Feature request: dockable floating toolbars

[boogerman]

The current floating toolbars always get in the way, so I'd really like to be able to dock them.

Other than that, wonderful piece of software. Keep up the great work!

(note: this is not the same as "Movable toolbars" item in "Popular Feature Requests" topic -- check the attached screenshot)

PS: Sorry for breaking the rules in my previous post. I should have read them more carefully. I hope this time I got it right ^_^

[Simon Brown]

This feature has already been requested: viewtopic.php?f=12&t=21749

[david.atwell]

Yes, but that thread is dead. Resurrecting it would be necroposting.

That thread (somewhat embarrassing for me...) does provide a good workaround, though. :-)

[Simon Brown]

Just one question: What would be the advantages of such a feature?

[IceFusion]

He says it gets in the way, it happens to me sometimes.

[boogerman]

Thanks for your replies. I must apologize again m(_ _)m m(_ _)m m(_ _)m since I did not find that post before.

However, I had already figured that workaround by myself. It's OK, but I would still really like to be able to really dock the toolbards, and not having them floating outside my main window (I must be one of those guys who like to work on "maximized" windows).

Cheers

[boogerman]

Just one question: What would be the advantages of such a feature?

Mainly, you can maximize or give any size to your Paint.NET window, and the toolbars would always stay in the same location (relative to the main window, that is) without getting on top of your drawing canvas.

[Simon Brown]

AFAIK dockable windows is very hard-to-program from scratch.

[IceFusion]

Couldn'nt you copy the code from the existing windows and just modify it a little? I don't do programming a lot anymore, and I haven't done anything in C++ or C# :?

[boogerman]

AFAIK dockable windows is very hard-to-program from scratch.

I'm not familiar with .NET any more. I worked for a software company many years ago and we did something like that in C#, but I can't remember whether this was using standard API calls or a component API we had purchased...

[Simon Brown]

Couldn'nt you copy the code from the existing windows and just modify it a little? I don't do programming a lot anymore, and I haven't done anything in C++ or C# :?

AFAIK it mainly depends on how complicated you want the docking system to be. Does it need to support windows combined in a tabbing system by the user? Does it need to support more than two windows docked side-by-side?

I can't remember whether this was using standard API calls or a component API we had purchased...

I don't think there is such a function in the windows API - and AFAIK the Paint.NET project doesn't except 3rd party code.

[boogerman]

I can't remember whether this was using standard API calls or a component API we had purchased...

I don't think there is such a function in the windows API - and AFAIK the Paint.NET project doesn't except 3rd party code.

You are right. After some Googling, there seems to be no standard .NET API to achieve dockable windows.

I did found two open source libraries to achieve this, though. I checked their samples and they seem to work quite well:

1) A Docking Panels Library in .NET 2.0: http://www.codeguru.com/csharp/csharp/cs_controls/custom/article.php/c12875/

2) DockPanel Suite: http://sourceforge.net/projects/dockpanelsuite/

Of course, whether any of those are easily implementable for Paint.NET remains to be seen...

[Simon Brown]

I did found two open source libraries to achieve this

I would have recommended a few I have known about on thecodeproject - but I had heard PDN doesn't accept 3rd party code.

[Mike Ryan]

Actually, the word 'dockable' when reffering to floating toolbars has multiple meanings. For instance, dragging a floating window into a corner of the blank canvas and surrounding empitness will actually 'dock' the windows, allowing for them to stay in place when you click and drag the Paint.NET Window itself.

[david.atwell]

You know, you can just hit the "Windows" menu and close windows you don't use very often.

[Mike Ryan]

You know, you can just hit the "Windows" menu and close windows you don't use very often.

But David, that would leave cause to open a thread on how to get those windows back!

[david.atwell]

Good point. :-P Reset Window Locations would seem to be intuitive, but whatever...

[boogerman]

You know, you can just hit the "Windows" menu and close windows you don't use very often.

True. I can hide all the windows so that none of them gets in the way ;-)

Seriously, of course there are workarounds. Docking them outside the main window, hiding them, you name it. But all those are workarounds but not real solutions. If the toolbars were dockable ("dockable" in this case meaning the ability to stick them to the border of the window without them being floating overt the canvas), everyone would be able to choose the layout they prefer.

[david.atwell]

Yeah, but we work with a lot of workarounds with the program. It's free, and programmed by one guy in his spare time, so we make do with what we have a lot. :-)

I'd much prefer to see Rick work on 4.0 and maybe implement this than have this in a 3.xx release. ;-)

[boogerman]

Yeah, but we work with a lot of workarounds with the program. It's free, and programmed by one guy in his spare time, so we make do with what we have a lot. :-)

I'd much prefer to see Rick work on 4.0 and maybe implement this than have this in a 3.xx release. ;-)

I entirely agree with you. This is just a feature request. I do suspect many people would like to see such a feature (I am thinking about people coming from Paint Shop Pro, like myself), but of course it will be up to the developer(s) to decide if they do it and when. By no means I am demanding anything, and of course I am grateful to get such a wonderful software for free.

So thanks again ^_^

[johnQ]

That's all great but by his own admission:

"Movable toolbars -- Not gonna happen. In my opinion, it is way way way more trouble than it is worth. (Please do not confuse "toolbar" with the "floating tool windows": Tools, History, Layers, Colors. Those are already movable, dockable, and some are also sizable.) "

The ability to stick them to the side is great but the color wheel is always in the way. and yeah i need it open all the time. So the whole close it thing doesn't work for me. I respectfully disagree that it is more trouble then it worth. It would not be hard to put the massive color wheel in a drop down toolbar. Look at frontpage, word or any number of high dollar wares. They all have it. I realize it's free in all but that doesn't change the fact that it's annoying as can be to move it out the way all the time.

The transparency is a mute point, because if you do your work behind it all the time. I would hate to see the quality of your work.

It needs to be in a toolbar bottom line. Anyone with half a brain reviewing it will surely drive home this point.

Thanks

[BoltBait]

Anyone with half a brain reviewing it will surely drive home this point.

This is the type of rudeness that gets you nowhere on this forum.

[Rick Brewster]

What BoltBait said. Plus, johnQ, you completely misunderstood what it was saying. It says toolbars, not tool windows. Huge, huge difference. Now get off your high horse.

[johnQ]

This is the type of rudeness that gets you nowhere on this forum.

Sorry, I didn't mean to offend anyone. (respectfully) I didn't know skins were that thin in here. I guess I should have by reading the rules. As a webmaster of many sites, some with forums and a member of many more. I can honestly say I have never read rules so strict. I figured you guys have had many problems with the kids to make them that way. I'll know better next time.

I was merely being frank about it. Plus I was trying to cover all bases. As it seems from the somewhat rude faqs (ie. Not gonna happen) that it is something that will not even be considered. That's a shame. IMO

What BoltBait said. Plus, johnQ, you completely misunderstood what it was saying. It says toolbars, not tool windows. Huge, huge difference. Now get off your high horse.

I hope this doesn't offend but I respectfully disagree, that they are not related. My point is, they kinda should be. In that if "docking" it to the side still leaves it in the way. The only other logical course of action would be to have the ability to move it to a toolbar or take it down to the size of the tool window. No offense meant, just my opinion. I think this would be the same opinion of anyone who has been using photo editing software for 10+ years as I have.

I sincerely think it is a great thing your doing with this. I hope it makes you goo gobs of money.

Again I apologize for being so passionate in my original post.

[tnk]

I also want this feature, very stongly.

Please consider to add it to the "Popular Feature Requests" list.