Suggested KM interface tweaks

[pherbrick]

Interface, authoring environment, whatever. My suggestions are directed to Bob, but I would like to know if others think they have merit. KoolMoves is a great tool, and I'm looking forward to the scheduled upgrade and new version, credit card clutched in sweaty fist.

My suggestions have to do w/ user friendliness and buttons (mostly), because I'm currently working on a button intensive project and had to keep going back and fixing stuff, so there were a lot of repetitive actions. My current KM version is 4.6.5.

1) Have Escape key close dialog box without applying changes.
2) Have Return key apply changes and close dialog box
3) Have Return key apply changes and move focus from name field to window (e.g., list of Shapes/Frames)
4) Numeric Transform Tool,
a. allow entry of decimal point in Scale fields
b. have it remain open while moving between buttons / shapes.
5) Button Actions and Sounds window, have it remain open while moving between buttons.
6) Mouse info in status bar with selection tool - in addition to relative x-y coordinates, include height and width of selection field or shape as it is ... is stretched the right word?
7) deleted – couldn’t reproduce crash reliably.
8) Shape properties - Color/Fill - Shape Fill Samples
a. the transparency value, even though reflected in the sample, doesn’t transfer to the fill dialog.
b. any way to save the samples so they are available later?
9) Initial Movie position. Is there a way to have the fun files load lined up on their top left corner? This would cut down on the amount of repositioning required.

Additional verbage as to why I want something or think it has merit:

Points 1) through 3) above, the Escape and Return key effects, are a Windows app look and feel type of thing. It’s what I’m used to and I waste time hitting the keys and then having to use the mouse.

4)b. and 5), I can imagine that there is a focus/select issue involved that may not be solvable. Regarding point 5) (the Button Actions and Sounds window and moving between buttons), would it be possible in the Actions and Sounds Overview, since you’re going to an existing action, to go directly into edit mode from the right click menu, and then return directly to the Actions and Sounds Overview to pick the next entry to edit? For example, the right click menu on a Button AS could have 1) Actions and Sounds, 2) Edit Action, 3) Delete Action, 4) Over Sound and 5) Down Sound.

Anyway, that's it (for now). Just want to know if they have merit and might be possible. Thanks.

[gusmus]

Some good ideas there.

It would nice to have a library of editable swatch or paint fills (photoshop style) and also to be able to select between the background fill as "single image fill" or "repeat image fill".
One thing I would like to see is the possibility to be able to open different fun files within the same program window without having to close one file and open another, or needing to have three or four KM windows open at the same time just to be able to work on different aspects of the same production (It's a real memory buster when you do). I would imagine that it would make copying shapes between fun files a lot easier as well.

[pherbrick]

Woah! Deafening silence. Thanks Gusmus, you raised some good points as well. I guess changing the interface is not a pressing issue.

[FLASHPULSE]

Originally posted by gusmus
to be able to open different fun files within the same program window without having to close one file and open another.

I second that.

[Bob Hartzell]

Most of what is mentioned is difficult, some of it extremely difficult. I have saved the suggestions.

I am working on 5.0 now and have a very aggressive list of changes (scenes, symbol library, improve group functionality, improve change depth, major icon overhaul, tapered lines, improve draw with a pencil, additional standard shapes like polygon and star, redo slant transform).

[necromanthus]

Originally posted by Bob Hartzell
I am working on 5.0 now and have a very aggressive list of changes (... symbol library ...)

[gusmus]

Go for it Bob. Those tapered lines sound absolutely erotic.

[FLASHPULSE]

Originally posted by FLASHPULSE
I second that.

I should have been more desciptive by what I meant because you can already open a new fun file with a current one using "Insert Movie".

What I was thinking is when I double click a fun file to open it, it always opens a new window of KM, even though I already have KM opened. Not really a big deal though.

What I would like to see is when you preview your work in IE, KM uses an IE window that's already in use, so when you accidently close the window if you're surfing the net as well, you just lost where you were at. It would be nice if it could open a new window.

[TDolce]

Yeah,..everyone leave Bob alone for awhile in his tiny little room with the old dusty light bulb hanging overhead from the rafters so he can get that symbol library and tapered line tool implemented!!!

