options will be much less problematic) - have the Account name, Description, URL stuff and Username on the Main tab, and put the other stuff on an 'Encryption Options' tab or something? Much cleaner...
Actually, I don't like tabs very much.
If it's possible, I like to see everything all at once. Tabs make me hunt for this information and that bit and then this setting over here. Sometimes it's necessary; there's just too much information to display, but I'd argue against it here.
But that's just me...
(would it be possible to have an "everything" tab - and possibly an option to display the normal tabs or the everything tab?)
- Al -
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There are people using PasswordMaker at 800x600 resolution, so as that dialog grows in size it will eventually be too large for them. I know because the Advanced Settings dialog used to be rather huge and lots of people complained.
Bottom line is tab probably won't be introduced until/unless the dialog gets overly complicated or too large for 800x600. As it stands, it could use some grouping lines so I might do that.
Making the description box multi-line probably won't push it over the 800x600 limit, but I'll need to check.
(would it be possible to have an "everything" tab - and possibly an option to display the normal tabs or the everything tab?)
I'm not very inclined to do this. Why?
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There are people using PasswordMaker at 800x600 resolution, so as that dialog grows in size it will eventually be too large for them. I know because the Advanced Settings dialog used to be rather huge and lots of people complained.
That's a good point - I got a widescreen notebook when my last notebook died, and I've gotten rather used to it - I forget what it was like to be cramped...
With multi-line description, the dialog would look like this:
(http://img11.imageshack.us/img11/5350/talldescription3wu.png)
and if the dialog were made taller, Description expands vertically, so you'd see:
(http://img11.imageshack.us/img11/5284/verytalldescription7rj.png)
Scroll bars on the right if necessary, of course.
Doesn't seem bad to me - but of course I'm the one requesting it... :)
I like your idea of adding some grouping - a friend of mine is adamant about lining things up, so I did a bit to see what it'd look like:
(http://img151.imageshack.us/img151/6137/aligned1jf.png)
I'm not terribly good at graphic layout; I'll bet somebody with some artistic sense could do wonders with it...
(I just stuck these images on my own web server - is there a better place to put 'em? I can leave them there forever; no problem, but probably better if you have the images yourself... it's your product and forum... and are they sized ok? I can make 'em smaller if that'd be better)
(would it be possible to have an "everything" tab - and possibly an option to display the normal tabs or the everything tab?)
I'm not very inclined to do this. Why?
Why, because that way I get my all-on-one page and everyone else gets tabs! (or in other words, I get things *my* way! :)
Actually, looking at the images, I don't think two tabs would be bad. If you can, I'd like to be able to pick name&description&generated password on the first, and password configuration on the second - I imagine you and others are planning the other way...
I'm thinking of PasswordMaker as a repository for all my secret information; more than just a password maker. (like this morning when I looked up airline frequent flier numbers - no password needed there; just the encrypted description field)
Could the tab order be configurable? (drag-n-drop reordering would be cool, but with two tabs I don't see it as necessary; just a "first tab is description / first tab is password configuration" selection.)
Once this syncs with PDAs, I can replace the tool I'm currently using - that's my real goal... :)
- Al -
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Actually, I don't see any reason for the Description/Comments field to expand like that - just make it 4 or 5 lines high, and if more text is entered, give it a scroll bar.
I would like to see the encrytion options moved to a separate tab because I rarely change these - the only things that get modified almost every time are the URL fields and the Username.
That said - it isn't a high priority for me. But if/when it does get split up, I'd like to see the stuff that gets modified every time on the Main Tab, and the rest on [a] secondary tab.
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Actually, I don't see any reason for the Description/Comments field to expand like that - just make it 4 or 5 lines high, and if more text is entered, give it a scroll bar.
Bring up the New Account dialog now, then stretch it vertically - you get all the options at the top, then this big grey area, and the ok/cancel buttons at the bottom. Looks pretty silly... At least if the description expands it makes the dialog look reasonable.
Making it 4 lines is wasteful for anyone not using the description, and cramped for much of the data I'd like to put in it.
If it's hard to do, then I could see making it a fixed height, but Eric said
Yes, this is possible with the XUL flex attribute. No problem.
so I'd argue for the most-flexible (uh, pun... :) solution.
That said - it isn't a high priority for me. But if/when it does get split up, I'd like to see the stuff that gets modified every time on the Main Tab, and the rest on [a] secondary tab.
I think that is sensible after all.
I know I'm thinking of PM as more of (or evolving into) more of a secred-information database than just a means of keeping/tracking/generating passwords (not to diminish that function - it's very cool the way it works!) - but of course that's because that's what *I* want...
