[Bf-committers] Integration of scripts in the UI

[Ton Roosendaal]

Hi,

Here a general analysis! After reading the comments here...

We could define a sort-of table, where we can put the 'script  
classifications' and 'UI context' together. For example, as Matt  
mentioned; the import/export options belong in the main 'File' menu. A  
Mesh-intersection script (or so) somewhere else. You have to wait a  
little while for us to complete the UI redesign topic.

For classifying the scripts your proposal could be a bit fine-tuned  
though. What about this:

1- Menu scripts
   - these scripts are visible as a pulldown menu item
   - text or additional info in the pulldown can be read from the script
   - after invoking the script, it optionally brings up a 2nd (nested)  
pulldown, or a popup-menu.

2. SpaceScript scripts
   - only visible as (pulldown) options in a SpaceScript header
   - when you load a script in a TextWindow, and execute it, it turns  
into a SpaceScript window
   - in a SpaceScript window you can also load new scripts, and assign  
them to the default list ("install" them)

3. GUI scripts
I also like Matts suggestion to integrate it well in our new 'buttons  
window'. It should be equally flexible as a new buttons window itself,  
and integrate nicely with it. For a redesign I am still doing research,  
also to *really* find a method to expand Blender as other programs do  
with plug-ins. Check this again:

http://www.primitiveitch.com/ppfx/docs/systemsettings.htm
It's not my intention to actually copy this, but look at the structure  
itself... also for python scripts we need to provide sufficient  
facilities to design complex tools. Just a single 'buttons panel' might  
not be sufficient.

4. ScriptLinks
For example, for a script that deforms Meshes over a period of time,  
you need:
   - a pulldown menu somewhere to assign it
   - a method to release it, and/or view an interface for it (context  
menu?)
   - future: it could draw additional 3D info/widgets


-Ton-



On Wednesday, Sep 3, 2003, at 17:44 Europe/Amsterdam, Willian Padovani  
Germano wrote:

> Hi,
>
> On a third thought, after Matt's suggestion, it may really be a good  
> idea to
> have a Scripts gui 'tab' in the buttons win (in that header with  
> Materials,
> Textures, etc) besides a SpaceScript.
>
> I was looking the general case, but most scripts with guis can  
> probably be
> made to fit the buttons win space. For the bigger ones, or when a user
> prefers, there'll still be the SpaceScript.
>
> If we have both a SpaceScript and a Script tab in the buttons win (and  
> later
> wrap popups, as planned), we cover these 4 cases:
>
> - immediate: no gui, no popup
> - popup(s)
> - big gui
> - button win gui
>
> Probably no need for differentiation: the same running scripts with  
> gui can
> be available to both spaces, accessible from the dropdown lists in  
> each of
> them.
>
> We just have yet to decide the policy of where to open the gui.  With a
> buttons Script gui tab we add the possibility of looking for a buttons
> window in the current arrangement and, if found, opening the gui  
> there.  If
> the user needs more space, s/he can move to the ScriptSpace in another  
> win
> and select the opened script from the list in the header.
>
> What do you say, Ton?
>
> --
> Willian, wgermano@ig.com.br
>
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------------------------------------------------------------------------ 
--
Ton Roosendaal  Blender Foundation ton@blender.org  
http://www.blender.org