Proposal for changing a bit the Tools Palette
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Proposal for changing a bit the Tools Palette
After the LiveCode's toolbar http://forums.livecode.com/viewtopic.php?f=67&t=28147 I tried to redesign also the Tools Palette trying to make it easier to understand for new users (maybe)... it's just a try so please let me know what do you think, any comment and suggestion will be very welcome....
Edit: I update this image as they arrive comments and observations.
PS
Sorry I posted this topic in the wrong forum, if some moderator see it, please move it to the right section of the forums, thank you.
Edit: I update this image as they arrive comments and observations.
PS
Sorry I posted this topic in the wrong forum, if some moderator see it, please move it to the right section of the forums, thank you.
Last edited by Mag on Thu Oct 27, 2016 11:08 pm, edited 12 times in total.
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Re: Proposal for changing a bit the Tools Palette
Hi Mag,
That looks really great! I would love the tools palette to look like that. Some of your improvements are things we have intended to get done for a while, but I love the general design.
That looks really great! I would love the tools palette to look like that. Some of your improvements are things we have intended to get done for a while, but I love the general design.
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Re: Proposal for changing a bit the Tools Palette
I agree, this is excellent. Using toggle widgets instead of the gear menu is much more convenient and intuitive. The entire look is clean and professional.
Jacqueline Landman Gay | jacque at hyperactivesw dot com
HyperActive Software | http://www.hyperactivesw.com
HyperActive Software | http://www.hyperactivesw.com
Re: Proposal for changing a bit the Tools Palette
Thank you so much!
I made a new version where the widgets have a lighter look. Please keep in mind that I'm not a graphic designer (I work in the usability field), I'm sure LiveCode's graphic designer will do a much better job.
I made a new version where the widgets have a lighter look. Please keep in mind that I'm not a graphic designer (I work in the usability field), I'm sure LiveCode's graphic designer will do a much better job.
Last edited by Mag on Sun Oct 23, 2016 2:39 pm, edited 4 times in total.
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Re: Proposal for changing a bit the Tools Palette
I like the lighter widgets very much. The current ones are so dark they overpower the palette. My eye goes there immediately and gets stuck.
You could be a graphic designer if you wanted to be, I think.
You could be a graphic designer if you wanted to be, I think.
Jacqueline Landman Gay | jacque at hyperactivesw dot com
HyperActive Software | http://www.hyperactivesw.com
HyperActive Software | http://www.hyperactivesw.com
Re: Proposal for changing a bit the Tools Palette
I tried to do a new version with the widget icons a bit less wide, perhaps it helps to give a more balanced look. Also the saved space is useful for implement a scrollbar. I updated the image in the first post.
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Re: Proposal for changing a bit the Tools Palette
Can I put in a request:
I would like a "mini-mode" that toggles the tools palette between full and just browse/pointer. (Most of the time I'm switching between these two, and the larger palette can get in the way—especially with the widgets section. At the same time, I want the whole thing accessible if I need to use it.)
Any chance of this?
I would like a "mini-mode" that toggles the tools palette between full and just browse/pointer. (Most of the time I'm switching between these two, and the larger palette can get in the way—especially with the widgets section. At the same time, I want the whole thing accessible if I need to use it.)
Any chance of this?
Re: Proposal for changing a bit the Tools Palette
I Jeanne, interesting point. Of course, yours is a request to make to the LiveCode team (I'm a simple user like you, not involved in any way in the development).
Maybe you already know this but, if you use the popup menu with a gear icon of the palette, you can remove the sections you don't use (but you lose "the whole thing" accessible if you need to use it).
Also, as an user switched often from the Browser mode and the Edit mode, It could be useful to associate a keyboard key, like in Photoshop palette... but obviously it would not work when you are inside a text field. Actually this can be done with a handler in a button set as backScript like this (not tested):
Maybe you already know this but, if you use the popup menu with a gear icon of the palette, you can remove the sections you don't use (but you lose "the whole thing" accessible if you need to use it).
