[Bf-committers] set "F6" pop-up-panel to pop-up automatically by User Preference's selection

Mats Holmberg mats.holmberg at 2me.fi
Thu Mar 18 07:59:34 CET 2010


I've come across the same kind of bad popup-examples, from using Linux and osX. As an example, Spaces and popups in osx is a horrid combination. But these examples are just plain bad design and/or bad programming.

I don't think the popup in this case needs to be so in-your-face. I liked the mockup William made, it's evidently clear that the information shows better in that mockup then it does hidden away in a toolarea, which in turn might be hidden too. When adding an object, a new popup (or info-area) could be shown on the side of the 3d-view, clearly visible but out of the way, so that one can continue working without paying attention to it. And it should disappear on it's own when not relevant anymore.

Also, the information, and the parameters should remain editable after doing basic operations on objects (mainly move, rotate, scale, undo, switch edit/object mode).

Cheers,
-mats

On 18.3.2010, at 0.28, Roger Wickes wrote:

> please dont misunderstand. I am all for a well-designed popup, at the user's 
> option, to execute startup scripts (User-Pref->Execute Autorun Scripts upon Load: Yes/Always, No/Never, Ask me) 
> where Ask Me gives a modal popup. 
> 
> and the popup is something like "Warning. The blend file you have opened
> contains a script set to execute automatically. Do you want to execute it?
> Yes / No / Help" with a tag line to disable this notification popup in User-Pref-.Execute Autorun Scripts. 
> 
> --Roger
> 
> 
> Check out my website at www.rogerwickes.com for a good deal on my book and 
> training course, as well as information about my latest activities. Use coupon
> Papasmurf for $15 off!
> 
> 
> 
> 
> ________________________________
> From: Seppo Tukiainen <stuman at windowslive.com>
> To: Bf-comitters <bf-committers at blender.org>
> Sent: Wed, March 17, 2010 2:16:51 PM
> Subject: Re: [Bf-committers] set "F6" pop-up-panel to pop-up automatically by User Preference's selection
> 
> 
> 
>> Mats Holmberg wrote: 
> 
>> I feel the problem really is that the panel is kind of "tucked away". 
> 
> 
> 
> This is what I ment in the firs place, because we can't deny that current dependent parameters must be set just after adding the objects/tools in the scene.
> 
> I don't see why pop-ups are so unwanted by Ton, at least in this case. In fact they simplifies and speed up the design prosess by allowing designer to keep focus on the work. Program brings necessary information and parameter's entry fields in correct place (right there where the focus is).  If all are correct just move you mouse, and panel vanish.  Easy and quick!
> 
> Yes, Ton is right that many other programs uses pop-ups, but maybe because it's the best way to do it. 
> 
> This automatic pop-up method is at least the beter way to hadle this, compared to that bottom-left-corner-panel.  So why don't take advantage of it?  Panels are coded there already, just need to insert correct calls!  When the final solution sees daylight, consideration can be done again.
> 
> 
> 
>> Mats Holmberg wrote:
> 
>> My biggest concern is around the fact that currently editing important properties, like amount of vertices on a circle, has to be done immediately after adding the object. So, for example, tabbing into editmode to actually see the vertices, destroys the possibilities of changing the amount... and one has to start all over again. This was usual in previous 2.4x -series as well.
> 
> 
> There is Outliner, which doesn't have so many functions, yet.  Maybe, in the future, object's properties can be reviewed and readjusted in there !?!
> 
> 
> 
> br:  Seppo
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
>> 
>> On 17.3.2010, at 11.28, Ton Roosendaal wrote:
>> 
>>> Hi,
>>> 
