Re: [Gimp-gui] Make the selected tool default to the Color Picker instead of the last tool used

[Jehan <jehan girinstud io>]

Hi,

On 2015-11-05 15:34, Elle Stone wrote:
> On 11/03/2015 01:07 PM, Jehan wrote:
> > Hi,
> >
> > On 2015-11-03 18:36, Elle Stone wrote:
> > > This is a change to the GIMP user interface that I've wanted for a
> > > long time. It probably would only benefit people who use the Color
> > > Picker a lot.
> >
> > There are so many different type of users, I seriously doubt it is
> > possible to select *one* tool as being the most common case. And if we
> > were, the color picker would not be my choice. Users of paint tools
> > would very often use ctrl-click in place of running the color picker,
> > for instance.
> >
> > Of course, as a choice (as you propose below), why not, of course.
> >
> > > When you use a tool, say Curves, and the operation completes, and 
> > > then
> > > you click on the canvas again, Curves pops up again, unless you
> > > remember to pick a different tool.
> >
> > Doesn't it become an habit to switch tools without even thinking about
> > it? Especially when you are a daily user, it seems strange reading 
> > that
> > you forget to pick the tool.
>
> It does seem strange, because I've been using GIMP a lot over the last
> couple of years. So yesterday I worked on an image, trying to figure
> out when/where/why I lost track of which tool is selected.
>
> When working on an image, sometimes it seems like I use the Color
> Picker after just about every editing operation. Having to
> deliberately click on the tool icon to rechoose the Color Picker of
> itself is tedious. But I can ease that issue by assigning (and using)
> a keyboard shortcut.
>
> Here's what seems to be the real problem:
>
> For many tools, including Curves and Levels, the selected tool's
> Cursor doesn't actually appear until I "touch" the canvas, at which
> point the last-used operation dialog pops up and I have to dismiss
> that dialog and then choose the Color Picker.
>
> > I'm wondering if the issue in your specific example is not rather than
> > the cursor of "Curves" is nearly the same as the cursor of the "Color
> > Picker" (a small pipette)? Maybe this is confusing?
>
> Yes, the Curves Cursor is nearly the same as the Color Picker Cursor,
> and this is confusing.
>
> > > Almost never do I actually want to use same tool that I just used,
> > > immediately again.
> >
> > Well once again, that depends on users and even more on which tools.
> > Paint tools are again a good case where people use them again and 
> > again
> > in the row (unless your art is "calligraphy" maybe, you don't paint a
> > full artworks in a single stroke).
>
> Maybe some digital painters might like to have the option to choose to
> have the selected tool default to a brush, but probably not. When I
> use Krita to paint, I wouldn't want the color picker tool to
> automatically switch back to the brush. So I think my suggestion for a
> global default tool really isn't such a good idea.
>
> > Also I have a behavior/spec question for the feature. Let's take your
> > "Curves" tool example.
> > Let's say I changed my mind after having run curves and I want to redo
> > the curves processing differently. So I cancel (ctrl-z). When the user
> > selected your "default tool" option (so now this default tool is the
> > selected one), what should be the tool selected after canceling? Still
> > the default tool, or should GIMP switch back to curves?
>
> That's a good question, to which there doesn't seem to be a good
> answer. So here's how I think the issue of remembering which tool was
> last used maybe could be addressed:
>
> It would help a lot if the Color Picker Cursor were changed, or rather
> preferably change the Curves cursor and keep the Color Picker Cursor
> the same.

I see 2 ways to do this. Either we could keep the color picker cursor 
and add a cursor modifier, like for instance the color picker tool has 
the small white and black fg/bg squares just above the pipette cursor.
Or we make a full cursor of its own, specific to curves but still with 
the idea of color picking. I would suggest you (or other artists reading 
this list) to propose something in one or another way. :-)
You can find all cursors and cursor modifiers under cursors/ in the 
source tree.

Of course, I could ask someone, and I would if there is no proposition, 
but one of the points of this list is also for getting non-developers to 
contribute. Because we all make GIMP. :-)

Only limitation is to stay in a similar design, of course.

> It would help a lot (this would be the key change) if the selected
> tool's Cursor could immediately display "on hover",  *before* clicking
> on the canvas, for more tools, specifically including Levels, Curves,
> Desaturate, and other tools with icons that can be put in the toolbox.

For me, this is an obvious bug. The Curves tool was not considered 
"enabled" at selection but at initialization (which happened only when 
you start computing, i.e. at the first click). Fixed with commits 
011c6db for Curves.

Desaturate on the other hand does not have any cursor here, which may 
seem understandable since it does not look like it has a lot of 
interaction on canvas. Does it have a special cursor in your case?
As for Levels, the cursor changes only when you explicitly check one of 
the "Pick white/black/grey point" button, and disappears after, which 
seems reasonable and consistent to me.
Did I miss something for these 2 tools?

Jehan

> Elle
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