Re: [Gimp-developer] Quick-edit workflow

[peter sikking <peter mmiworks net>]

guys + girls,

it is a tricky thing, this overwrite vs. export.

there is a difference, overwrite is for working ‘backward’
as I called it: doing some work on a non-gimp file and
feeding this directly back to it. it is labelled brutally and
frankly, with intent. export is for working ‘forward’, towards
a new result.

but as Richard comments, the difference is not that big.
this is what I exploited in the design for repurposing
the Export-to item for Overwrite.

of course one can use Export... to set up to write over
one of the source files of the composition one is working on.

thus exporting is the general game, with one special case
built in: hardwiring the initiating source file as export
target and giving this a fearsome name (beware: burning bridges)

Yes, Export-to and Export... mirror images of Save and Save-as...

I think I can see what Akkana means: when there is no export
target, the menu items are “Export to” and “Export...”
that is not ideal. and it’s clear that it irritates people.

note that the export-to item cannot be grayed out in this case.
ctrl-E just has to work (leading to an Export..., yes, just
as the first Save is a Save As...)

reviewing the situation, I see that the straightforward solution
is to relabel

Export... -> Export As... (in all states)

“Export to” -> Export (when no export target)

you can see that this achieves perfect mirroring of
Save and Save As...

“Export to foo.xyz” and “Overwrite foo.xyz” stay as-is,
they work well with Export As...

(just in case you wonder, yes I am giving up on something
by doing this: in so many other application the label on
the export menu item is Export... )

    --ps

        founder + principal interaction architect
            man + machine interface works

        http://blog.mmiworks.net: on interaction architecture