Thinking of it that way, I think I'd want name, description, and the generated password on the first tab (can't decide on user name there - if PM is going to auto-fill, is it needed on first tab? and if so does the password even need to be on the first tab? I dunno.. I confuse myself sometimes... :)
I guess it makes sense to either show name & password on the first (and on the second tab also? so all the configuration settings are on second tab; first tab is reference but can also change the user name if desired...)
Thinking of it as (just... :) a password generator, I'd want the password info directly accessable; the description isn't terribly important...
- Al -
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Thinking of it that way, I think I'd want name, description, and the generated password on the first tab (can't decide on user name there - if PM is going to auto-fill, is it needed on first tab?
?
If PM is going to auto-fill the username, then you have to enter it - which I always do. Every Account I have has a username entered - so this should definitely be on the Main Tab.
I'm missing your point...
As I said...
Put the items that the average user modifies virtually *every* time on the Main Tab - username is almost always going to be added. 'When URL...' and password pre/suffixes I don't usually use, but can see the argument for having them on the Main Tab.
Mainly, though, I'd eventually like to see the Encryption options separated out into their own Tab - l33t, hash, pass length and character set.
and if so does the password even need to be on the first tab? I dunno.. I confuse myself sometimes...
I don't need to see it - although it did give me some level of comfort when I first started using PM - I even copied the generated passwords religiously, putting them into an encryptes text file, just in case PM all of a sudden stopped 'working'... :lol:
Needless to say, I'm passed that now, and would actually feel better *not* seeing it.
Hmmm... another feature request?... I think I'll hold off and not wear out my welcome...
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If PM is going to auto-fill the username, then you have to enter it - which I always do. Every Account I have has a username entered - so this should definitely be on the Main Tab.
Unless you always use the same username, in which case it doesn't need to be...
(and thinking of PM as secret-info-database, not everything will *have* a username/password... but I'm ok with it either way - really I just want a bigger description field... :)
Mainly, though, I'd eventually like to see the Encryption options separated out into their own Tab - l33t, hash, pass length and character set.
Off the first tab, yes, but if you mean a third tab (first is name&desc,etc, second is password config info, and third is l33t etc, I'd argue against it - I'd rather all the password *configuration* stuff on one tab - and put the daily-use stuff (username, password, URL - so you can click to go there) on the first tab.
I don't need to see it - although it did give me some level of comfort when I first started using PM - I even copied the generated passwords religiously, putting them into an encryptes text file, just in case PM all of a sudden stopped 'working'...
Heh... See? that's what I have to do right now - I want a copy of all my passwords on my Palm, so I use PM to make a password, then copy it to the desktop companion of my Palm app... (having passwords and secret data on both notebook and Palm is critical for me - and must be editable on both sides)
But at the rate Eric's going, it won't be long... :)
- Al -
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If PM is going to auto-fill the username, then you have to enter it - which I always do. Every Account I have has a username entered - so this should definitely be on the Main Tab.
Unless you always use the same username, in which case it doesn't need to be...
Yes, but on average, I think it makes much more sense to have the URL and username fields on the Main Tab.
(and thinking of PM as secret-info-database, not everything will *have* a username/password... but I'm ok with it either way - really I just want a bigger description field...
Well - I don't see PM evolving into that, but who can say... I just want it to do what it is doing now - only better...
Mainly, though, I'd eventually like to see the Encryption options separated out into their own Tab - l33t, hash, pass length and character set.
Off the first tab, yes, but if you mean a third tab (first is name&desc,etc, second is password config info, and third is l33t etc, I'd argue against it - I'd rather all the password *configuration* stuff on one tab - and put the daily-use stuff (username, password, URL - so you can click to go there) on the first tab.
Who said anything about a THIRD Tab?
Currently, even TWO tabs is a bit much, but THREE? You want an entire Tab just for the Account Name and Descrition/Comments? Why waste an entire Tab for just those two things?
Most people will want to modify the URL and/or username fields at least fairly occasionally - more often than changing their Encrytion settings, for certain. I think this is a natural dividing point - but thats just me. I have every confidence in Eric making the right choice - he hasn't let us down yet. When the Settings need Tabs, he'll add them (2 to start).
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I just stuck these images on my own web server - is there a better place to put 'em?
Yes, please use an image-hosting service like imageshack (http://imageshack.us), flickr, etc. Most people here tend to use imageshack.
and are they sized ok?
yep. they look great. thanks for the suggestion; your screenshots demonstrate precisely what I was thinking, too.
This box is only going to get larger and more feature-rich; I definitely foresee the need for a third tab. For instance, the outstanding feature request re: management of custom pre-defined character sets requires its own page (whether it be a tab or a pop-up dialog, doesn't matter, but I prefer the tab). It will have essentially all the same controls as the Account tab/dialog--new group, new set, delete selection, copy/clone, a tree view, etc...quite large.
