Ellen Reitmayr (ellen.reitmayr@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx) wrote:
> 6. Path tool
> - The modes make the usage cumbersome
I (naturally :-) have some comments about the path section in the test.
You suggest to
: Re-organise the three modes 'Design', 'Edit', 'Move': 'Design' stays
: the same (adds points, forms the shapes), 'Edit' is renamed to 'Remove'
: (removes points, corresponds to the delete key or 'shift'), 'Move' stays
: the same (corresponds to the 'alt' key). Apply buttons for each mode,
: and add tooltips that communicate the shortcuts.
The "Edit" mode is not only about deleting, thats why it was hard for me
to come up with a proper name, that is distinct enough from "Design".
In the Edit mode you can *add* points on a segment. You can *add* a
segment to the path when a single endpoint is selected and you click on
the other one (this btw. is the same as connecting start- and endpoints,
which you wrongly describe in the report as "Design mode + CTRL", when
looking at the tool options you'll realize that CTRL is a shortcut for
switching into the Edit mode)
Pressing SHIFT in the Edit mode changes it from *add*ing to *deleting*,
i.e. deleting nodes works by SHIFT clicking on the nodes (you can use
SHIFT+CTRL to switch to the edit mode temporarily when you are in design
mode), deleting segments (i.e. splitting up a path) works by
SHIFT-clicking on the segment in question.
Thats why it is not really an option to rename the Edit mode to "Remove"
mode, that simply isn't the reality.
I agree that the discoverability of the path tool has to be enhanced,
but I am unsure how.
You go on:
: Allow the delete key to delete points.
Thats indeed a wish I have as well, but this is not possible with the
current tool infrastructure (tools only know about modifiers and cursor
keys, all other keys are not available to the tools right now).
: Provide a hint in the status bar 'To connect start and end point,
: press CTRL'.
When exactly should this displayed? Currently the Statusbar gives hints
what will happen when the user clicks now. It will give the hint "click
to connect the anchor with the selected endpoint", when the user is in
Edit mode and hovers over an anchor.
Displaying such a message to any other time will break this scheme. I am
not sure what messages to sacrifice in favor of the suggested message.
: Add a'Selection from Path' button to the tool option dialog.
Whats wrong with the existing "Create selection from Path" that is there?
Actually I am a bit confused about this...
I'll appreciate some clarification from you on the suggestions quoted
above.
Thanks for the test.
Bye,
Simon
--
simon@xxxxxxxx http://simon.budig.de/
