Subject:
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[LDAO] Editor Feedback requested
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Newsgroups:
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lugnet.cad
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Date:
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Fri, 13 Nov 1998 15:51:52 GMT
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Viewed:
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2216 times
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Because of functionality Paul Gyugyi has added to LDLite, I've been
working on a new editor for LDraw files which will work with LDLite to
provide WYSIWYG[1] editing. Right now, the design concept for the
editor is for it to be LEdit-compatible, meaning that all keystroke
actions and menu functions from LEdit are exactly the same in the new
editor.
I'd post screen shots of the editor, but it looks remarkably like the
current LDAO editor, with an LDLite window sitting next to it. Not
much worth screen-shooting.
On to my problem:
It seems like there are two types of users and editors for making
LDraw .DAT files: there are the modelers, who take existing parts and
put them together into LEGO-style models. Then there are the authors,
who create new part-files.
Modelers use line-type 1 almost exclusively, along with some
meta-commands. They need to add parts, move them around, turn them
and change their colors.
Authors use all of the line-types, except meta-commands. They need to
enter points in 3D space, and connect them into lines and quads. They
also use primitives-files and sub-files, which need to be moved,
turned, mirrored, and scaled. They also need to perform boolean
operations on primitives--intersections, unions and differences.
(Note to part authors: don't get your hopes up; I'm not implementing
tools for these extra functions. At least not yet.)
I've got the new modeler basically implemented, it's at an alpha level
of development. It inserts elements, changes their color, changes
their part number, moves them around (at three different speeds),
turns them, and deletes them. OK so far. Now the bad news. I've
been trying to use the editor for part-authoring, and it's not very
good. It is *possible* to enter&edit line-types 2 through 5, but it's
awkward. So I'm trying to figure out how to best support both users
who want to create models, and users who want to author parts.
Two level-setting definitions:
Simple keystrokes = Any key on the keyboard, used alone or with Shift;
not in combination with Ctrl or Alt
Ctrl-keystrokes = Any key used in combination with Ctrl, Alt, and/or
Shift
(yes, there's overflow between these definition. Use context to
resolve intended meaning)
OK, here are the facts (as I see them):
1. A powerful modelling editor will primarily use simple keystrokes to
perform editing tasks. Some functions will only be accessible only
from menus. Menus are alt-key accessible.
2. A powerful part-authoring editor will need to allow the user to
edit the LDraw commands directly. Text editing uses all of the simple
keystrokes, and many of the ctrl-keystrokes (especially the ctrl- and
shift-arrow keystrokes). Any additional (LEdit-specific)
keyboard-based functionality must be implemented using
ctrl-keystrokes.
3. A model editor which does not normally allow direct editing of
command-lines is more useful (to most modelers) than one that does.
Without direct editing, random/accidental keystrokes aren't inserted
into the model, which would require the user to recognize valid
syntax, and clean up the error.
So what can I do to resolve this, and have a single editor which
supports both Modelers and Authors?
Some options (not all mutually exclusive):
1. Use ctrl-keys for all the basic LEdit commands: arrow keys, moving
parts, changing the part number and color.
2. Use a UI-mode switch to go between Modelling and Authoring modes.
Modelling mode would be very much like LEdit, and Authoring mode would
be very much like the editor in the released version of LDAO.
3. Be super-smart, and only allow alpha keystrokes where appropriate.
4. Drop keystroke-based commands for modelers, and add buttons for
mouse-based commands.
5. Provide two different windows for the editor, one for modeling and
one for authoring. Both can be displayed and used at the same time,
whichever window has the focus is the active one.
6. Give it up, and have two different editors, LDAO Modeler and LDAO
Author.
7. Some other option I haven't thought of yet.
Any opinions or ideas? Questions are fine, too. :)
This is also going to be posted to the L-CAD list.
-+Steve
[1] When was the last time you heard that term?
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Message has 2 Replies:
 | | Re: [LDAO] Editor Feedback requested
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| (...) Great! (...) Does this mean I would have to hit CTRL-arrow to move a piece insteaad of just arrow? (...) No! No! No! No! No! Please keep keyboard commands for modelers! (...) This would be friendly to beginning users and basic modelers, but (...) (26 years ago, 13-Nov-98, to lugnet.cad)
| | | Re: [LDAO] Editor Feedback requested
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| (...) Speaking as someone who would only ever use it as a modeler, I'm wondering why one program has to be all things to both groups? I know you're doing this gratis, and I understand that two separate programs would probably mean twice as many (...) (26 years ago, 13-Nov-98, to lugnet.cad)
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