Possible UI improvements for Paint.net

[lostcowbot]

1.Sidebar:

Would be a detachable Bar at the side with all of the windows. If you don't like it, then you can easily detach it.

http://i190.photobucket.com/albums/z146/Pixering/drawings/sidebar4.jpg

2.Why does the colour wheel need RGB and HSV? It takes up an awful lot of space. Can some be put sideways or fit something in under the primary and secondary colours?(fixed in #1) :Colors:

3.This would not be a problem if the sidebar (#1) was completed:

Also, can you make it possible to scroll my image even when I can see the whole thing so I can move the picture to somewhere out of the way of the Windows(colours, layers etc.)? They get in the way and I can't see part of my picture without changing the zoom. :ZoomToWindow: :Right:

Thanks to Simon Brown for http://i34.tinypic.com/2h396p4.png

LCB

[Rick Brewster]

lostcowbot, please read [rule=6]rule #6[/rule] and edit the title of your post, so that I don't have to close it. Thanks.

[Stephan]

I've gotta admit that he a has a point there... the color wheel is quite enormous, and I for one never use it. I mostly select a color from my pallet and adjust it from there. If multicolor gradients are built in, I think a system like the Photoshop alternative is apporpiate, but not as huge. More like the alpha bar (or the RGB/HSV ones) about 2-3 times as long.

[BoltBait]

I've always been partial to this sort of thing:

[lostcowbot]

Is it possible to put all of the windows in a sidebar? Pics coming soon.

[BoltBait]

If the tools menu looked like this:

I would never open the tools docker window.

I almost always have it closed anyway and just use the keyboard shortcuts. Of course, there's a few I don't know...

[lostcowbot]

would this do?

[Rick Brewster]

:shock:

[Ash]

While clearing all the space is good, ease of use is also important.

I did this a while back.

[david.atwell]

I've always been partial to this sort of thing:

Not too bad. I like.

would this do?

No thanks. I don't want to rain on your parade, but that's so cluttered I can't even make sense of it.

While clearing all the space is good, ease of use is also important.

I did this a while back.

I like this. Having Alpha on a vertical channel makes lots of sense to me, somehow. Something to do with layers stacking and all.

[lostcowbot]

but for my idea (in spoiler below) we'd have to fill up the space with more tools. Any more ideas for tools? In photoshop there is a 'magic brush' where you draw over the colours/area you want and it covers similar colours closeby with the magic wan effect. The options tool I put there would change the settings of shapes etc. for example:

Circle settings: 'filled shape, not filled' etc.

Magic Wand: threshold amount

:LassoTool: Lasso: polygon or drawn lasso (polygon = lasso with straight lines)

[Leif]

would this do?

If you are working in many layers, it is often necessary to change the size of the layers window. And sometimes, also the history window.

Sometimes it is also nice to be able to move (hide) one single window out of the way, and not mowing the others. The way it is now, sort of gives me a bit more room on the screen. I prefer the windows as they are now.

[Simon Brown]

[oma]

well I think actually I'd use ASH's version, just for the transparency sliders position alone. I happen to be like Leif. I move the windows around a lot, turn them off and on constantly. and like the ability to not have them docked in one spot.

but that's just me... I use the program a exclusively so have no photoshop feature bias and find the color window works fine as it is.

@ loscowbot that just looks terrible from a picture making standpoint. clutter clutter clutter. and hard on the eyes to boot. ouch the white background is something I'd find extremely distracting.

OMA

[lostcowbot]

It wouldn't make it any smaller though. that's the whole point. Still, good idea.

[Mike Ryan]

I have always been a fan of the Artweaver color wheel. Perhaps if that took the place of the average color wheel in Ash's mockup then I would easily use it. Mockup coming later.

[lostcowbot]

well I think actually I'd use ASH's version, just for the transparency sliders position alone. I happen to be like Leif. I move the windows around a lot, turn them off and on constantly. and like the ability to not have them docked in one spot.

but that's just me... I use the program a exclusively so have no photoshop feature bias and find the color window works fine as it is.

OMA

You would be able to detach them from the sidebar, if it is inconvenient. Or, if all else fails, you could add a minimise button on each window. for example, like google sketch-up:

[Simon Brown]

Similar to this?

[lostcowbot]

Similar to this?

Nice pic, but still too big. Can you swap the HUE (the outer circle) with the HUE bar(the colour one with 'H' next to it)? It would be nice to be able to make a colour without having to press 'More'. Thanks

[lostcowbot]

Finished!

[oma]

NO NO NO! and I'm shouting here

when I do pictures I need to be able to get in close and have my tool bars real close to the work area for max details like how I've magnified this at 200% note everything I used and needed for the pic details was real close floatable is best method.

if anything how about a move arrow that I can drag down smaller and larger for the actual box ? I don't even know if that's possible .

[Max Power]

Similar to this?

This is awesome!

[Leif]

I am definitely with Oma here. This isn’t my cup of tea. Now why don’t wee discuses the possibility of having a customizable default position of the windows. That way, almost everybody can have there preferred windows alignment.

[lostcowbot]

I am definitely with Oma here. This isn’t my cup of tea. Now why don’t wee discuses the possibility of having a customizable default position of the windows. That way, almost everybody can have there preferred windows alignment.

I'm not saying it would be stuck like that! You could take the whole thing appart if you wanted, and have them anywhere you want. All I want is for the Colour box to be smaller, so I can fit it in the screen with enough space to draw. Also, the Windows don't fit together very closely so it would be nice to have them closer so you can fit them better.

[oma]

then just a little drag down arrow making the box smaller or larger now that I'd go for leave the style alone except maybe I'd prefer ASH's placement on opacity. leave it floatable

and don't anyone dare suggest losing the hex portion I'd have to personally jump thru the screen and strangle you.

:wink:

ciao