As for actual placement of which controls go on which tabs, you guys will have to trust me to do the right thing :)
FWIW, I will probably make the Generated Password appear on all tabs. That is, it would be placed off the tabbox so it's always visible. This way, you can quickly and easily see how the changes you're making affect the generated password. The whole reason Generated Password is on this dialog is because a number of people requested it. Originally, it was only on the Advanced and Basic Options. You didn't get a "preview" of the generated password until you clicked OK on the Account Settings. Quite a pain if you're experimenting with settings.
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Yes, but on average, I think it makes much more sense to have the URL and username fields on the Main Tab.
I'll agree it does right now; if PM did morph into a more general tool then it could be re-visited then. And if it doesn't become more general, then they should be there - I agree.
Well - I don't see PM evolving into that, but who can say... I just want it to do what it is doing now - only better...
then I'll hold my breath and stamp my feet until I get my way! :)
Who said anything about a THIRD Tab?
I was just confirming that *you* weren't suggesting a third tab! I wasn't suggesting it! (remember, I'm the one for one big humongous everything-visible Really Ugly dialog! :)
But then, in the next message, Eric said...
This box is only going to get larger and more feature-rich; I definitely foresee the need for a third tab.
(Alan pumps his chest up and tries to look rightous and important - and fails miserably...)
Hey, the tabs can always be reorganized and improved later - as long as I get my multi-line description I'm gonna be happy.
Or at least until my next feature request... :D
- Al -
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I just stuck these images on my own web server - is there a better place to put 'em?
Yes, please use an image-hosting service like imageshack, flickr, etc. Most people here tend to use imageshack.
Ok, just did so.
And I'll trust you to to place controls on the right tabs, and you'll trust us to complain we want it differently? :)
If you want, I can mock up a few tab examples with various layouts - use them as something to throw sticks at...
- Al -
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Well - I don't see PM evolving into that, but who can say... I just want it to do what it is doing now - only better...
then I'll hold my breath and stamp my feet until I get my way!
:boxing:
But then, in the next message, Eric said...
This box is only going to get larger and more feature-rich; I definitely foresee the need for a third tab.
(Alan pumps his chest up and tries to look rightous and important - and fails miserably...)
:lol:
:cheers:
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If you want, I can mock up a few tab examples with various layouts - use them as something to throw sticks at...
This would be most helpful if you did it in XUL using the accountsettings.xul file in PasswordMaker because your code would actually make it into the extension. IOW, you'd be contributing to the code. I know you are a programmer (checked out your website and you mentioned it previously). If you're interested, here's what to do. It's quite simple.- Download accountsettings.xul (http://www.mozdev.org/source/browse/~checkout~/passwordmaker/src/chrome/content/passwdmaker/accountsettings.xul?rev=1.28&content-type=text/plain) and store it somewhere on your hard drive
- Drag-and-drop this file onto Firefox or Mozilla to view it (or use File->Open File) edit: alternatively, type java script:openDialog("file:///C:/accountsettings.xul","","all=no,resizable") into Tools->Javascript Console->Evaluate
- Learn the straightforward XUL presentation language at XUL Planet (http://www.xulplanet.com). Specifically, read about <tabbox/>, <tabs/>, <tab/>, <tabpanels/> and <tabpanel/>. If you know HTML or another presentation language (like Palm web clipping apps), you should have no problems!
- Make changes to accountsettings.xul in your favorite text editor; use refresh in the browser to see your changes
You'll be acknowledged for your work if you do this in the About box and everywhere else. You'll also be well on your way towards writing your own custom extensions!
-Eric
edit:To get the styles looking correct, add
<?xml-stylesheet href="chrome://global/skin/" type="text/css"?>to the top of the file.
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I started playing with the XUL stuff last night (so it's *your* fault I didn't finish the stuff I told my client I would!)
I've got a deep learning curve there - I know just enough HTML and CSS to be dangerous, and the XUL is obtuse in some ways - I find object-oriented to be great once you understand what everything does, but steep to learn at the beginning; too many things defined in terms of itself or others. (attributes for hbox/vb script:openDialog("file:///D:/projects/PasswordMaker/playground/accountsettings.xul","","all=no,resizable")",
I *do* get a popup, and I can drag-resize it fine.
But I can only do the execute once - if I close the account settings dialog, and hit Execute again, nothing happens.
I have to close the Javascript console and re-open it before I can execute java script:openDialog again.
Is that normal too? seems to me it shouldn't be...
The console also reports various errors - I assume that's normal because it's using CSS (and .js ?) from the installed PasswordMaker, right?
If I have to reinstall Firefox to do development, I'll do that - I've been meaning to for a while but just too many other things to do... Just not sure when I can do it though. May try another FF profile and see if that's enough.