Also, as an user switched often from the Browser mode and the Edit mode, It could be useful to associate a keyboard key, like in Photoshop palette... but obviously it would not work when you are inside a text field. Actually this can be done with a handler in a button set as backScript like this (not tested):
Code: Select all
on preOpenStack -- in the stack
insert the script of button "BackScriptLibrary" of card "myCard" of stack "myStack" into back
end preOpenStack
on keyDown theKey -- in the "BackScriptLibrary" button
if the environment is "development" then -- in development only
if theKey is "1" then -- switch to browser tool
choose browse tool
else if theKey is "2" then -- switch to pointer tool
choose pointer tool
end if
end if
pass keyDown
end keyDown
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Re: Proposal for changing a bit the Tools Palette
Removing each section and then re-adding all of them when I need the whole thing is a bit... painful. ;-)
There actually is a keyboard shortcut for Browse and Pointer tools (look in the Tools menu), but this doesn't give me the on-screen indication of which tool is active.
There actually is a keyboard shortcut for Browse and Pointer tools (look in the Tools menu), but this doesn't give me the on-screen indication of which tool is active.
Re: Proposal for changing a bit the Tools Palette
Jeanne DeVoto wrote:Removing each section and then re-adding all of them when I need the whole thing is a bit... painful.
There actually is a keyboard shortcut for Browse and Pointer tools (look in the Tools menu), but this doesn't give me the on-screen indication of which tool is active.
Hi Jeanne, I'm aware of the shortcut, my tip is to just use a key (1 and 2) to switch from edit and browse tool. It's very handy and you do't use two hands (and you see easily the state by watching directly the pointer).
Anyway, I know that it's not what you would like to. Maybe a possible way could be to move the "pointer chooser" from the tools palette (which actually it's not only a collection of tools, for examples includes also libraries) to the main Toolbar. But in this case you lost the possibility to move the pointer switcher where you would like to find it on the screen. Just a brainstorming...
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Re: Proposal for changing a bit the Tools Palette
Mag.
I just now saw this effort and this forum pane. Thanks for doing all this. I am so turned off by the sinister-looking and clunky tools palette in v8. It shouldn't matter so much, but it does.
Craig Newman
I just now saw this effort and this forum pane. Thanks for doing all this. I am so turned off by the sinister-looking and clunky tools palette in v8. It shouldn't matter so much, but it does.
Craig Newman
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Re: Proposal for changing a bit the Tools Palette
I obviously don't spend much time here on the web forum, so I'm just coming back into this discussion. For my taste, I think the tools palette can easily take up too much space, especially as we get more extensions. The design of PowerTools is based on separation of functionality, so there are three tabs for Objects (buttons, fields, etc); Graphics (paint and graphic tools); and Widgets (widgets and library extensions).
Some of my design goals:
Some of my design goals:
- Controls on the Objects panel are native-platform objects rather than cartoon images.
- Controls dragged to a stack are named uniquely: "button_1", button_2", etc.
- Graphic tools persist their properties, so the rectangle tool can have different color setting than the oval tool, etc.
- You can paint using patterns and gradients
- Graphics and Paint tool properties have a separate visual area rather than a disclosure triangle
- Double-clicking above the tab panel minimizes the tool palette to the upper corner of the screen to minimize screen real estate
- You can place extensions into folders to organize them
PowerDebug http://powerdebug.ahsoftware.net
PowerTools http://www.ahsoftware.net/PowerTools/PowerTools.irev
PowerTools http://www.ahsoftware.net/PowerTools/PowerTools.irev
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Re: Proposal for changing a bit the Tools Palette
Yes, I like your solution. Alone the above makes working so much easier.mwieder wrote: ... There are three tabs for Objects, Graphics and Widgets.
... You can place extensions into folders to organize them.
LC's target are 1000 widgets. Where else should they go to than into a well-organized structure?
shiftLock happens
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Re: Proposal for changing a bit the Tools Palette
Nothing like a bit of over exaggeration . . .LC's target are 1000 widgets.
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Re: Proposal for changing a bit the Tools Palette
A bit or 100 Bytes?Richmond wrote:a bit of over exaggeration
shiftLock happens