DrOfProduct

Because I use another viewer, which is far more convenient, for viewing images. And I use Paint.net, the editor, to edit images. You get the idea 🙂 Again, we're talking about forcing a different behavior onto users. But here's another solution: Paint.net can check if I'm SHIFT+dragging, CTRL+dragging, or ALT+dragging, and act differently. That's how I wrote some of my apps. So if I'm holding down the <ALT> key, that could be the "open file" action. All other types of drag-and-drop could show the wonderful prompt that everyone loves so much 🙂

Yes, but imagine building a product that suits almost everyone's needs? I proposed a perfectly valid - and standard - solutions to please you, the multi-layer folks, as well as the non-Photoshoppy users who still enjoy this app very much 🙂 Naturally, it's almost silly to complain about an already-powerful and user-friendly app, but is there such a thing as "too much" of a good UX?

Forcing the user to make a choice every time and interrupting their (work)flow isn't ideal for usability. Imagine if your doorknob asked you every time: "Do you want to open the door or just polishing me?" -- and you do want to open the door in most cases. The best solution is to simply add a checkbox: [x] Don't ask again, and everyone will be happy. (I don't know if Paint.net tracks user actions, but I'd be curious to see the rate of "Open" vs "Add as layer" 🙂 ) Everybody's workflow and needs are different. That's why apps have configurations, settings, and smart defaults. I wouldn't even be posting on here if there was an override or setting for this Open/Add Layer behavior.

Dear Paint.Net masterminds, I've been a user for many years, enjoying the app, but this has always driven me nuts. I've dragged thousands of images onto the Paint.net window and NEVER, ever, did I want to add them as a layer. Ever. If I do, I'd go to the Layers menu or something similar. I never add layers. I only work with simple images. But Paint.Net hijacks this trivial drag-and-drop operation which is used in virtually every app out there, and interrupts it with its prompt. You have to please the majority of users, not the select few who actually drag-and-drop an image to add it as a layer. I bet it's a small percentage of your users. Here are possible solutions: a. Add a checkbox "Don't ask me again" and add a tip "To add as a layer, use Layers menu". Or, b. Simply assume users wish to open the picture they drag and drop onto the window? c. Check if I'm holding down a special key such as <Shift> or <Alt> while dragging and dropping a file, and act differently - that could be the "open file" action. After all, I'd think that I can drop an image onto the Layers toolbar/panel or use another trivial way of adding it, without breaking the most obvious way to actually open an image. Thank you for all your hard work, and cheers!