inkscape_gtkmm: new dialog designs and other things
Howdy,
I thought I'd post about the current state of inkscape_gtkmm.
Here's a screenshot I just made showing off a few things (check it out before reading on): http://thestraycat.org/~derekm/inkscape/inkscape_gtkmm.png
The Trace, Transform, and About dialogs in that screenshot are using libglademm and their XML specification in share/ui/glade/dialogs.glade to do most of the work.
If you'd like to help make/improve dialogs for the Gtkmm conversion effort, fetch:
http://cvs.sourceforge.net/viewcvs.py/inkscape/experimental/bryce/inkscape_g...
I have a few different prototypes for the Trace dialog. They are: http://thestraycat.org/~derekm/inkscape/Trace.png http://thestraycat.org/~derekm/inkscape/Trace2.png http://thestraycat.org/~derekm/inkscape/Trace3.png
Which one is best? I tend to think probably Trace3.png.
The "Inkscape Preferences" dialog shown in the screenshot is unfinished (many of its pages are blank) and doesn't use Glade. I'm just showing it to emphasize the current state of things.
Besides the dialogs shown in the screenshot, there are only a few more mostly unfinished dialogs in the inkscape_gtkmm codebase. However, empty placeholders do exist in the code for all dialogs that need to be implemented.
I've been working a lot on the dialogs lately, and andreas_n has started helping out. I have a "Document Properties" dialog I'm finishing, and andreas_n has said he's starting on the "Object Properties" dialog.
I've been experimenting a lot with libglademm in the dialogs, and I'm becoming rather in favor of libglademm's use in the Gtkmm-ification effort. I've been able to create dialogs much quicker and more efficiently with libglademm, it's very flexible and simple to work with (imho).
JonCruz and Bryce have been doing more work on the Units subsystem. JonCruz has brought an XML format and parser (via his new SimpleSAX stuff) to Units (for loading unit definitions, ratios, etc. at runtime from XML [instead of Bryce's original flat text file]).
It also looks like SimpleSAX could be used for the new preferences system that's yet to be written for the Gtkmm-ification work.
Anyways, that's all I've got to report... Anybody else got anything?
Derek
On Fri, 21 Jan 2005 23:23:09 -0600, Derek P. Moore <derekm@...656...> wrote:
Howdy,
I thought I'd post about the current state of inkscape_gtkmm.
Here's a screenshot I just made showing off a few things (check it out before reading on): http://thestraycat.org/~derekm/inkscape/inkscape_gtkmm.png
Your transform dialog is supposed to be GNOME HIG compliant I guess :), but it it's way too large (not for people with 21" displays, of course :))
I have a few different prototypes for the Trace dialog. They are: http://thestraycat.org/~derekm/inkscape/Trace.png http://thestraycat.org/~derekm/inkscape/Trace2.png http://thestraycat.org/~derekm/inkscape/Trace3.png
Which one is best? I tend to think probably Trace3.png.
Yes, I like the third as well, but I do not quite understand both yours and the current ideas to keep "Invert" checkbox in the bottom :) I might be just trolling, anyway :)
The "Inkscape Preferences" dialog shown in the screenshot is unfinished (many of its pages are blank) and doesn't use Glade. I'm just showing it to emphasize the current state of things.
We had a very nice mockup with a tree list instead of 2row tabs. Would you like to look at it and implement in Glade?
Alexandre
Alexandre Prokoudine wrote:
I have a few different prototypes for the Trace dialog. They are: http://thestraycat.org/~derekm/inkscape/Trace.png http://thestraycat.org/~derekm/inkscape/Trace2.png http://thestraycat.org/~derekm/inkscape/Trace3.png
Which one is best? I tend to think probably Trace3.png.
Yes, I like the third as well, but I do not quite understand both yours and the current ideas to keep "Invert" checkbox in the bottom :) I might be just trolling, anyway :)
I think that I like them in the order 3,1,2. 2 is far too large, esp. for laptops.
Currently, 'Invert' only has meaning for single scan, since it is for the basic Potrace scanning of black & white bitmaps.
If using Gtk::Notebook, please note that we originally had notebook tabs on the dialog for Potrace, and a placeholder for "Other," meaning some other scanning algorithm. So keep in mind that it would likely need to be separated like that again in the future, and the idea of tabs-within-tabs might need to be considered.
