[Bf-funboard] Toolbar mockups

[Ruth Ivimey-Cook]

Hi Vincent
> * reduce scrolling as much as possible
> * add support for setting the default parameters for operators
> * add text to show equivalent shortcuts
I like some of the changes. I echo some of the concerns re horizontal 
space and I would like a "2 column mode" for the panel, selectable in 
the Preferences, if when you reduced the toolbar width the two columns 
both get narrower together, so you might end up with panel text going from:

     - Translate   - Rotate
to:
      - Tr  - Ro

and not:
     - Translat

I definitely want the shortcut keys added to all buttons... 
(programmatically is best so it's never wrong) :  it makes it so much 
easier to learn the shortcuts.

I typically use a 16:10 display, but with 16:9 displays common I often 
think it makes more sense to use horizontal space than vertical; in fact 
I now have my Windows "Start Bar" on the Right hand side rather than the 
bottom for that reason.

I would love a way to, say, right-click (or perhaps right-alt-click) on 
a button to bring up a shortcut editor, which would be a simple keyboard 
map (i.e. QWERTY etc) showing which shortcuts are used and free, so 
having right-clicked you can then just click on a free button and hey 
presto! Much easier than the current preferences method.

I don't like "only one panel open at a time", at least I don't think so.

I think I like the "initial dot" thing but would have to play with it to 
know.

History panel == good, but can you make the "History" a visible list - 
even if short - of the most recent, so you can just click to go back. 
How Photoshop works in that department is good IMO.

IMO the buttons for Recalculate and Flip UV should be slightly 
distinguished from Smooth and Shade. I know they're both UV things but...

I was wondering if "slightly distinguished" might mean something like 
this. If the existing panel grouping is:

\______

/------

and within that the groups are:

|_____
|--------

is there room for:
\______
/------

In general I would like to reduce the amount of popup and otherwise 
hidden stuff, not increase it, so I am not at all in favour of 
(mandatory) toolbar panel popup as in mockup 2. Popups make it harder to 
use the program, not easier. Fold-up panels are my preference, as you 
can open/close at will and the tools you want can therefore be available 
when you want them.

Well done for having a go at the paint options, but I'm not sure you've 
got there yet. I think it's better than what we have now, but not 
necessarily better enough.

Regards
Ruth


P.S. " three full stops" == "ellipsis" and in this context "full stop" 
== "period" (semantic difference; a full stop is what appears at the end 
of a sentence).

-- 
Software Manager&   Engineer
Tel: 01223 414180
Blog: http://www.ivimey.org/blog
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