Tool Grouping and Interface suggestions - Revision history

Kris: cat

2012-04-02T16:38:54Z

cat

← Older revision		Revision as of 16:38, 2 April 2012
Line 137:		Line 137:
	* '''Pattern tool'''		* '''Pattern tool'''
	** (Rather than just make you choose from a drop-down, pattern tool allows you to generate and control some common patterns like stripes, dots etc.)		** (Rather than just make you choose from a drop-down, pattern tool allows you to generate and control some common patterns like stripes, dots etc.)

			{{DevDiscussion}}

Valerievk at 07:52, 3 February 2012

2012-02-03T07:52:28Z

← Older revision		Revision as of 07:52, 3 February 2012
Line 100:		Line 100:
	** Star		** Star
	** Spiral		** Spiral
	New tool: line, as well as new modes to be allowed for rectangles and circles, namely alternate means of construction by placing points on canvas~~. See [https://blueprints.launchpad.net/inkscape/+spec/tech-drawing Tech drawing blueprint]~~.		See [https://blueprints.launchpad.net/inkscape/+spec/tech-drawing Tech drawing blueprint]. New tool: line, as well as new modes to be allowed for rectangles and circles, namely alternate means of construction by placing points on canvas.

	* '''Technical drawing '''		* '''Technical drawing '''

Valerievk at 07:51, 3 February 2012

2012-02-03T07:51:59Z

← Older revision		Revision as of 07:51, 3 February 2012
Line 117:		Line 117:
	** Custom shape (LPE): shows width and repeat options from tool control. Grouped with Clipboard.		** Custom shape (LPE): shows width and repeat options from tool control. Grouped with Clipboard.
	** Sketch (currently an LPE)		** Sketch (currently an LPE)

			[http://postimage.org/image/v6tl71hr7/ Additions to the tool control bar for Freehand and Bezier sub-tools]

	* '''Bezier tool '''		* '''Bezier tool '''

Valerievk at 07:30, 3 February 2012

2012-02-03T07:30:56Z

← Older revision		Revision as of 07:30, 3 February 2012
Line 86:		Line 86:
	** Perspective		** Perspective
	** Composition		** Composition
	~~Allows the user to add guides onto the canvas. If dynamic toolbars are available, then all guides could be sub-modes of one tool instead, rather than separate subtools.~~ See [https://blueprints.launchpad.net/inkscape/+spec/guides-improvement Guides improvement blueprint].		See [https://blueprints.launchpad.net/inkscape/+spec/guides-improvement Guides improvement blueprint].

	* '''Tiles and symmetries '''		* '''Tiles and symmetries '''

Valerievk at 07:29, 3 February 2012

2012-02-03T07:29:18Z

← Older revision		Revision as of 07:29, 3 February 2012
Line 33:		Line 33:

	This limitation could be limited thanks to "Presets toolbars" however.		This limitation could be limited thanks to "Presets toolbars" however.

			[http://postimage.org/image/qpwmume5p/ List of Tool grouping and subtool display options]

	=== Presets bars ===		=== Presets bars ===
Line 45:		Line 47:
	* Graphs: shapes (diagrams?), text, connectors		* Graphs: shapes (diagrams?), text, connectors
	* Font design: guides, powerstroke, etc.		* Font design: guides, powerstroke, etc.

			[http://postimage.org/image/w3vf263vx/ Tool presets for easy access to certain functions?]

	=== Other toolbar size control methods ===		=== Other toolbar size control methods ===

Valerievk at 06:49, 3 February 2012

2012-02-03T06:49:46Z

← Older revision		Revision as of 06:49, 3 February 2012
Line 97:		Line 97:
	** Spiral		** Spiral
	New tool: line, as well as new modes to be allowed for rectangles and circles, namely alternate means of construction by placing points on canvas. See [https://blueprints.launchpad.net/inkscape/+spec/tech-drawing Tech drawing blueprint].		New tool: line, as well as new modes to be allowed for rectangles and circles, namely alternate means of construction by placing points on canvas. See [https://blueprints.launchpad.net/inkscape/+spec/tech-drawing Tech drawing blueprint].

			* '''Technical drawing '''
			** I'm not 100% what should be going in here, but where possible it could be integrated into existing tools (node, shapes) as modes and sub-tools?

	* '''3D Shape tool '''		* '''3D Shape tool '''
Line 103:		Line 106:
	** Sphere		** Sphere
	** (etc.)		** (etc.)

	* '''Technical drawing '''
	** (see technical drawing blueprint?)

	* '''Freehand tool '''		* '''Freehand tool '''

Valerievk at 06:46, 3 February 2012

2012-02-03T06:46:08Z

← Older revision		Revision as of 06:46, 3 February 2012
Line 79:		Line 79:
	** Axis		** Axis
	** Grid		** Grid
	** Circular		** Circular/Angular
			** Perspective
	** Composition		** Composition
	Allows the user to add guides onto the canvas. If dynamic toolbars are available, then all guides could be sub-modes of one tool instead, rather than separate subtools. See [https://blueprints.launchpad.net/inkscape/+spec/guides-improvement Guides improvement blueprint].		Allows the user to add guides onto the canvas. If dynamic toolbars are available, then all guides could be sub-modes of one tool instead, rather than separate subtools. See [https://blueprints.launchpad.net/inkscape/+spec/guides-improvement Guides improvement blueprint].

Valerievk at 06:39, 3 February 2012

2012-02-03T06:39:39Z

← Older revision		Revision as of 06:39, 3 February 2012
Line 123:		Line 123:

	* '''Calligraphy, Ruler, Spray, Zoom, Eraser, Bucket, Gradient, Color Picker '''		* '''Calligraphy, Ruler, Spray, Zoom, Eraser, Bucket, Gradient, Color Picker '''
	No change.		** No change.