Bob
On Mon, 24 Jan 2005 12:46:42 -0600, Bob Jamison <rwjj@...127...> wrote:
If using Gtk::Notebook, please note that we originally had notebook tabs on the dialog for Potrace, and a placeholder for "Other," meaning some other scanning algorithm. So keep in mind that it would likely need to be separated like that again in the future, and the idea of tabs-within-tabs might need to be considered.
If multiply scanning with autotrace is possible, then there might be no reason to separate trace engines with tabs there. All we need is a switcher between engines (2 radiobuttons or a combobox). Functionality is in the first place, name of engine that provides it -- in the second ;)
Alexandre
Alexandre Prokoudine wrote:
On Mon, 24 Jan 2005 12:46:42 -0600, Bob Jamison <rwjj@...127...> wrote:
If using Gtk::Notebook, please note that we originally had notebook tabs on the dialog for Potrace, and a placeholder for "Other," meaning some other scanning algorithm. So keep in mind that it would likely need to be separated like that again in the future, and the idea of tabs-within-tabs might need to be considered.
If multiply scanning with autotrace is possible, then there might be no reason to separate trace engines with tabs there. All we need is a switcher between engines (2 radiobuttons or a combobox). Functionality is in the first place, name of engine that provides it -- in the second ;)
Well, I made the options myself, as various pre-processing and post-processing filters explicitly for Potrace's black&white tracing algorithm, so that is a very big 'If'.
I experimented with an algorithm of my own that scans a color bitmap directly, with no intermediate black&white step. It works with parameters like "color distance" and "color slope". In this case none of the existing controls would have any meaning, nor is there a "multiscan."
Someone showed me another tracer lib on the Net somewhere that does color tracing also, and I am sure it would have different parameters.
Bob
On Mon, 24 Jan 2005 13:10:04 -0600, Bob Jamison <rwjj@...127...> wrote:
Alexandre Prokoudine wrote:
Well, I made the options myself, as various pre-processing and post-processing filters explicitly for Potrace's black&white tracing algorithm, so that is a very big 'If'.
I experimented with an algorithm of my own that scans a color bitmap directly, with no intermediate black&white step. It works with parameters like "color distance" and "color slope". In this case none of the existing controls would have any meaning, nor is there a "multiscan."
Thank you for this explanation!
Someone showed me another tracer lib on the Net somewhere that does color tracing also, and I am sure it would have different parameters.
http://ccrma.stanford.edu/planetccrma/man/man1/autotrace.1.html
-color-count int Reduce the bitmap to using the number of colors specified by the unsigned integer int (range: 1-256). The default value of 0 indicates that no color reduction is to be done. Does not work with grayscale images.
Alexandre
On Fri, 21 Jan 2005, Derek P. Moore wrote:
Date: Fri, 21 Jan 2005 23:23:09 -0600 From: Derek P. Moore <derekm@...656...> To: inkscape-devel@lists.sourceforge.net Subject: [Inkscape-devel] inkscape_gtkmm: new dialog designs and other things
Howdy,
I thought I'd post about the current state of inkscape_gtkmm.
Here's a screenshot I just made showing off a few things (check it out before reading on): http://thestraycat.org/~derekm/inkscape/inkscape_gtkmm.png
Looks nice.
The Trace, Transform, and About dialogs in that screenshot are using libglademm and their XML specification in share/ui/glade/dialogs.glade to do most of the work.
If you'd like to help make/improve dialogs for the Gtkmm conversion effort, fetch:
http://cvs.sourceforge.net/viewcvs.py/inkscape/experimental/bryce/inkscape_g...
I have a few different prototypes for the Trace dialog. They are: http://thestraycat.org/~derekm/inkscape/Trace.png http://thestraycat.org/~derekm/inkscape/Trace2.png http://thestraycat.org/~derekm/inkscape/Trace3.png
Which one is best? I tend to think probably Trace3.png.
Sorry I'm not going to pick a favourite, unfortunately instead I'm going to nitpick but hopefully you will be able to make some use of the criticisms.
It is hard to tell as you have shown the dummy icon for images rather than an actual preview.
