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




Let me respond to some of what you write:

>Is it really so unintuitive?
Yes.  To me it is.  At least mention the straighten function in the tool tip for the Measure tool.

>Or are you simply not used to the new feature yet?
I just have to remember where the straighten functionality is.

>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?
I did include suggestions, but you don't seem to like any of them. That's ok.

User interfaces are hard.  Could it better?  Yes, as there are many tweaks here and there that would make GIMP better. 

GIMP is free, does what I need it to, and am appreciative of it and of people who improve it. 



On Friday, February 22, 2019, 6:30:44 AM EST, Jehan <jehan girinstud io> wrote:


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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