Hello,
My name is Matthew A. Todd. I am a second year computer science student at UCSD interested in working on Inkscape as part of Google Summer of Code.
During my use of Inkscape previously, I had wanted a couple of changes/feature additions. I would like the chance to add these features, with some help, as my project in GSoC.
I'm posting here for feedback regarding my ideas. I don't have enough experience to know how long it would take to implement them. I don't even know if others besides myself would even find such functionality useful.
First idea (pen tool): I primarily use the pen tool, and would like to add the following to it:
When drawing a curve, often times I place a node then decide I want to move the node's position. In Adobe Illustrator, this is accomplished by simply pressing a key (the space key.) I would like to add this ability to Inkscape.
Currently, this is already possible through the use of the arrow keys. But allowing the user to move the node with the mouse would increase ease of use because the user wouldn't have to take his or her hand off the mouse. Also it would allow him or her to move the node more quickly. And he or she could still use the arrow keys if desired.
Because the arrow keys method already exists, adding the use of the mouse is by no means of high importance. But several times I have desired such functionality.
Second idea (layers dialog): I find the layers dialog to be a little cumbersome.
Its not possible to simply move layers up and down by dragging them. Instead an user has to click a button or press a key combination. I think adding this small feature will increase ease of use because then the user doesn't have to click multiple times if there are many layers. He or she could simply just drag the layer to the desired location.
The layer dialog doesn't show what is in a layer. So currently, the only option is to hide all other layers, which still isn't a great solution. Adding the ability to inspect items in a layer and move them in z-order or perhaps even move them to other layers, would make layers work better. I'm thinking of something would look like a tree view. Again, I came over from Adobe Illustrator, so my idea of what it would like is similar to how Illustrator's layer dialog, but it need not be.
Thanks, Matthew A. Todd