Re: [Gimp-gui] The GUI for the Measure (and Straighten) Tool

[Jehan <jehan girinstud io>]

Hi!

On 2019-02-22 01:16, Gary Curzi via gimp-gui-list wrote:
> Using GIMP 2.10.8/Win7-32
>
> The Measure tool now contains a "straighten" function, which is very
> useful. I use it to rotate scanned photos so they are perpendicular to
> the Image window.
>
> But "straighten", which is a specialized type of Rotate, and "measure"
> are two completely different types of functions. One provides
> information about an image, the other transforms the image.
>
> I used the straighten function the first time after I read the release
> notes. The second time, it took it forever to find the straighten
> functionality because it has nothing to do with "measure"--I was
> looking in rotate tool.

It is true that naming and history of the tool don't make it obvious 
that this is now also a simplified transform tool. On the other hand, 
this was the closer tool both for existing similar GUI and for the 
analogy to physical world ("skeuomorphism"). For instance you usually 
check for something to be horizontal or vertical with these rulers with 
a level embedded in it.
Same as in physical world, we usually use measure tools to actually 
modify the objects and artworks (not only to purely measure just for the 
sake of it).

On the other hand, the rotation tool, for instance, doesn't have a GUI 
which is in any way close to the expected interaction (trace a line, 
then make it horizontal/vertical). And even regarding analogy to 
physical world, people who basically use "Straighten" don't usually see 
it as a rotation (even though it is indeed just a rotation in the end), 
but really just fixing level imperfections after measuring.

> Is there any thought to moving the Measure tool to the Transform Tools
> submenu, renaming the Measure tool, incorporating the straighten
> function into the Rotate tool, or splitting the functions of measure
> and straighten into two separate tools? Or something else more
> intuitive and findable?

Is it really so unintuitive? Or are you simply not used to the new 
feature yet?
As said, I find such feature there quite intuitive, as well as how to 
use it.
So to answer, no, we haven't had any thoughts on changing this.

Also I am a bit reluctant to new tools for every new idea. We already 
have too many tools, some of them being probably nearly ever used. Of 
course, I would happily welcome a new tool for a completely new feature 
which really has no relationship with any of the existing tools. The 
measure tool, on the other hand, just for this one Straighten feature, I 
would be very wary to split it in its own tool.

Now we are very receptive to brand new ideas for improving interaction 
in GIMP. Maybe we completely missed a much better interface possible 
than the current one. And if so, and if someone decides to program this 
new idea, we would gladly accept the patch. Above, I was merely 
explaining the current logics, not saying we are not ok to change if 
contributors step up to design and implement improved versions of 
existing features.
I don't see any explanation in your email on how this should have been 
implemented in your opinion, but maybe you have something in mind?

Jehan

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