On Sat, 26 Feb 2005 07:20:29 GMT, "shaneyfelt@xxxxxxxx" <shaneyfelt@xxxxxxxx> wrote:
> ]> A) Use a dialog ...
>
> Dialog boxes that get in the way are annoying (like popup ads).
>
> ]> B) Use the Tool Options ...
>
> Good choice. People already look there for similar control.
>
> ]C) Use the status bar...(x, y, width, height) entry boxes...
> ]...A little button in a corner of the status bar ...
>
> Tool Options would be more consistent than the status bar,
> as is evidenced by the type of work required to modify
> the status bar. Most arguments for C are also arguments for B.
Not really. There are some differences: for example, the controls
in the status bar are more likely to be visible when you want to
use them (*) because they would be part of the image window and
would not be in a separate window that could be partially hidden by
the image window (or vice-versa). Also, they do not take space in
the Tool Options dialog box when they are not needed, so this makes
the list of options smaller (easier to understand for the user, no
need to scroll if you have a small screen, no need to collapse some
options and hide them with an expander).
I like the idea that the user would only see the controls and
options that make sense for the current task: this simplifies the
interface and makes it easier to learn. So the idea with (C) is
that when you switch to a selection tool, you get the general
options in the Tool Options tab and nothing special in the status
bar (except maybe for some nice help text like for the Path tool).
As soon as you start creating a selection, then you automatically
see the controls allowing you to set precisely the position and
size of the selection. Note that these controls appear where you
are currently seeing the position of the pointer and other
information, so this will look familiar. Also, the coordinates in
these entry boxes are updated automatically when you drag the
selection, which is something that would be a bit more unusual to
have in the Tool Options tab (IMHO).
I think that it would be nice to have such a solution for the
selection tools, the crop tool and all transform tools.
> D) If you want a button like option C to activate a dialog,
> it could go in the Tool Options instead of the status bar.
The idea about the little button in a corner of the status bar was
just in case we need more space for the controls that could not fit
in the status bar. But if all we need is some space for four entry
boxes and maybe one toggle for the constraints, then I am not sure
that we need extra space so this button may not be necessary.
-Raphaël
(*) Always visible as long as the status bar is visible. One could
hide the status bar, but one could also hide the Tool Options.
