Frames: "Margin" and "Gap" are wrongly named?

• Mar 3, 2017 - 21:16
Reported version
2.1
Type
Functional
Severity
S5 - Suggestion
Status
active
Project
MuseScore

2.0.3

Subsequent to this thread: Implementation of vertical frame margins .

Re: Frames. The "Margin" property (Inspector) does not actually adjust the true margin of the frame, but instead adjusts the "Padding". It appears that the "Gap" property (Inspector) is actually the true margin. Should these properties be renamed in the Inspector to avoid confusion?

Comments

• Mar 3, 2017 - 21:34

The "margin" is really a "content margin", affecting the margin *within* the frame. As opposed to a margin affecting the position of the margin on the page. So it *is* a margin, but I agree it isn't really obvious what it really refers to, and the term "padding" is more clear. I would suggest keep Gap as is, since we don't want people who *do* get that "margin" currently means "content margin" to wonder why the definition changed.

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• Mar 4, 2017 - 10:43

The reason I suggest that "gap" in the Inspector should be changed to "margin" is because "margin" is the term used, correctly, in Style > General >Page—as in "Vertical frame top margin" or "Vertical frame bottom margin". The terminology on the Page submenu and the Inspector needs to be consistent.

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• Mar 4, 2017 - 16:48

That's a good point, but I'd claim that the use of "margin" in the Style dialog is actually where the problem is. That's not really an error either - this dialog is about *page* settings, and this is indeed the margin *on the page* around the frame, whereas the Inspector is about *frame* settings, so the term "margin" if used there could still refer to the margin *within* the frame. But I agree consistent terminology is good. I think it would be clearest if it said "gap" in both places. Worth discussing on forum, though.

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• Jun 17, 2017 - 10:43

Subsequent to this post: Horizontal offset lost in text frame .

IMV, the following changes would ensure consistency of nomenclature (and simplify the GUI?):

1. In the Inspector, change the implementation of frame "Left margin, ""Right margin, "Top margin" and "Bottom margin" so that they always affect the OUTSIDE space (not the inside space).
2. In the Inspector, remove the frame "Top gap" and "Bottom gap" properties as these are now redundant (?).

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