Keep in mind that monitors are in the ratio 3:4. If you want your design to look aesthetically pleasing it should be close to 3:4 (or if it is horizontal it should be 4:3). It is generally more difficult to design horizontal dialogs that people like the look of but it is all too easy to create a vertical dialog that simply wont fit on smaller displays, you only really have about 400x600 pixels to work with if you want to a perfectionist.
You have a label Preview and then beside it you have a button Generate. If you are going to have a button you should simply have a button labelled "Preview" which when hit will generate a new preview (under no circumstances should you be using a toggle button, if that is what you want then use a checkbox).
Take a look at other programs (even the GIMP 2.2) previews tend to be displayed first (on top) or on the left not at the bottom.
Personally I've never liked using a scale from 0 to 1 and as user I much prefer using percentages. It is worth considering what would makes most sense to users as it only ever requires a very minor code change.
In some cases it might be worth providing both a slider and a spinner (spinner, that number adjustment box with the up/down arrows that you have already used).
In Trace3 you repeat the word Multiscan which suggest you should have a header for Muliscan and then provide the three others as options.
The invert checkbox looks marooned. What is being inverted? That is where the Invert should be.
I'm not sure Apply is an appropriate choice of label. "Trace" might be the right choice in this case (or failing that OK, apply isn't something that should ever close a dialog).
Sincerely
Alan Horkan
Free SVG Clip Art http://OpenClipArt.org Inkscape, Draw Freely http://inkscape.org Abiword is Awesome http://abisource.com
On Mon, 2005-01-24 at 20:22 +0000, Alan Horkan wrote:
Sorry I'm not going to pick a favourite, unfortunately instead I'm going to nitpick but hopefully you will be able to make some use of the criticisms.
It is hard to tell as you have shown the dummy icon for images rather than an actual preview.
Keep in mind that monitors are in the ratio 3:4. If you want your design to look aesthetically pleasing it should be close to 3:4 (or if it is horizontal it should be 4:3).
Well, I hate to nitpick your nitpick ;) but my screen isn't 4:3, nor is my wife's, nor is my screen at work. I would say that it is kinda a dying format, designing specifically for it probably isn't useful.
--Ted
On Mon, 24 Jan 2005, Ted Gould wrote:
Date: Mon, 24 Jan 2005 22:22:48 -0700 From: Ted Gould <ted@...11...> To: Alan Horkan <horkana@...44...> Cc: Derek P. Moore <derekm@...656...>, Inkscape Devel List inkscape-devel@lists.sourceforge.net Subject: Re: [Inkscape-devel] inkscape_gtkmm: new dialog designs and other things
On Mon, 2005-01-24 at 20:22 +0000, Alan Horkan wrote:
Sorry I'm not going to pick a favourite, unfortunately instead I'm going to nitpick but hopefully you will be able to make some use of the criticisms.
It is hard to tell as you have shown the dummy icon for images rather than an actual preview.
Keep in mind that monitors are in the ratio 3:4. If you want your design to look aesthetically pleasing it should be close to 3:4 (or if it is horizontal it should be 4:3).
Well, I hate to nitpick your nitpick ;) but my screen isn't 4:3, nor is my wife's, nor is my screen at work. I would say that it is kinda a dying format, designing specifically for it probably isn't useful.
errm 400:600; ... 2:3
oops.
Point is (despite my mathematical inability) there are standard proportions that almost everyone is using already and things will look more aesthetically pleasing if you can use them.
Thanks for the nitpick, hope the main point is clear though.
- Alan
Sorry, forgot to reply to the list... Hi Derek!
If you'd like to help make/improve dialogs for the Gtkmm conversion
effort,
fetch:
http://cvs.sourceforge.net/viewcvs.py/inkscape/experimental/bryce/inkscape_g...
Why doesn't the Transform Dialog tabs anymore? Is it unfinished? it's a little huge this way. If you don't want tabs, you can go for expanders, but please make most things hide-able. I just have a 1024*768 screen :)
I have a few different prototypes for the Trace dialog. They are: http://thestraycat.org/~derekm/inkscape/Trace.png http://thestraycat.org/~derekm/inkscape/Trace2.png http://thestraycat.org/~derekm/inkscape/Trace3.png
I'd go for #3. But I'd move the preview to the right.
