3. Making VS more efficient by allowing users to temporarily narrow in on tasks

Making VS more efficient by allowing users to temporarily narrow in on tasks


  • I've been thinking about ways to make use of VS more efficient when performing certain tasks. As amazing as all the features in VS are, there are times we need to focus on completely on one type of task and the ability to temporarily remove the other options can be a help and aide in efficiency. Earlier, @ingolf had brought up the idea of a new panel filled with tools related to the task at hand, such as tracing. I can appreciate and understand that approach, but I feel that is going to cause confusion and not everyone desires the exact same tools for a task like that.
    If there was a panel called "tracing" with existing tools within, what if the user does not use mossy of those included tools? The customization is limited (unless VS has the ability. For the user to customize and create new unique panels for themselves)
    I wanted to focus on ways to narrow in while still giving all users the freedom to choose what tools and panels and options they need.

    some of this has already been covered previously in other posts and some of this already exists in VS to varying degrees. I'm only building on what others have already done of course.

    I'm approaching this from four angles:

    1. dedicated panel arrangements for specific tasks that can be swapped between easily - so a panel grouping arrangement geared toward tracing along the general lines of what @ingolf brought up. Another one for inking, maybe text layout is another, etc

    2. Dedicated, all-encompassing panels for in-depth focus on certain tasks, such as brush creation, pattern creation, 3d effects (eventually),
      Some of this is already in VS but I'm thinking about making it more user friendly and increasing options within

    3. Tools or modes that temporarily limit what VS can do so that a specific task can be accomplished. For example the ability to click and move an object without worrying about skewing it, accidentally moving the red rotation dot, etc. Especially for small or thin vectors that are hard to grab easily.
      Another I was thinking of is during the edit stage of a design, the ability to keep vector nodes in the editable mode for easy deleting, modifying, changing node distinctions, etc. Much like isolation mode

    4. Default included actions geared toward certain common tasks pre-installed. We could all contribute ideas and actions that we use that we also feel others would find useful

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    @Boldline Would this be achievable with custom workspaces, and quick swapping between different workspaces? (something that AI already has).

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  • @vectoradmin I think if we put the workspace button on the upper right side of the UI, (This reminds me of a post a while back where @b77 had mocked up a space saving arrangement of the interface and included access to multiple workspace arrangements) it would allow for quick switching between pre-installed and the option to customize your own. This would be very efficient in my mind because the typical user does not have every panel they need open at all times. Knowing what type of task is ahead of them allows for only the most pertinent panels being available in what is always limited screen real estate.
    So rather than a repetitive panel with these tasks within, the user can completely customize the workspace to their heart's content, save it, and easily get back to it or swap back to a default overall workspace arrangement quickly.
    I know for myself, there are times I am focused on adding text, and I want all the text related panels open for easier access to specific tools. When editing vectors, I'd be more likely to open and use the path and shape panels if I could swap to that workspace.

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  • Elaborating on the second point in the original post, I'm thinking of the ability when creating pattern brushes within that panel to preview the brush. Rope brushes for example, require finding the exact position where the brush itself can repeat without any glitches. Having a box representing the edges of the brush so we can adjust the rope design to be just right. This may be a version 2.0 improvement

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  • @vectoradmin I commonly used the AI version of workspaces to clean up the screen of floating panels. I was much more willing to detach panels and move them around as I worked ignoring I could at any point click a button and reset the workspace arrangement.
    Right now in VS, it takes some effort to get the main panels I use in the best configuration and I'm hesitant to drag out a panel because it means having to manually add them back in. There are also panels I don't use as much as I want to because I have to go find them, open it and arrange them each time. It's laziness on my party for sure but it's also repetitive and not efficient

    Thinking of new users, they may not even know what all panels are available for a certain task. Setting up defaults based on common tasks would give them a head start.

    I also look at swappable workspaces like an extension of the contextual menu bar. Between the customized workspace and the contextual menu bar, so many options are opened up to the user

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