Layer usuability idea

[Thomas Zander]

On Monday 07 November 2005 19:54, Boudewijn Rempt wrote:
> > The major problems I detected were;
> > a) layer selection.  Which layer to start drawing on.
> > b) feedback for 'current layer'.
> > c) picking a color and other such interactions are a bit weird with
> > layers, they require a more complex mental model.
> >
> > the last one is minimized by the selection tools defaulting to 'all
> > layers' which is a good thing.  But the feedback of which layer is
> > what is lost whenever the user tries to change that.
>
> First I thought you were talking about the selection tools, but I guess
> you just mean the colour picker. 
I do.  Since this is about point (c)  layers add a mental model

> Where the colour is picked from is 
> already quite visible, 
I disagree; named layers is no substitute for having a visible feedback of 
selecting which layer you are going to be selecting from.

> with the default being "sample all visible 
> layers" -- i.e., exactly what you want. 

I guess I did not explain fully;  the default is indeed fine. The layers 
issue (again, point c.) comes into play when the user changes the 
combobox from the default value and selects something from another layer.

> The color you see on screen is 
> what you get when using the picker.

Only in the default; when you change the combobox then things get weird 
and mental models get confused. i.e. more feedback is required.

ps. I just found its got a severe bug in that it can only pick a color 
from a specific layer (after changing the combobox) if that same layer is 
the active one. Otherwise it just defaults to 0,0,0
-- 
Thomas Zander
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