Improved readability for new users
Improved readability for new users
I am French, please forgive me for the rough translation.
Harmonization of menu bars
In my opinion, the most important thing when you start working with Blender is to understand how these windows and tools are stored. For the moment, even if the regular users find themselves there, many tools and selectors are not in their places.
Menu bars at the top
New users do not often think of looking at the bottom of the area to find these associated options. (When they manage to dissociate a area from another) Indeed, most of the current software have only menu bars at the top of its window.
The menu tree
Currently, in version 2.8, I only know two examples that respect this tree:
[area type] + [mode] + [menus] + [options and shortcuts]
"Graph Editor" and "Dope Sheet"
In the case of "Node Editor", "UV/Image Editor", "Video Sequencer" and "Movie Clip Editor" the order of appearance of the controls does not meet this standard. The confusion is total. Of course if in addition we can instead display drop-down menus instead of simple icons, it's even better.
In version 2.8, a better surprise still, because the display option "Object Mode", "Edit Mode" etc. has completely disappeared from the menu bar of the "3D View" window.
The TopBar
With the new version 2.8 of Blender, still under development, we saw an excellent idea emerge, the TopBar, which allows to sort the workspaces. I have nothing to complain about this principle. However with the TobBar, came the idea to integrate the parameters of the tool in use. Of course, tools are not available for all windows. For example, scripting and data management do not benefit from selection tools or editing. Thus, the location of the tool parameters will not be used on the screen for many uses other than 3D view. For Add-ons, this toolbar is counterproductive and prevents larger tools from being properly displayed in the usual tool region.
I am therefore for the removal of this tool settings bar.
The ToolBar
Another good idea here. But why integrate the ToolBar with the old property panel? It should be a separate entity independent of the tool regions. The ToolBar aims to help new users in their Blender learning. Thus, it can quite come to cover the drawing area. For more advanced users, it can be hidden to favor the workspace and the use of keyboard shortcuts.
Final overview
3 Comments
Hi everyone!
Let me preface this by saying that for 4 years I've taught blender in college and one of the things I would always start with would be the philosophy with blender interface. One of the things I'd teach them was the hierarchical structure of some things. For instance the tabs of the properties window are going from the most general concepts to more particular ones.
That said the reorganizing of the menu tree simply makes sense. I'm all for it.
About the new toolbar I never encounter a situation where the toolbar was a problem besides the "which tab is it in?" questions. Meaning, the existence of the toolbar wasn't a problem but the why it was organized was. So I do understand to some extent the idea of re-doing it. What I don't understand however is the complete removal of it.
The concept of going to the top right corner to open a floating window to adjust some settings is bonkers to a new person, you can't expect them to understand that if they want to adjust their operation they need to go somewhere and open something temporarily. It should be they at all times. So while the old toolbar had many problems, this is definitely not one of them.
But I can give you more. There would be times where they would require a constant switch between flat and smooth shading to evaluate their model topology. Now this is hidden in a submenu in a floating window somewhere. I can already imagine the ton of new YT videos where the models are in flat shading because the new users will never learn there's an button that changes that.
I'll end by saying that I agree with the floating buttons in the viewport with the exception that they don't really fit with the interface, it should be something that uses or changing the existing one and not a ad-hoc move on the interface.
I think the best solution would be to have a customizable toolbar where we go drag or add any operation we wanted. But also one that would provide something more by default than just those huge buttons that even when you resize them down you end up with an empty half of a vertical panel.
Good call about the menu tree! It makes so much sense to follow the new Timeline way. Much more thierarchical. I've proposed it to Campbell and William and we'll give it a go in the Blender 2.8 branch, since it's a pretty quick change (only a few lines of Python).
The sidebar not being totally replaced yet have the options and still have tabs, with tools floating actually.. feels alright. Nice. Reduce tools options clutter on the sidebar, have tools easy access, keep realestate - nice.
Concerning the all to top bar, yes.. please....