[Bf-taskforce25] readability improvements of properties window

[JimmyVolatile]

I agree that automatic opening and closing of the tabs could be very useful.


1. NOTE: Click and click-drag can occur in the *exact* same screen area.
Just think of single-clicking vs double-clicking vs click-dragging of a
desktop icon.
Single click = Mouse button down --> Mouse moves less than 5 px in any
direction --> Mouse button up.
Click-drag = Mouse button down --> Mouse moves more than 5 px in any
direction --> Drag is initiated --> Mouse button up --> Drag operation is
stopped.

This means that the entire top bar of the panel can support both
single-click to open/close and click-drag to drag the panel to a new
position. (No more carefully aiming for the small arrow to expand/collapse a
panel. )So, the hotspots for the two operations do not have to be confined
to separate areas but can co-existing in the same area as long as the mouse
interaction logic supports it.

2. Having the application more intelligently display the relevant panels and
options based on selection context is something we're all used to from
context menus.

Of course, exactly what panel is correct in any given context is probably a
little up to each individual user. However, identifying those moments when
you keep searching for the right panel, like you have done, Jon, is a very
good start.

"for me it is quite a problem that blender displays so much information
at once. every time i want to find some settings I have to scroll,
search and try to remember where the desired settings are located."

This is my exact problem as well. I'll try to pay more close attention to
what panels are relevant in a given context and see if any changes like this
would solve my problem.

With regs,
Jimmy Volatile

On Fri, Sep 18, 2009 at 6:45 PM, Dalai Felinto <dfelinto at gmail.com> wrote:

> Too much UI dance for every tab opening is way too distracting IMHO.
> Leave it as an alternative (not the default) can work though.
>
> Dalai Felinto
> http://blenderecia.orgfree.com
>
> On 17/09/2009, at 19:14, Jon Sandström <sjon at student.chalmers.se>
> wrote:
>  > this workflow will require an improved design of the "hotspot" area in
> > the tab headers.
> > currently the triangle is used to open and close the tabs, while the
> > rest of the area is
> > used to move the tabs. since the "open/close" hotspot is the one most
> > frequently used,
> > this should have the largest area, and a new third area could be
> > used to
> > pin the tab
> > open (again, see mockup:
> > http://img156.imageshack.us/img156/5245/mockupr.jpg )
> >
> > when the user opens a tab we can assume that he/she wants to see all
> > its
> > content,
> > and therefore blender should if necessary scroll to a position were
> > the
> > entire content
> > of the most recently opened tab can be viewed
> >
> > conclusion:
> > if tabs are automatically closed, it will be easier and faster to find
> > desired data.
> > this behaviour can co-exsist with current behaviour (pinning) so i
> > cannot find any arguments
> > not to implement it
>
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