David
From MAILER-DAEMON Mon Jan 24 13:28:32 2005
Message-ID: <1106602090.41f5686ae03d8@...3...> Date: Mon, 24 Jan 2005 16:28:10 -0500 From: mental@...658... To: Alexandre Prokoudine <alexandre.prokoudine@...400...> Cc: Bob Jamison <rwjj@...127...>, inkscape inkscape-devel@lists.sourceforge.net Subject: Re: [Inkscape-devel] inkscape_gtkmm: new dialog designs and other things References: <20050121232309.5ylozlx6804cgwsw@...657...> <733f2c73050124102079fbe594@...401...> <41F54292.2000906@...127...> <733f2c7305012410522c82b4c7@...401...> In-Reply-To: <733f2c7305012410522c82b4c7@...401...> MIME-Version: 1.0 User-Agent: Internet Messaging Program (IMP) 3.2.6 X-Originating-IP: 208.20.220.69 X-Virus-Scanned: by amavisd-new-20030616-p7 at rydia.net X-Spam-Score: 0.2 (/) X-Spam-Report: Spam Filtering performed by sourceforge.net. See http://spamassassin.org/tag/ for more details. Report problems to http://sf.net/tracker/?func=add&group_id=1&atid=200001 0.2 NO_REAL_NAME From: does not include a real name Sender: inkscape-devel-admin@lists.sourceforge.net Errors-To: inkscape-devel-admin@lists.sourceforge.net X-BeenThere: inkscape-devel@lists.sourceforge.net X-Mailman-Version: 2.0.9-sf.net Precedence: bulk List-Unsubscribe: https://lists.sourceforge.net/lists/listinfo/inkscape-devel, mailto:inkscape-devel-request@lists.sourceforge.net?subject=unsubscribe List-Id: <inkscape-devel.lists.sourceforge.net> List-Post: mailto:inkscape-devel@lists.sourceforge.net List-Help: mailto:inkscape-devel-request@lists.sourceforge.net?subject=help List-Subscribe: https://lists.sourceforge.net/lists/listinfo/inkscape-devel, mailto:inkscape-devel-request@lists.sourceforge.net?subject=subscribe List-Archive: http://sourceforge.net/mailarchive/forum.php?forum=inkscape-devel Content-Type: text/plain; charset="ISO-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable
Quoting Alexandre Prokoudine <alexandre.prokoudine@...400...>:
If multiply scanning with autotrace is possible, then there might be no reason to separate trace engines with tabs there. All we need is a switcher between engines (2 radiobuttons or a combobox). Functionality is in the first place, name of engine that provides it -- in the second ;)
Yes. We ought to use the hierarchy dictated by the users' needs, not the structure of the implementation.
-mental
Derek P. Moore wrote:
Howdy,
I thought I'd post about the current state of inkscape_gtkmm.
Here's a screenshot I just made showing off a few things (check it out before reading on): http://thestraycat.org/~derekm/inkscape/inkscape_gtkmm.png
The Trace, Transform, and About dialogs in that screenshot are using libglademm and their XML specification in share/ui/glade/dialogs.glade to do most of the work.
If you'd like to help make/improve dialogs for the Gtkmm conversion effort, fetch:
http://cvs.sourceforge.net/viewcvs.py/inkscape/experimental/bryce/inkscape_g...
I have a few different prototypes for the Trace dialog. They are: http://thestraycat.org/~derekm/inkscape/Trace.png http://thestraycat.org/~derekm/inkscape/Trace2.png http://thestraycat.org/~derekm/inkscape/Trace3.png
Which one is best? I tend to think probably Trace3.png.
The "Inkscape Preferences" dialog shown in the screenshot is unfinished (many of its pages are blank) and doesn't use Glade. I'm just showing it to emphasize the current state of things.
Hi Derek! I say dialog numer three. I know I was the one suggesting tabs in the first place, but then I got a good nights sleep on in and changed my mind. I belive tabs somewhat gives the illusion that one can use both single- and multicolor at the same time. Just as one can select both the color for stroke and fill at the same time. A radiobutton where you choose between single and multi and then settings under each one of them. I saw someone suggesting this before. Here is a quick mockup: http://ramnet.se/~nisse/diverse/temp/anothertracedialog.png Some other stuff that have been suggested happened to be included. - Andreas
participants (7)
-
Alan Horkan -
Alexandre Prokoudine -
Andreas Nilsson -
Bob Jamison -
David Christian Berg -
Derek P. Moore -
Ted Gould