[Bf-funboard] Enhance header readability for narrow editors

[Bol Bib]

Yes it's me again with another idea.

I hope somebody is reading these and drawing inspiration from them to do something about blenders great but flawed UI. Until I can code (not soon) I'll keep posting here.


This time's topic is the header.

The header changes per editor but a few things are constant.

-It's horizontal.
-lotsof buttons.

This poses no real problem until you begin to subdivide you workspace vertically.
>From then on it turns in to a horizontal scrollfest.


a few possible solutions
None of these are perfect and maybe there are better ideas still.

1) autohide "pulldown menu" until you hover above the area where the hide/show button is.

This one has the possible downside that some people might not like this as default. make it an option?

2)flip to left or right side  of editor (on top of top and bottom) . This creates a vertical header. Not ideal for most people but quite a few people could like it.

Possible downside: 
turn head a bit to read
toolshelves are also on left or right,so they'd have to cooperate. But this is possible since with F5 the 2 shelves can be next to each other,this would be similar.

3) much more sensitive wheelscroll behaviour when you spin it fast: this would take less turns (preferably only one time very fast) to scroll to the other side. it doesn't solve any problems,but this way you get quicker results. If you scroll slowly nothing changes.


4) multilined header. The buttons get put on 2 lines if you pull out the header. Could work with clear distinct seperator.

Downside :bit inelegant.

5) press numpad +  and -  to make buttons smaller like the shelfpanels do.

6)reduce whitespace as much as possible: compare "3D view mode" button and "fcurve editor" button. You could reduce the whitespace at least 5 or 6 spaces from the 3D view mode. Same goes for the 3D view transform orientation button. Only small things,but could help a lot.


7) Rename some items/buttons.: the naming convention is sometimes shizophrenic. Fcurve editor has "editor" next to it. "Drivers" doesn't. Is it not an editor? And if drivers doesn't need it maybe Fcurve doesn't need it as well? 

Dopesheet as well doesn't have 'editor'. Action does have it. Mask doesn't, grease pencil doesn't. I understand wanting to be clear but if just mask and grease pencil is enough,then just "action" and just "shapekeys" should be enough also.


Same goes for Object "mode" and edit "mode" actually
But this doesn't present a win in space as weight paint makes it still long enough. Als as a beginners indication it might still have use.



I do agree that the way the header is conceived it's difficult to change a lot to it and not lose a lot of function.
But with some of these there are at least some behaviour options that could help. Maybe other people have other ideas as well?



thank you for reading