[Bf-funboard] Expanding the menus

[Matt Ebb]

Hi,

Graying out the menus is definitely something that's needed, but at the
moment, I'm not sure of the best way to work it out (only a crappy beginner
coder! :P). Hopefully I can get some help on this in the future from someone
more experienced.

I don't think putting everythig in the Edit menu in one long list would be a
good idea - firstly, the menu would be way too long which defeats the
purpose of dividing up and organising the features neatly. And this would
get even longer and more unweildy when new features are added.

I guess the thing I've also been thinking about with those Edit > Mesh >/
Curve > menus is: What happens when more are added. I can envision having an
Edit > Ipo > menu with Ipo editing functions (for example, R - Record Mouse)
and even something like Edit > Text > (which could contain the text editing
hotkeys). If these were all to be top level menus, it would get very large.
Maybe that's not too much of a problem though - I'll give it a try and see.
I do agree with you that putting it one level deep is a bit cumbersome.

About merging the selection tools with modelling tools (I presume you mean
putting things like 'select linked vertices' along with the mesh editing
stuff?) I guess I was just considering it from the point of view that when
you're doing mesh editing you're likely to be using those sorts of selection
tools too. Another option would be to create a 'select' menu, but for the
size that it takes up in the top bar, there wouldn't be many items. And
you'd then have to work out a way to logically split up the general tools
like border select and select all, with select linked vertices (mesh), with
'select row' (curve/surface). It may get quite confusing to have them all in
the one list, when the main aim here is to order things neatly.

As for the buttons windows, putting the functions in there is not a solution
to this problem. It is probably a great addition, but my aim for the scope
of this is to make the menu as a nice, 'global' well-organised way to see
all the features with none being hidden. It's meant to be additional to the
hotkeys and buttons, not as a replacement, so moving actions from the menus
to the buttons would be counter-productive (hides them away again out of the
organised structure).

Anyway, thanks very much for your ideas! More feedback from everyone is
definitely welcome  - even on details like the ordering of items, wording,
etc.

Cheers

Matt


----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Daniel Barbeau" <DanielPGB_Vasquez@hotmail.com>
To: <bf-funboard@blender.org>
Sent: Wednesday, August 06, 2003 5:51 AM
Subject: Re: [Bf-funboard] Expanding the menus


> Hello Matt.
>
> Again I really like the changes you've done to the UI, it's getting
> clearer and clearer.
>
> For the Edit Curves/Mesh issue, here's my proposal:
> Those modelling tools (that's what they are) must be fast to access by
> mouse for the newbies so a top level menu would be just fine.
> There's you'd have to put both curve tools and mesh tools. submenus?
> case sensitive menu?
> Sub levels slow done too much I think. But Case sensitive, if
> incorrectly done can lose the newbies, so the distinction should be
> done, not by hiding the unavailable tools, but graying htem out and
> that makes a super long dropdown menu no? how many entries? 39?
> That's a lot...( by the way, i noticed you merged some selection tools
> to modelling tools... you sure you want to do this?)
>
> How to solve these issues (the need for speed, and accessibility, and
> compactness) ?
> I guess i would go for the F9 panel... I know it's pretty cramed up
> with buttons already, but THIS panel would be IMHO the place for such
> tools.
> You should check solmax' mockup about a property editor.
> http://www.blender.org/modules.php?op=modload&name=phpBB2&file=viewtop
> ic&t=1837
> This *could* replace the Edit panel efficiently but would need some
> expanding.. This Property editing panel should be quickly
> scrollable... i don't say it should be adopted right away but in the
> futur, such an option SHOULD be considered.
>
> I hope this helps
> Dani
>
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