[Bf-funboard] Review of UI

Ton Roosendaal bf-funboard@blender.org
Sun, 26 Oct 2003 23:15:01 +0100


Hi,

> * Mode indicator in 3d header.
>
> Mode info could be compacted, leaving only the icon, but poping out
> the full text version when clicked. That would save space, like the
> other selectors to its right. And thus make it nice for small views.

These modes are the most important ones to communicate in the header.  
That's the resason they are bigger. Can also be solved with icon  
redesign etc... just explaining why.

> * Menu in 3d headers.
>
> Menus could be colapsable,

Is at my list to code today!

> * 3d view options window.
>
> Currently it became a menu-accesible window. So it overlaps when it
> stays, and blender style aside (no overlap windows, use and hide
> controls), that sounds too much for something you use and then keep
> working.

In contrary, it all works in parallel. You can even select objects  
through the panels!
The concept was more of non-overlapping AND non-blocking...
Anyhoo, a single ESC will kill the window, like the old one. You even  
had to 'OK' the old one... and it *was* overlapping, and it *was*  
blocking.
The only thing i can add is option it closes on mouse-exit... which I  
prefer not, because the parallism (nonblocking) adds a lot to its  
functioning.

> * Transparency.
>
> Derived from previous, but applicable in other places, I have seen
> people complaining about the transparency and how it affects the
> speed

I have about asked a lot of people about this, and no issue came up.  
Id's love to receve decent reports on this. (OS, HW type, measurments  
of slowdown). You can check it with editmode and transparant faces, on  
Monkey or so.

If its about the panels in 3d win? Just close them. If you dont like  
transparant? Just adjust the theme for it, it allows solid as well.

There is one main good reason for it; and that's because the system  
doesnt allow overlapping Panels. I don't want to solve it with using  
Stencil in OpenGL, since this is not cross platform sufficiently  
supported... and eats mem as well.
First version of Panels had solid backdrops, and first reaction I got  
was 'theres a bug when they overlap'. I rather avoid that for now...


> * New toolbox.

The main complaint is about the flipping... did you notice that the old  
toolbox moves the mouse when it doesnt fit? I think thats hackish...  
and it even doesnt work everywhere (OSX, some unix window managers).  
Could be done for this menu as well, but rather not.

I mainly (only) used the current UI pulldown menus for it. Will try to  
concentrate on getting the options tree structure right, event queues  
nice, and then anyone can code an engine that brings back old toolbox  
design, or radial ones, etc.
All very interesting to improve on in further releases!

Nevertheless, I also have some positive things about the old system,  
but it's fair to consider that more of habit & convention than a real  
good design... I've never witnessed anyone using it apart from of  
course 'add', and to look up a forgotten hotkey. That it navigated  
'easier' was also its bad side... you never could even remember where  
to find stuff.
(and dont forget the loads of complaints & support mails we had to  
handle about getting 'stuck' in the toolbox because of the ridiculous  
sub-level implementation).

I think we can do better than the old toolbox, but agree that we're not  
there yet! :)

-Ton-

------------------------------------------------------------------------ 
--
Ton Roosendaal  Blender Foundation ton@blender.org  
http://www.blender.org