GSoC 2010, pen tool and layers dialog
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
On Wed, Apr 7, 2010 at 3:08 PM, Matthew Todd <matcatprg@...36...> wrote:
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.
That would conflict with the Space as switcher to the Selector tool.
-- bulia byak Inkscape. Draw Freely. http://www.inkscape.org
On 4/7/10, Matthew Todd wrote:
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.
Hi, Matthew!
The Pen tool project would be too small for GSoC, and, as bulia already said, it would introduce a usability clash.
The Layers project indeed would be more than just welcome. You were very polite when you said that it is a little cumbersome :) In fact it needs a lot of work.
I'd summarize the missing features as follows:
- reordering layers hierarchy by dragging and dropping - expanding layers to objects, dragging objects from one layer to another - multiple items selection - "solo" visibility by Shift+click on eye icon (like in GIMP, currently only via context menu) - flattening layers and merging just visible layers, merging down.
I'd also add here "layers effects" which would basically be SVG Filters applied to <g>. It already is possible via a horrible trick with XML Editor. Some nice UI wouldn't harm.
Alexandre
On Apr 7, 2010, at 11:08 AM, Matthew Todd wrote:
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.
Hi. I do like the layer dialog idea.
I think the proposal needs a little more work as it stands. One thing is that we like to be sure that students can succeed with their projects, and a top factor is involvement in the project community. Submitting small patches is one way to show some involvement and capability (being able to successfully build the code is a big must). Participating in the chat room and/or mailing lists is also very good.
One thing I think is missing from the proposal is something to help us know what your actual coding abilities are. Some mention would help. Working to fix bugs in Inkscape also really helps here, but I do understand that school schedules can get a bit pressing. So at least some mention of experience in different coding areas, languages, etc. can help.
Laying out some detail of what Inkscape will gain from this project can also help. A breakdown of research, documenting and coding might be good. For your proposal in particular it sounds like the experience with other tools can be used to create some base design documents that will help even for features that you don't have time to code within the GSoC project itself. Bringing in an aspect of agile development, it might be good to start with working up a rough design/spec document as the first step in the project, and include refinement of that documentation to include it as part of the final deliverables.
participants (4)
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Alexandre Prokoudine -
bulia byak -
Jon Cruz -
Matthew Todd