Re: [Gimp-developer] Blend Tool UI

[peter sikking <peter mmiworks net>]

Michael wrote:

> > hint: please do not make the endpoint handles small;
> > think generous (more tens of pixels than single digits) and
> > also show where the exact endpoint is in the centre of the handle
> > (say, with a cross to aim).
>
> I had been imagining selection handles that are simply filled circles.
> In my early prototype, they look like this:
> http://i.imgur.com/t4g1zOE.png
>
> I think they are big enough, but they don't really show the exact
> location of the endpoint. I guess I'll need to experiment with this
> more.

sorry, they are not big enough for the speed of working that
is required of a tool like GIMP.

remember, at that moment all that counts for users is reviewing
the gradient and adjusting it.

- you can drop the line because the gradient is there to
 represent itself; saves on clutter.

- make the control points big (30–50px diameter) and essentially
transparent; clearly mark the centre where the co-ordinate is.


> Maybe drawing circles most of
> the time, and then hiding the circles and switching to crosshairs
> while dragging the points, would be good?

the alignment of the endpoint with the underlying content needs
to also be reviewed when not moving the point.

> > > * The general consensus within the dev team seems to be that the
> > > shapebursts (all of the gradient types currently marked "shaped")
> > > should be moved out of the blend tool. They would likely be moved into
> > > either a menu item, or (maybe?) within the fill tool.
> >
> > as far as my thoughts go: there will be more working
> > with (vector) shapes in the future, and modifying those
> > shapes with a gradient fill (by the gradient tool)
> > could be the way to handle that.
>
> Hmm, you might have misunderstood what I meant by shapebursts. The
> shapebursts are special gradients that mimic the shape of your
> selection (currently labeled "Shaped (angular)", "Shaped (spherical)",
> and "Shaped (dimpled)"). Anyway, at this point I'm really conflicted
> as to what should be done with them. I'm not sure whether they belong
> in the blend tool or not right now.

OK, I should have consulted the manual and now I have done it.

I am now completely convinced that the shape burst belongs
in the gradient tool. there is nothing contradictory about
that. the gradient tool applies a gradient fill (as everything:
modified by the selection) and Shape is a fill ‘mode’.

and when talking interactive: next move would be to control
these funky fill shapes on the canvas with a handle or two.

Ofnuts wrote:

> > good plan. combine it with updating the colours of the
> > endpoints to make it truly adjustable to get it _right_
>
> This would be updating the gradient while using it, but a gradient can be much more complicated than one 
> color at each end. And what do you do with gradient colors that are not explicit but bound to FG/BG colors?

well, I imagined straightaway that the endpoints would be
highlightable and then modifiable through the regular
color selection dialog(s).

this point -> that (adjusted) color

a more complex gradient is defined by ‘waypoints’

on the canvas, while working interactive, the position
where these waypoints fall on the gradient can be shown.

then each of them can be highlighted and color-adjusted.

when the points are there anyway on the canvas, users can
move them, in 2 dimensions.

and gee, once you got that. users can build a complex
gradient out of nothing by:

- starting with a begin and end color;

- set up a multi-point path (click, click, click,
 double-click or return; to begin with: a straight-segment
 path; intermediate colours get interpolated, based on
 distance along the path)

- update the points’ position and colours;

- commit (another double-click or return).

if this overloads Michael: you can introduce this step-by-step.

I like where this is going...

    --ps

        founder + principal interaction architect
            man + machine interface works

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