Ok, now to the changes:
at line 43, change from:
<hbox><label id="accountDescrLabel" value="Description" style="margin-top: 0.4em;" tooltiptext="Description for this account"/>
<textbox id="accountDescription" tooltiptext="Description for this account" flex="1"/></hbox>
change to:
<vbox flex="99">
<hbox flex="99">
<label id="accountDescrLabel" value="Description" style="margin-top: 0.4em;" tooltiptext="Description for this account"/>
<textbox id="accountDescription" multiline="true" tooltiptext="Description for this account" flex="1" />
</hbox>
</vbox>
(changes being: add vbox before, /vbox after, add flex="99" to hbox)
See what you think of the dialog this way - except for the jitter during resize, I like it...
I'll play with changing it to tabs soon - got lots more reading to do... (and gotta get the changes for my client before I can continue this :)
Now, about...
I know you are a programmer (checked out your website and you mentioned it previously).
You saw my website and you still want me to work on this!?!? Man, you *are* desperate!! :lol:
I *am* definitely interested in working on Palm synchronization too, btw; I could see an advantage to having a Palm conduit so everything's sync'd at "normal Palm HotSync" time, in addition to any FTP-type sync with PC and PDA (and I forget where tanstaafl wrote it - he's right; PDAs are getting more wireless, so PDA to FTP sync does make sense - but I'd also argue that since HotSync (on Palm) or ActiveSync (on PocketPC) is expected to sync all the data both ways, that'd be good to support too) Probably needs to wait for PDA version though.
- Al -
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Hi Al,
I'm on vacation at the moment--don't have time to write an extensive reply. Most of what you're experiencing should be expected, though. You can get the .openWindow() bit to work w/o having to open/close the JS console by changing the window's name eveytime you hit execute. Right now the name is just "". Do a google on javascript openWindow() to find out which parameter is the window name--I can't remember off-hand.
As for the Palm conduit, just remember that if the PDA version is written in java, it doesn't have access to palm conduits (i've done some palm programming myself, actually wrote about in one of my books--but strictly java--not using the Palm C API).
will write more Monday night,
eric
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I'm on vacation at the moment ...
Hmmm... You and Tyr are both on vacation this weekend - sounds suspicioius to me!! :)
Have a great time - I missed my family's annual vacation in Myrtle Beach this year due to illness (long story - and getting longer day by day... :(
It took meeting my wife to find out that vacations are a Good Thing - she's smarter than I am, but:I think I'm really smart,
and my wife is really dumb.
'Cause I married her,
and she married me.[/li][/list]No problem - I've got lots to learn with all this; I'll try not to be too big a pest with newbie questions!
I know Palm took Java conduits away for a while, but I believe they're supported again. Although the conduit is syncing the database; shouldn't matter if the app itself is C or Java - should it? Gah - more stuff to read - haven't touched the conduit docs in ages...
see ya post-vacation!
- Al -
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Added to the FRL.
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Al,
Sorry, only saw this reply now!
I know Palm took Java conduits away for a while, but I believe they're supported again.
They are? If you find any docs on how to do this with Java, please let me know.
I think I'm really smart,
and my wife is really dumb.
'Cause I married her,
and she married me.
UNDERSTOOD! Ditto.
I've got lots to learn with all this; I'll try not to be too big a pest with newbie questions!
Please continue to ask. It's keeping me busy. :)
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Bring up the New Account dialog now, then stretch it vertically - you get all the options at the top, then this big grey area, and the ok/cancel buttons at the bottom. Looks pretty silly... At least if the description expands it makes the dialog look reasonable.
- Al -
OK, if I may?
On your suggestion for "...then stretch it vertically -..." is available with PWM, just click the edge of the window when the double-headed arrow is visible and drag it down. Just do not have the 'Notes' box available at this time. You can also drag it horiz. and this works with the 'BasicOptions' and 'AdvancedOptions.'
Here is my $0.002 worth on this subject, if the 'Description' box, if it is expanded to "Description/Notes" then maybe it should not be at the top of the window, maybe the bottom would be best, and for the window for 'AdvancedOptions'/ 'Accounts' move it to the last entry for the little box you have in the Upper/RightHand corner for selectable displays.
The above should have read, ". . .if it is expanded to "Description/Notes" then maybe it should not be at the top of the 'Settings' window, maybe the bottom would be best. For the window for 'AdvancedOptions'/ 'Accounts' move it to the last entry for the little box you have in the Upper/RightHand corner for selectable displays." In other words if data is entered in that area then it is going to dominate the tab window for 'Groups' unless it will be restricted to the first 20 characters so the description will be in that area.
Just a thought, as if you needed more?
"Eric,"
Do you have enough PROPS for your head with all of these ideas collected here along with the ones you already have?
TIA, CU L8R,