[Merged] Sketcher Elements Widget rework

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paddle
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[Merged] Sketcher Elements Widget rework

Post by paddle »

Edit2 : Final version is sensibly different than the one in picture/video.
Edit: Video uploaded to present:
phpBB [video]


Hi there,
So looking at the Element widget I think it could be improved.
elements widget rework 2.png
elements widget rework 2.png (34.87 KiB) Viewed 1753 times
Besidse that would let us select both a line startpoint and another endpoint for instance, which is currently not possible.

Rergarding how it would be implemented, I'm not what is the best. In the mockup I draw buttons in the listview items, but I don't know if that's even possible. Another possibilities would be a grid instead of a list view.
Please share your thoughts

Edit: Picture has been updated
Last edited by paddle on Sat Oct 29, 2022 8:06 pm, edited 6 times in total.
openBrain
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Re: Sketcher Elements Widget rework

Post by openBrain »

Very limited details.

I guess the new icons at the right of the element names should replace "Type" combo box : how does it works for arcs and points ? In case of extended naming, that would be just not usable.

Not clear chat you push to preferences : just "extended naming" or both it and "Auto-switch" ? In the former case, where goes "Auto-switch" ?

"Z" switch works. Most probably you don't know how. ;) This said, there's a clash now because "Switch to virtual space" command shortcut is "Z,Z". We should decide on how to improve this.

At the end, what I can surely state right now is "Yes, let's remove the line about Ctrl allowing multiple selection. This is more than obvious". ;)
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paddle
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Re: Sketcher Elements Widget rework

Post by paddle »

Yes sorry,
the idea is to remove the 'type' combobox and provide a way to present to the user all of them in the list at the same time.

Meaning that for each geometry you would be able to select it's edge, starting point, endpoint, midpoint (depending on the geometry obviously) in the listview.

So type combobox and autoswitch to edge would be removed. As all elements would show at the same time.

Regarding with extended naming, the mockup I draw is not ideal. In fact I would rather put the buttons all next to the current icon with the same type. It doesn't have to take lot of space.
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paddle
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Re: Sketcher Elements Widget rework

Post by paddle »

So after playing a bit, it was actually much less difficult than anticipated (at least to do the UI, the code is not working behind yet).

Here's a picture of what it looks like :
elements widget rework 2.png
elements widget rework 2.png (34.87 KiB) Viewed 1915 times
Please feedback.

One thing I'm not please yet is the button colors. I want them to match the listview color rather than default button color. Without removing their background or they become blue too when the item is selected. And they should turn blue when selected (only first button will be selected when user click anywhere on the item)

Also please moderator, move this topic to open discussion as UX/UI forum has much less readers. And it's not really 100% UX/UI debate, it's more general let's say :)
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Re: Sketcher Elements Widget rework

Post by chrisb »

paddle wrote: Fri Sep 30, 2022 9:25 pm Also please moderator, move this topic to open discussion as UX/UI forum has much less readers. And it's not really 100% UX/UI debate, it's more general let's say :)
Done. (Will add some comments later.)
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Re: Sketcher Elements Widget rework

Post by paddle »

So any comments on new mockup? @chrisb @openBrain @adrianinsaval @abdullah

By the way I removed the "Z" ... label on the mockup, but it would make sens to be there.
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Re: Sketcher Elements Widget rework

Post by abdullah »

paddle wrote: Fri Sep 30, 2022 11:01 am Besidse that would let us select both a line startpoint and another endpoint for instance, which is currently not possible.
In the master implementation it is possible to select any endpoint of a line and an endpoint of another line. In fact, it was coded to allow any selection combination and applying a constraint using only that widget. It is not intuitive though and thus can be improved.

If I remember correctly, RT's fork has a different widget now. Maybe something to look at.

I am not sure how the mockup would work, whether the icons will have a state to know what is selected. It is possible to come with something better than we have :)
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Re: Sketcher Elements Widget rework

Post by openBrain »

I'll just comment on the proposal without further proposing -- which I don't like much actually --.

* Visually, it gives a very "heavy" thing, not looking very nice. Though it can be different when seen in the global window. Also good to notice that's absolutely zero at defining UIs. :)
* As @abdullah, I worry about how selection mechanism will look. Both for actually selecting, and highlighting selected elements.
* Being able to toggle "Extended naming" is very important for me. Would really appreciate I can do it in the context menu.
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paddle
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Re: Sketcher Elements Widget rework

Post by paddle »

abdullah wrote: Mon Oct 03, 2022 1:19 pm If I remember correctly, RT's fork has a different widget now. Maybe something to look at.

I am not sure how the mockup would work, whether the icons will have a state to know what is selected. It is possible to come with something better than we have :)
Oh I didn't knew RT changed that already.

It actually works pretty well, the items have buttons that you can select. If you select the item outside of a button it just selects the edge by default. Then you can click the buttons. The background code doesn't change that much actually, it use the same backend just adapted to use the buttons in the items.

However QT forum told me that buttons are not the best for that and it needs some other kind of stuff called 'custom delegate'. I haven't digged deeper yet about that. (for ref:https://forum.qt.io/topic/139738/can-t- ... widgetitem)
openBrain wrote: Mon Oct 03, 2022 4:23 pm I'll just comment on the proposal without further proposing -- which I don't like much actually --.

* Visually, it gives a very "heavy" thing, not looking very nice. Though it can be different when seen in the global window. Also good to notice that's absolutely zero at defining UIs. :)
* As @abdullah, I worry about how selection mechanism will look. Both for actually selecting, and highlighting selected elements.
* Being able to toggle "Extended naming" is very important for me. Would really appreciate I can do it in the context menu.
I forgot to add the extended naming in mockup, but my idea was to use the same settings button with menu as I did in constraints.

And it looks heavy because the buttons background color match the default button color. Instead I want it to inherit the color of the item, this way it would look less heavy.
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paddle
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A

Post by paddle »

@abdullah @openBrain
I just finished to rework. Please have a look at the video in which I present it to answer your question about how it actually works. @adrianinsaval you might also want to see how the filter now hides when mouse mouve away.

It does lok a bit heavy with all those icons. Though I think that the cross icons (for none) add a lot to this feeling. Using a much lighter/thinner icon for none would probably help a lot. What do you think?

phpBB [video]


It was much more difficult than it initially appeared as it required to use a custom delegate. But now it's working properly and ended up as I imagined it so I'm happy :)

Edit: Here how it looks with more neutral crosses :
neutral crosses.png
neutral crosses.png (57.3 KiB) Viewed 1488 times
I think it's better as it's less heavy. What do you think?
Another thing might be to highlight the crosses when item is selected.
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