I'm ready for version 5 and I will have to purchase KM once and for all if Bob makes the effort to make these changes. That's the least I can do for him after moaning endlessly about the line tools!!

Todd

[Bob Hartzell]

We will see! I remember you saying that you would purchase a copy if I implemented onion skinning.

[pherbrick]

Improvements to functionality trumps (for the most part) cosmetic changes. Thanks for the discussion.

--Peter

[TDolce]

Gee Bob,..you're not supposed to remember those things!!!!

td

[gusmus]

Posted by Flashpulse

you can already open a new fun file with a current one using "Insert Movie".

That is the poor mans answer to the problem but it's a pain because you end up with another movie stuck on top of the one you are working on which gets in the way.What I'd like is to have a list of currently "open" movies above the list of "Recently opened" movies on the file button or to have an open movie drop itself to the bottom of the window when you open another. That way you can continually flip between one or the other.
Your suggestion about the preview window is a must. That drives me nuts at times. I now have a 10 mile list of half read pages in my "favourites" folder, and it's all Bobs fault lol.

[FLASHPULSE]

Originally posted by gusmus
I now have a 10 mile list of half read pages in my "favourites" folder, and it's all Bobs fault lol.

LOL

[TDolce]

Guys I have about 9 character designs that I have developed to help me decide on one character to serve as a sidekick to a little boy and his sister in a comic book and animated series (if I ever decide on an app to do it in)and pretty much know which one I want to develop further into the book. I conducted a survey with a few close groups of artists that I trust and they were nice enough to select the one they liked as well. I wondered if any of you would be willing to partake in this survey before I shut it down this weekend. All you do is gop to the link, select the radio button of the one that you like best and then hit send. I'll provide the link on a new thread if anyone seems interested. Thanks, I always like to see where my tastes relate with the masses. The story is targeted at adults and children alike. There will be no off color jokes or vulgarity in my stories. There should be enough of an edge to keep adults interested, but also a plot with lessons learned at the end of the stories too. No bombs or beheadings in my books. It will have the pace of the old Andy Griffith's and I make no apologies for that. That's just me.

Todd

[John U.]

my 2 cents:

view control enhancements, such as zoom in and out by rolling the mouse scroll wheel in and out, pan by click and dragging same wheel (or middle mouse button)

Or a 'hotkey' for each: Zoom Dragged Rectangle, No Zoom, and Pan.

Able to preview play a movielip within the main fun file.

John

[tmoore935]

Originally posted by TDolce
Guys I have about 9 character designs that I have developed to help me decide on one character to serve as a sidekick to a little boy and his sister in a comic book and animated series (if I ever decide on an app to do it in)and pretty much know which one I want to develop further into the book. I conducted a survey with a few close groups of artists that I trust and they were nice enough to select the one they liked as well. I wondered if any of you would be willing to partake in this survey before I shut it down this weekend. All you do is gop to the link, select the radio button of the one that you like best and then hit send. I'll provide the link on a new thread if anyone seems interested. Thanks, I always like to see where my tastes relate with the masses. The story is targeted at adults and children alike. There will be no off color jokes or vulgarity in my stories. There should be enough of an edge to keep adults interested, but also a plot with lessons learned at the end of the stories too. No bombs or beheadings in my books. It will have the pace of the old Andy Griffith's and I make no apologies for that. That's just me.

Todd

I would do this. And any blood or beheadings is fine with me.

[docree]

I, second on the poll.

The major thing that bothers me with the interface
is the way rename movieclip functions.

I would like to see OK and Cancel options on that.
Click "OK" it checks to see if that name is in use,
and proceeds if everything is legit.

"Cancel" option just leaves the name as is.

I'm tired of getting "that name is in use" when
simply typing a new name in the field.
Very annoying while working on action scripts.
*+*+*+*+*+*+*
Doc'Ree

[Bob Hartzell]

I forget about the name in use problem because it hadn't been mentioned for a while. At the time, I did not have a clean solution but one just occurred to me. The source of the problem is that a movie clip has been put into the edit buffer and it is still regarded as an active name in the movie. I can fix this problem.

[pherbrick]

Does KM support the switch/case construct? I didn't get any syntax error messages, but I couldn't get it to work, so I used if/else instead. Couldn't find it in the KM action script help, so I'm assuming that it parses but isn't suppported.

Peter