[tuhopuu-devel] Constraints UI

[Martin Poirier]

I think all these would be perfect addition to the
constraint system.
For one thing, adding a paramter to the
add_new_constraint function would make it more useable
but auto-constraint function. This could be pushed
further by creating a "add_constraint_to_object"
function that would take a constraint and an object
and add the constraint to the object (instead of
having to add it to the listbase object manually each
time).

In fact, I just did that during my prog course *cough*

commiting soon.

Martin
PS: Also regarding the constraint UI, Ton asked Hos
and myself for opinions, so I'll forward my reply to
you too. That would probably save some repetition.

--- Matt Ebb <matt@mke3.net> wrote:
> Hi there,
> 
> I'm sending this out first rather than just going
> ahead and doing it because
> I wanted to check with contraint guru theeth that it
> wouldn't break
> anything, and see if there are any problems I may
> have overlooked.
> 
> I think the UI/workflow for adding constraints is
> backwards and I want to
> fix it. It's nothing complex, but last week after
> going through the
> frustration of rigging a character and adding 30
> action constraints to just
> finger bones I realised it could be improved.
> 
> Rather than 'adding a constraint', getting a default
> of Track To, then
> changing it to what you want, you should be able to
> choose the constraint at
> the time of adding it. Reasoning: Users don't want
> to 'add some abstract
> notion called a constraint', they want their objects
> to track others, or to
> follow paths or whatever. Imagine if when you added
> a 3D object you had to
> do 'add object' then go change it to a mesh, camera,
> lamp, whatever, in a
> menu somewhere.. yuck. It's also nice to be able to
> see all the choices
> there before you add it. A bit more explorable.
> 
> Also for efficiency reasons - to add action
> constraints to my fingers, I had
> to click on add - move mouse to the menu on the
> constraint - click, drag to
> change from Track To to Action. I should have just
> clicked on add
> constraint - drag across a menu - release mouse on
> 'Action'. It's also much
> more understandable when the constraints seem more
> concrete: "this is my
> copy location", rather than "this is a variable
> thing that can change
> between all sorts of tangentially related
> functions".
> 
> The idea of having these amorphous abstract
> constraints that can be changed
> from one type to another is silly anyway since
> between themselves, the
> constraints are functionally very different. How
> many people add a
> constraint to make their object copy another's
> location, then later on
> change their mind and realise "no, actually I want
> this object to be an IK
> solver for a chain!"...? Not many. Besides, when you
> change a constraint
> type, none of the settings persist anyway.
> 
> So my proposal:
> * Change the add_new_constraint function in
> editconstraint.c to accept an
> argument describing the constraint type, for example
> int constraint_type or
> whatever it needs to be.
> * Change the line con->type =
> CONSTRAINT_TYPE_TRACKTO;
> to con->type = constraint_type;
> * Change the 'Add' button into 'Add Constraint'
> (clearer) and when clicked,
> make it fold out a menu with the different
> constraint types listed. This can
> work in a similar way to the pulldown menus, for
> speed  - click+hold on add
> constraint, drag mouse right over the menu, release
> on the entry you want.
> The menu entries will just use
> add_constraint(*relevant constraint type*) or
> whatever is necessary.
> * Remove the 'constraint type chooser' menu from the
> constraint panels, to
> simplify, streamline, make the UI more 'concrete'.
> (If people really do want
> to change their constraint type for some obscure
> reason, it's only one more
> click to delete it and add a new one).
> 
> I mention this now, because I think it would be nice
> to go along with the
> new constraints when they get ported over to bf.
> 
> So, any issues or gotchas I should worry about? Or
> just get in there and do
> it?
> 
> Cheers
> 
> Matt
> 
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>
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