	* '''Mesh Gradient'''		* '''Mesh Gradient'''
	New tool.		** New tool.

	* '''Pattern tool'''		* '''Pattern tool'''
	(Rather than just make you choose from a drop-down, pattern tool allows you to generate and control some common patterns like stripes, dots etc.)		** (Rather than just make you choose from a drop-down, pattern tool allows you to generate and control some common patterns like stripes, dots etc.)

Valerievk: Ideas for grouping tools, as well as new tools and modes that can be added as a result

2012-02-03T06:28:37Z

Ideas for grouping tools, as well as new tools and modes that can be added as a result

New page

== Toolbar re-arrangement possibilities ==

As new tools are added, the current toolbar is getting rather long. Possible solutions include a combination of the following:
* Grouping tools
* Enabling hiding of some tools like in Gimp
* Double toolbars or moving the toolbar to the top (arguable)
* Enable “presets” bars.

=== Tool grouping ===

Tools such as rectangle, circle, star and spiral can be grouped into a Shapes tool for example.

Some possibilities:

# '''Clicking on the tool opens list of sub-tools '''
#* Pros: Straightforward grouping and access.
#* Cons: user has to click the tool to find the sub-tools needed.
# '''Sub-tools available as “modes” in the tool control bar '''
#* Pros: Top-level access.
#* Cons: Screen clutter.
#* Notes: Clutter can be reduced if the tool control bar is “dynamic”, i.e. options change depending on the sub-tool used.
# '''Sub-tools available as “drop-downs” in the tool control bar '''
#* This is what the “Shapes” option in Bezier and Freehand tools currently achieved.
#* Pros: You can add as many sub-tools as you want.
#* Cons: Difficult access.
#* Notes: Also requires “dynamic tool control bar” to avoid cluttering the tool control bar with sub-options.
# '''Sub-tools appear next to tool control bars '''
#* Pros: Because separate bars are involved, the tool control bar does not need to be dynamic, since they’re essentially separate tool control bars for separate tools.
#* Cons: Permanent sub-tool bar takes up permanent space.
# '''Tool mode vs sub-tool '''
Is it possible for a shortcut to link to a tool mode (for example, the "Circle" mode of a "Shape" tool), rather than the tool itself? If not, then some options should be made into independent sub-tools.

This limitation could be limited thanks to "Presets toolbars" however.

=== Presets bars ===

Presets bars could be accessed from an arrow in the toolbar, and either:
* Show the presets in place of the current toolbar (which remains available as a "default" mode)
* Open an independant floating dialogue, where you can add new tools via drag and drop

Default presets are available according to functions. Examples:
* Technical drawing: selection, technical drawing tools, text...
* Graphs: shapes (diagrams?), text, connectors
* Font design: guides, powerstroke, etc.

=== Other toolbar size control methods ===

An option could exist to hide tools that are not commonly used.

Inkscape could also have two bars instead of one, though this doesn’t really solve the issue.

== Toolbar and sub-tools grouping ==

This describes a possible grouping of existing tools, as well as the addition of new tools and sub-tools.

* '''Select/transform '''
** Resize/Rotate
** Perspective deform
** Envelop Deform (includes “Envelop”?)

* '''Node '''
** Default
** Offset?
** Extrude?
** [https://blueprints.launchpad.net/inkscape/+spec/fillet-tool Fillet tool] ?
Offset and extrude will be new tools allowing the user to control offsets and extrusions on canvas. This could be useful for technical drawing.

* '''Tweak '''
** Object tweaks
** Node tweaks?
** Other tweaks?
(Breakdowns if users find the current interface too long?)

* '''Guides '''
** Point
** Axis
** Grid
** Circular
** Composition
Allows the user to add guides onto the canvas. If dynamic toolbars are available, then all guides could be sub-modes of one tool instead, rather than separate subtools. See [https://blueprints.launchpad.net/inkscape/+spec/guides-improvement Guides improvement blueprint].

* '''Tiles and symmetries '''
** Symmetries
** Radial clones
** Tiling
** Clones along path

* '''2D Shape tool '''
** Line
** Rectangle
** Circle
** Star
** Spiral
New tool: line, as well as new modes to be allowed for rectangles and circles, namely alternate means of construction by placing points on canvas. See [https://blueprints.launchpad.net/inkscape/+spec/tech-drawing Tech drawing blueprint].

* '''3D Shape tool '''
** 3D box
** Cylinder
** Sphere
** (etc.)

* '''Technical drawing '''
** (see technical drawing blueprint?)

* '''Freehand tool '''
** Line shape: markers and line styles (dots etc.)
** Diagram connectors?
** Powerstroke shape: presets drop-down. Has two modes: normal and "with fill."
** Custom shape (LPE): shows width and repeat options from tool control. Grouped with Clipboard.
** Sketch (currently an LPE)

* '''Bezier tool '''
(see Freehand)

* '''Text tool '''
** Typing (main mode)
** Separate kerning mode? (for those with small screens?)
** Text-flow? (for flowing text onto paths or into objects)
** Text diagram? (some default text boxes for those making graphs or comics)

* '''Calligraphy, Ruler, Spray, Zoom, Eraser, Bucket, Gradient, Color Picker '''
No change.

* '''Mesh Gradient'''
New tool.

* '''Pattern tool'''
(Rather than just make you choose from a drop-down, pattern tool allows you to generate and control some common patterns like stripes, dots etc.)