fixed-size issue that's been bothering me

[richardmtl]

Hello!

This is my first post, but I've been enjoying Paint.NET for a while now. Thanks for the great piece of software! It sure made my life easier than dealing with Fireworks!

I have one issue though that's been bothering me for a little bit. I was very pleased when the fixed-size selection tool was introduced, thanks for that. But here's my issue with it:

By default, Inches is selected as the unit. I keep entering the number of pixels I want, and THEN changing the unit selector to pixels. The expected behaviour (at least for me) is that the numbers I had just entered wouldn't change. However, they ARE changed, and the numbers are converted to the number of pixels. For example, I enter 250 by 250 (but I mean pixels), then change it to pixels (from inches), and the numbers are converted to 24000 to 24000 ! Very annoying, and definitely not my expected behaviour.

What does everyone here think about this? I hope I explained myself properly.

Oh, and I searched the forum for this ("fixed size") and didn't find any prior posts. I apologize in advance if it was already discussed.

Regards,

Richard

[MiguelPereira]

Can't remember if it was discussed or not, but it's pointless cause if you have to chage the unit first

then change it first, you would need to change it anyway so...

[richardmtl]

Thanks for the reply.

Well, I don't think that it's completely pointless. If you look at the "workflow", I guess you can call it, things go from left to right. First you select the Selection tool, then you choose the Mode, then either Normal Fixed Size or Fixed Ratio, then you type in your unit amounts, then you change the Unit (pixels, inches, cm). That's why the behaviour is unexpected: the interface induces you to do things one way (the way I just described), but doing so has unintended consequences (unit amounts are recalculated depending on unit chosen).

Also, it may be better to have the default unit for the fixed-selection be the same as the Units right above it on the toolbar:

[MiguelPereira]

The 'workflow' is a matter of getting use to, once you've get used to change it first you wont even notice you do that, about the unit selector being the same... well that's an idea I would not mind being implemented, but that's up to the big boss

[richardmtl]

Thanks for the reply,

Yes, of course one can get used to doing it that way, but in my eyes, it's a defect in the otherwise wonderful piece of software. Why should a user adapt to a UI's non-intuitive behaviour? Shouldn't it be the other way around? Or maybe it's non-intuitive just for me...

Again, and this goes to Rick, please don't take this as unfounded criticism or whining. It may simply be something that was overlooked, or that was a concious decision on your part for some reason. I'm looking forward to hearing your thoughts on it.

[david.atwell]

Actually, I think this is intentional, so you can do quick conversions between pixels and inches on the fly. :-) If that's not true, that's why I would actually object to this proposal...

[richardmtl]

Thanks for your input.

Yes, that's very likely, and a good point as well.

Then how about my 2nd suggestion, of having the default unit be the one that's already specified in the upper toolbar (not sure how to call that one, but see my previous screenshot)? I think that that would be a good compromise.

[david.atwell]

I can get on board with that, if it's not too difficult a change...