>>> No, I would not do it this way. A UI should not move focus to 
>>> (potentially) invisble things without you even knowing it did. It has 
>>> the danger of inconsistancy, and gets annoying even. A UI should not 
>>> think for users or assume things either.
>>> 
>>> In my really honest opinion popup form-fill-in-menus are a sign of 
>>> badly designed tools. It's just easier for the coder, that's why you 
>>> see them all over.
>>> 
>>> I realize this is just a UI concept, and the daily practice is of 
>>> course more dirty and needs to find compromises between "get tool to 
>>> work now" or "not get this tool at all".
>>> 
>>> -Ton-
>>> 
>>> ------------------------------------------------------------------------
>>> Ton Roosendaal Blender Foundation ton at blender.org www.blender.org
>>> Blender Institute Entrepotdok 57A 1018AD Amsterdam The Netherlands
>>> 
>>> On 16 Mar, 2010, at 18:56, Jonathan Williamson wrote:
>>> 
>>>> Hey Ton,
>>>> 
>>>> The "active input" is an interesting thought that could work very 
>>>> well if
>>>> implemented right. I could see this working very well if the input 
>>>> focus was
>>>> immediately placed in the operator panel, such that you could 
>>>> numerically
>>>> input the values without ever clicking a second field. In other 
>>>> words, to
>>>> place a new object it would work like this:
>>>> 
>>>> 1. Shift + A > Add object
>>>> 2. Input is automatically shifted to operator field (e.g. number of
>>>> vertices, etc)
>>>> 3. Type in value(s)
>>>> 4. Press Enter to confirm
>>>> 
>>>> The key would be to remove the need for any mouse movement.
>>>> 
>>>> Jonathan Williamson
>>>> http://www.montagestudio.org
>>>> 
>>>> 
>>>> On Tue, Mar 16, 2010 at 12:26 PM, Ton Roosendaal <ton at blender.org> 
>>>> wrote:
>>>> 
>>>>> Hi,
>>>>> 
>>>>> The design concept was to make tools remember previous settings.
>>>>> Another improvement would be to have a fast way to move 'active 
>>>>> input'
>>>>> focus to buttons elsewhere (like right after for tool redo, on a
>>>>> hotkey).
>>>>> 
>>>>> Only in last resort we should do things with popups. I still believe
>>>>> you can make an optimal workflow this way, better than popping up
>>>>> stuff all the time. Exceptions are possible, and user configs could
>>>>> allow, of course.
>>>>> 
>>>>> -Ton-
>>>>> 
>>>>> ------------------------------------------------------------------------
>>>>> Ton Roosendaal Blender Foundation ton at blender.orgwww.blender.org
>>>>> Blender Institute Entrepotdok 57A 1018AD Amsterdam The 
>>>>> Netherlands
>>>>> 
>>>>> On 16 Mar, 2010, at 17:16, Jonathan Williamson wrote:
>>>>> 
>>>>>> That would also be an improvement.
>>>>>> 
>>>>>> Seppo's idea of creating a user preference for the pop-up is a good
>>>>>> one, as
>>>>>> there are people who do like like it and just want to add an object
>>>>>> immediately. Adding an object immediately can be particularly
>>>>>> helpful while
>>>>>> in Object mode if you are testing materials or anything like that,
>>>>>> then
>>>>>> vertex counts aren't your first concern.
>>>>>> 
>>>>>> Jonathan Williamson
>>>>>> http://www.montagestudio.org
>>>>>> 
>>>>>> 
>>>>>> On Tue, Mar 16, 2010 at 11:10 AM, Carsten Wartmann
>>>>>> <cw at blenderbuch.de>wrote:
>>>>>> 
>>>>>>> Jonathan Williamson wrote:
>>>>>>>> I absolutely agree with this. Very seldom do you (or I at least)
>>>>>>>> add a
>>>>>>> mesh
>>>>>>>> object and stick to the default parameters. I nearly always adjust
>>>>>>> circles
>>>>>>>> and such down to 12 vertices or so.
>>>>>>>> 
>>>>>>> At least the tools should remember the last setting e.g the 
>>>>>>> number of
>>>>>>> verts.
>>>>>>> 
>>>>>>> Carsten
>>>>>>> _______________________________________________
>>>>>>> Bf-committers mailing list
>>>>>>> Bf-committers at blender.org
>>>>>>> http://lists.blender.org/mailman/listinfo/bf-committers
>>>>>>> 
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