Suggestion: combine the Select and Move Selection tools

[kismert]

The first thing I tried to do with paint.net, and I ran into difficulties...

I wanted to crop an image, so I used the Rectangle Select tool -- but no resize handles! 15 minutes of head-scratching and internet searching later, I found there is a matching Move Selection tool (which the FAQ misidentifies as being in the '2nd row, 2nd column').

Every graphics program I recall combines these two functions, so the resize handles just automatically appear after a selection. Even lowly Paint does this (albeit with the equivalent of the Move Selected Pixels tool in paint.net).

Wouldn't it be easier to go with convention and show the resize handles after making a selection? You could then remove the Move Selection tool, and keep all your functionality.

Or am I missing something? If so, what is the rationale for taking this unique, but confusing approach?

[Ash]

If I understand you correctly,

Sometimes users want to adjust (Rotate/resize/move) the selection before moving the pixle.

[david.atwell]

Yes. I use the move/resize selection tool far more often than the move/resize pixels tool.

[kismert]

Ash,

You're right -- I would like (Rotate/resize/move) to be automatically enabled when you use Rectangle Select or Ellipse Select

My rationale is that it is very unlikely that the user got the selection exactly right on the first try, so why not give them a zero-click way of fine-tuning their selection? If you don't care about a precise size, you've lost nothing, but if you need a selection of a certain dimension, covering an exact area, you're spared selecting another tool from the dropdown.

Not to mention, it is what most new users would expect, coming from other graphic programs.

I prefer Move Selection because it doesn't change your graphic, unlike Move Selected Pixels -- the 'principle of least surprise'.

[david.atwell]

This seems like an issue of user preference. If I'm off, I'd prefer to redraw it (because I'm probably off in more than one direction). Although I will agree that this seems to be a rather common way of doing things...I suppose I'm on the fence about it.

[Crazy Man Dan]

My method:

Right hand - Mouse

Left hand - Little finger on , index finger on [M]

Swap back and forth to your hearts content. :wink:

[kismert]

@david --

Yes, it's a preference, but there's no way you'd lose if Move Selection was combined. If you want to redraw, redraw.

My mousing precision has gone down as I've aged, and it is as unlikely I'd get a selection right on the 5th try as I would on the 1st. Thus, my preference is to get a selection close, zoom in, and do fine adjustments.

@Crazy Man --

That's a good tip. But, keyboard shortcuts are really aimed at the advanced/serious user, and are not something the casual/infrequent user is likely to think of.

It's just not obvious to the new user what to do if they want to resize the selection.

Why not follow convention and display resize handles, especially if it doesn't alter the way experienced users work with the program?

[Bob]

Interesting idea, I'm pondering about it, at the moment.

There are several pros and cons.

I think it could just act like the Color Picker, switch to after at user's choice.

Anyway:

Every graphics program I recall combines these two functions

Not Photoshop 7.

show off>

[Ash]

Interesting idea, I'm pondering about it, at the moment.

There are several pros and cons.

I think it could just act like the Color Picker, switch to after at user's choice.

Anyway:

Every graphics program I recall combines these two functions

Not Photoshop 7.

show off>

Good idea, let the users pick.

[Bob]

Left hand - Little finger on , index finger on [M]

By the way, this is really hard to do with an AZERTY keyboard.

I've not a really big hand (quite small, actually), but I must not be the only one.

On a QWERTY, try reaching the and the [;]

Good idea, let the users pick.

Without adding clutter, if possible.

[david.atwell]

I agree. Adding it to the choose defaults panel would be nice. I don't even care which one it ships with, as long as I can come back to the one it has now. :-)

[kismert]

If I understand Bob & Ash's posts, after a Select paint.net would do an automatic mode change from to Move Selection or Move Selected Pixels. This would be user configurable.

That would be a nice enhancement: easy for a new user to understand, relatively easy to code, and configurable for the advanced users.

Thanks,

-Ken

[Crazy Man Dan]

The main problem I'd see with this is creating irregular selections, such as:

If my Rectangle Select tool switched automatically to a Move tool every time I used it, I think I'd go crazy and start sniffing light poles...

I dunno. As long as there's a "Do nothing" option amongst those choices, I'm fine.

[david.atwell]

A....gun stuck through a block of wood?

[Crazy Man Dan]

Nah. I was making letters to type out "hello world." I got lazy.

>_>

[kismert]

Crazy Man Dan:

The main problem I'd see with this is creating irregular selections, such as ... If my Rectangle Select tool switched automatically to a Move tool every time I used it, I think I'd go crazy and start sniffing light poles...

Hmm... OK, that's Ctrl + Select (nice feature, btw)

My thought is that as long as you hold Ctrl down, the Select tool would stay active ... it would only switch after you released Ctrl and completed your final Select.

Besides, as you said, you could turn it off.

Sniffing light poles? I prefer licking toads :wink: