[Bf-funboard] buttons layout proposal

Daniel Fairhead bf-funboard@blender.org
Sun, 10 Aug 2003 22:25:25 +0300


> I like your idea os splitting the window up in specified segments, but I
> dislike the tabs....
> imho, I think you could accomplish the same effect with moving buttons and
> changing buttons from push to pulldown (osa level, presets, etc)

I looked. There are just *too* many buttons and options, I think. This way, at least,
you don't have to do a re-organize or shuffle each time 1 new option gets added. 
Look at the new materials window, with the shader stuff. Everything fits now, sure,
but it is all squashed and toggles and sliders are getting muddled up all over the 
place. With these tabs, we have (practically) unlimited space. With the tabs looking 
more like tabs, and being less wide, we get even more space. With more pulldowns
and pop-up blocks (like edge-options, etc), we still have more clicks, and not a whole
lot of space saved.

> finding stuff with 1 glance is a big PRO

Yes. But (a) once learned, its only one extra click, and options have text by them
(if done well) so you can find things by glance "Oh look, it says 'Anti-Aliasing', that'll
be antialiasing" instead of "OSA, MBlur, Hm... er Edge settings! Ha. I want soft edges!
What the?? *mouse over* *mouse over* *mouse over* OSA? OK!". Not that its like
that of course. I think adding proper labels, and larger buttons so proper text is visible
will be big enough bonus?

> ah heck..maybe I'm overreacting and I'm just part of that group of old
> annoyed users :)

heh. I'm an oldtime (ish) blender user, and it seems kinda odd changing things, but I
just don't have enough screen space, and having to middle-button scroll to find things
at times is not fun.

Dan