Re: [artworks] Ideas for new version
- From: Martin Wuerthner <lists@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- To: artworks@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
- Date: Mon, 08 Jan 2007 17:20:46 +0100
In message <8d272fa14e.jr@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
rickman@xxxxxxxxxxxxx wrote:
> A dist x 1 up,down,left,right arrow
> B x 5 Ctrl + arrow
> C x 10 Shift + arrow
> E x 1/5 Ctrl + Shift + arrow
> F 1 pixel Alt + arrow
> G 5 pixels Alt + Shift + arrow
Unfortunately, Alt is by ArtWorks for a different purpose (temporary
tool switch) and hence cannot be used. Ctrl is currently used to nudge
without auto-scrolling, so at the moment, all key combinations are
used up.
> [...]
>
> We have discussed this possible enhancement at several shows and you
> seemed to think it would be possible if a suitable key combination
> could be found.
Yes, it would be trivial to add that feature per se but it would be
more work to allow the user to configure it. The only way I can see to
allow more different nudge distances would be to differentiate between
the left and right Ctrl/Shift keys. That would allow us to add three
more levels of nudging. For instance:
None: distance x 1
Right Shift key: distance x 5
Right Ctrl key: distance x 10
Right Shift+Ctrl: distance x 1/5
Left Shift key with any of the above: use zoom-dependent nudge
distance instead of configured value - I guess, the most logical
choice would be 1 screen pixel (i.e., the distance that equates to one
screen pixel at the current zoom value).
Left Ctrl key with any of the above: suppress auto-scrolling.
The question is the level of configuration options we would need to
allow users to customise this layout. I see no point in having a
configuration interface that allows all possible permutations to be
configured, so I wonder what the most preferred two or three
arrangements would be (apart from one obvious option that keeps the
current behaviour). The crucial point is which functions are on the
left and right keys because only the right keys can be pressed
together with the arrows using one hand.
> I haven't discussed the real-time information display with you but it
> seems to be the sort of information that must be available to ArtWorks
> already.
The problem is not the information as such but the space to display it
in. Xara has some permanent space in the Selector toolbar reserved for
it. There could be a little icon to switch the Selector toolbar
between two modes, one with the current Adjust-drag and snapping
options and one with the position/size of the selection. Maybe it
would be even better to switch to position/size mode automatically
whenever you nudge and switch back when you have stopped nudging.
Martin
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Martin Wuerthner MW Software lists@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
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