[Bf-taskforce25] Modifier Layout Proposal

[Eclectiel L]

> (PS: could you please not send mails in HTML format...) 
Now I've set it to plain text. If still doesn't work let me know.
Sorry if caused any trouble.

> * If there are more modifiers than can fit into a single row, do you propose that they simply overflow onto the next row?
If you refer to the modifiers buttons there are different alternatives:
- As you say they could go into a new row, automatically adding rows.
- There could be a fixed number of rows (in this mockup 2 rows with 15 visible modifiers per row) and be a draggable bar. With twice the width of the bar (half hidden) that's enough for 60 modifiers, and the user would not need to drag too much.
- And there could be the ability to set the height manually, like with the actual headers in 2.5.

If you refer to the Modifier Row (stack). I thought it as only one draggable row. There is room for about 11-12 modifiers in the mockup, maybe a little more if they are put a little closer to each other. The others would be visible by dragging the bar.


> However, it might be interesting to also explore categorising them, since most modifiers fall into one of a few categories...
I agree, is interesting the idea of categorizing them. If I come up with something I'll post it.


> * Admittedly, I'm not too keen on the idea of having conflicting
horizontal vs vertical presentation orders, though if kept consistent,
it might not be too bad?
(If you refer to draggable horizontal bars in vertical panels) If that's a problem it can be easily fixed, I guess, by adding rows automatically according to the width of the Properties editor and the number of modifiers. All modifiers always visible. Right now with the actual Properties editor width, I think it would be enough with 2 rows for all modifiers always visible.



Cheers,

Eclectiel.


________________________________
From: Joshua Leung <aligorith at gmail.com>
To: The Blender 2.5 TaskForce <bf-taskforce25 at blender.org>
Sent: Friday, June 5, 2009 9:09:24 AM
Subject: Re: [Bf-taskforce25] Modifier Layout Proposal

A few comments about this:
* If there are more modifiers than can fit into a single row, do you propose that they simply overflow onto the next row?
* The idea about presenting all the possible modifiers able to be added as a row of buttons is an interesting possibility. However, it might be interesting to also explore categorising them, since most modifiers fall into one of a few categories...
* Admittedly, I'm not too keen on the idea of having conflicting horizontal vs vertical presentation orders, though if kept consistent, it might not be too bad?

(PS: could you please not send mails in HTML format...) 


On Sat, Jun 6, 2009 at 12:00 AM, Eclectiel L <eclect25 at yahoo.com> wrote:

Here is a mockup for Modifiers workflow that may also be valid for Constraints.

Tried to make a drag-and-drop workflow, eliminate some redundancies, and seize
as much vertical space as possible for crowded modifiers:
http://img41.imageshack.us/img41/4234/modifiersconstraintswor.png


Eclectiel.




________________________________
From: Wahooney <wahooney at wahooney.net>
To: The Blender 2.5 TaskForce <bf-taskforce25 at blender.org>
Sent: Monday, May 25, 2009 4:20:11 PM
Subject: [Bf-taskforce25] Modifier Layout Proposal

Some ideas were kicked about on IRC
about a few changes that could be made to the way the modifier panel
works.

= Keep modifier settings in the modifier panel =

Thomas added the beginnings of the cloth settings tonight, and although
it's looking cool so far it pointed out a fundamental flaw. You are
adding the modifier in one panel in Blender and you're changing it's
settings in another?! That is quite counter intuitive to a new user and
most probably a break in workflow for experienced users (I'm somewhere
in between those extremes and it's grinding my goat already ;) )

= Compact the modifier stack =

The modifier stack can be reduced in total size by quite a bit
actually. If the stack were represented as a list it can take up far
less space and it can allow for a helpful mechanic: The user selects a
modifier from the list and only those settings are shown, saving space
and reducing some clutter, but we can also leverage the current
advantage of having multiple modifiers' settings visible by allowing
the user to select multiple modifiers from the list. The visible
modifier's settings can be drawn in the order that they appear in the
stack and that selection can even be locked by the user and saved into
the *NA (DNA,RNA I'm not sure which :P), so a user can set up their
environment to modify a particular object in the way that they need for
the given object, ie. A setup with consecutive SimpleMods and SubSurfs,
chances are if a user were going to animate that object the SubSurfs
probably won't be touched and their settings should probably be hidden.

Note: I know that a stack item can be collapsed into a smaller size,
but sometimes that's not small enough ;)

The list that holds the items can also perhaps have drag 'n drop
reordering (allowing the reordering buttons in the current modifier
system to take the boot) and display the Show/Hide buttons for
Render/Viewport/Editing/Cage that currently reside in the modifier
settings.

That's all from me for now.

Keith.


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