[Bf-funboard] Usability (sequencer)

[Doug Ollivier]

Ok Hi guys, i will be posting Usability issues (as i find them) to the 
funboard.  some will be small, some will be huge, and some may already 
be fixed, since i am often limited to the last release (so don't be 
offended if i point something out thats fixed, take it as a pat ont he 
back).

i'll also try to consolidate all my issues into my blenderGo project and 
update that onto the wiki when i have time to do so.

Sequencer is the name of the game today. (since that's what i have been 
using recently) a few usability issues.

*Single Images:*
_Problem_ dragging the length of an image strip stops at 50% when 
dragging from either direction, and forces the user to shorten the other 
side, then move the image, then sort out the correct length on the 
side.... (repeat this many times possibly).  single image strips should 
be treated differently from multiple image sequences.

_Possible solutions_ Image strips should have a "length" option in the N 
(transform/attributes) menu. reverse frames should be removed, and flipX 
and Flip Y as well as "inverse colour should be included (even a 
gamma/curves/brightness/contrast setting in there might not be bad but 
that's a different issue.
single image length should be dragable without stopping. and either the 
central clip location moves to 50% when dragging, or doesn't exist.


*Reversing frames in trimmed clips:
*_Problem_ the clipped section is not flipped, meaning if you crop a 
section of a clip that you don't want, the equal and opposite end of the 
clip will be cropped instead after reversing (not the expected behaviour).

_Possible Solution_, reverse the frames around the visible section, 
moving any cropped ends (tails, or whatever is technically correct)  to 
the opposite side.

*
Inserting Effects (on close strips)*
_Problem_ if there are two strips next to each other (top/bottom) and 
you put something like a Cross fade in,  the effect has nowhere to go 
and is put above everything, it then needs to be moved.

_Possible Solutions_ Have 1/2 strips between the full sized ones, these 
could be reserved for effects, so are "always" available for effects to 
go between, so nothing needs to be moved.  this will keep things more 
compact.
The other solution is that the above and below strips (everything) is 
moved up/down by 1 strip. so that the effect can be automatically 
inserted between.  This is likely what the user would have done 
themselves anyway.



All these suggestions are fix-up suggestions.  I'll have a look at the 
sequencer as a bigger more conceptual area, and see how things could be 
made more logical and compact all together.

anyone else has any suggestions for usability of the sequencer, please 
reply to this. i'd love to get the whole picture on it.

Cheers Guys.

Doug Ollivier (Alltaken)