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Redesigning the geometry toolbox?

 
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chronozphere
DeleD PRO user


Joined: 20 Jun 2006
Posts: 1010
Location: Netherlands
PostPosted: Thu Feb 18, 2010 4:37 pm    Post subject: Redesigning the geometry toolbox? Reply with quote
Hey guys

The geometry toolbox is one of the most important GUI elements of DeleD. It makes the program very user-friendly. Smile

However, I foresee some problems when new tools are added. The list of permanently visible tools is growing (I have a higher DPI setting, so the toolbox probably takes more space on my screen than on yours). Also, some edit modes only contain a few tools (face mode and skeleton mode). The other modes are useless in that context.

For example, I don't see the point of showing the CSG tools in any mode but Object-Mode.

Also, we will see more tools that can only be used in one mode. These will probably be Skeleton tools or UV-mapping tools (face mode).

I'd like to know your opinion about this:

- Should we change the way DeleD shows tools?
- Should we hide tools that cannot be used in the selected edit mode?
- Should we add an option to hide/show certain tools, or change the way tools are shown?
- Should we add alternative ways to access tools (prehaps a tool menu at the top or a submenu when right clicking)?

The reason I'm asking is that I might do some work on the tool management code. I'd like to investigate the possibilities of making tools easier to access and customize. Smile

Thanks

Last edited by chronozphere on Thu Feb 18, 2010 4:45 pm; edited 1 time in total
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harper
Member


Joined: 19 Jul 2007
Posts: 283
Location: Hamburg, Germany
PostPosted: Thu Feb 18, 2010 4:45 pm    Post subject: I like options Reply with quote
I would prefer the "optional" way. So the "old" users can look on a familiar menu, but new ones can choose, or everybody can ban the crowded menu when it's growing too big.
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Grandmaster B
DeleD PRO user


Joined: 03 Jul 2007
Posts: 218
PostPosted: Thu Feb 18, 2010 6:22 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
Good idea! I also dislike the current toolbox. The toolbox should only show the tools that make sense in the current mode.
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trucker2000
DeleD PRO user


Joined: 11 May 2005
Posts: 1839
Location: Sacramento, California
PostPosted: Thu Feb 18, 2010 9:36 pm    Post subject: Re: I like options Reply with quote
harper wrote:
I would prefer the "optional" way. So the "old" users can look on a familiar menu, but new ones can choose, or everybody can ban the crowded menu when it's growing too big.

I'll second this one.
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Dragonsbrethren
Member


Joined: 12 Apr 2009
Posts: 21
PostPosted: Fri Feb 19, 2010 7:12 am    Post subject: Re: Redesigning the geometry toolbox? Reply with quote
chronozphere wrote:

- Should we change the way DeleD shows tools?

Yes

chronozphere wrote:

- Should we hide tools that cannot be used in the selected edit mode?

Yes.

chronozphere wrote:

- Should we add an option to hide/show certain tools, or change the way tools are shown?

I think having a show/hide option for each tool would be overkill and clutter the interface. I do third harper's suggestion of having an option to show all tools, for people who are used to the old way. I know I was a bit annoyed when 2.0 changed the hotkeys around.

chronozphere wrote:

- Should we add alternative ways to access tools (prehaps a tool menu at the top or a submenu when right clicking)?

Provided these never replace the user-friendly box, yes.

I'm not sure if this is the right place the suggest this, but since you're talking about UI improvements, I think there should be a button to open the material editor in the material tab. That, IMO, is the most logical place to find the option. Right now the only way of accessing it is that tiny toolbar button, which is pretty easy to miss and unintuitive compared to the rest of the interface.
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