[Bf-taskforce25] Panels, colours and such...

[Andrzej Ambroż]

-I-
AUTOMAGICAL PANELS

Right now, when the Buttons Window is small (as well as in case of N-key 
toolboxes, Outlier, and so on) panels doesn't fit the space so user have to 
scroll/pan to reach hidden content. Besides it's impossible to figure out 
how much of the content is outside the window (OK, it's easier when You 
knows the specific incarnation of the interface by heart).
Picture:
http://img511.imageshack.us/img511/7907/panelautofit.png
fig. 1. - current situation
fig. 2. - how it could look like when the window's space is smaller than 
its content - the lowest panels could fold until everything go in the 
window (just one panel in my mockup).
fig. 3. - after unfolding minimized panel, panels just above could fold 
until everything fits the window again.

Moreover:
a) the proposed system could be used all around the interface - in Outliner,
 N-key toolboxes etc.
b) pins on headers allow keeping panels maximized all the time. One can pin 
all of panels to get current way of displaying the content.
Those icons help an user to orientate himself in the layout as well. We get 
stronger visual emphasize of each of content's group.
c) Headers could get highlighted when mouse hovers over specific panel. 
Again - help for sense of orientation. There're of course more alternatives 
for my proposal - highlighting whole panel or just its outline.


-II-
WIDGET COLOURING

Regarding to William's proposal - have to say that symbols used in the very 
mockup could be confusing since chain is commonly used to communicate 
linked edition of specific content. That's why I would suggest using 
"chain" for linking values editing in Transformations, render x and y size 
and such (will have to make mockup as well).
Besides currently we have two Transformation panels (Object [F7] and 3D 
Window's N-key toolbox). I believe that:
a) this functionality will be moved to (F7) panel
b) we'll have two exactly the same panels in different spaces.
In both cases we'll have one more icon (pad lock) next to the 
transformations value boxes.
It's getting crushy here...
So maybe outline alternative ain't so bad? We could use colours and outline 
types - continuous, dotted, etc. so it's somehow colour independent.
At last Brian's idea of placing icons slightly over the specific element of 
GUI is interesting as well, because relation between symbol and content is 
obvious.



_____________________
Andrzej Ambroż
mob.:   505 495907
e-mail: ambroz at list.pl
g-g: 6042088