Objective
Improve the usability and data saving of resources and Tool Presets in Artbox.
Revised Preferences
- Preferences -> Folders
- Show the Copy Resource Location menu item
- Save resource changes on exit
Design Revisions
| Revision | Current Design | Issues | Changes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. Deactivate automatic resource saving | Saves are done when GIMP exits | Tweaks to resources in session can corrupt carefully set up tools with unwanted changes. | A Preference to ‘Save resource changes on exit’ |
| 2. Save specific resource changes immediately | Saves are done when GIMP exits | Changes to resources are lost if GIMP crashes or exits with a crash. | Save immediately when clicked |
| 3. Save As | Saves are done with default naming | The name of the saved resource is not the same as the filename, this is confusing. | Save immediately with a naming option, Save As… |
| 4. Save All | If saves are done by the user on demand, as described in (2) or (3), a new issue arises | Changes to resources may be forgotten during the session. Saving one by one is error prone and time consuming | Add ‘Save all the active tool assets’ button and a ‘Save all changes’ button on the Preset Editor |
| 5. Simpler Menu | Menu item ‘Copy Resource Location’ exists in several menus | Not used by most users, creates menu clutter | A Preference to ‘Show Copy Resource Location menu item’ |
| 6. Button Bar and Menu Revised | See menu items and Button Bar GUI in GIMP | Confusing item placement, Button Bar GUI out of step with updates from (1-5) | Apply a consistent menu item position, and arrange Button Bars to support the changes |
| 7. Edit Brush deals with Parametric and Image types | See Brushes Menu items | Confusion over brush types | Double clicking an image type opens the image for editing, Double clicking a parametric type opens the Brush Editor |
| 8. Inform the user about locked resources | Folder locked resources can not be edited | User confusion | An informative message is displayed in the Brush Editor if the resource is locked |
| 9. Copy and Paste as New Brush | New Feature | Create a brush from the active drawable | Added to the Brushes Menu via a Script-Fu plug-in |
| 10. Tool Preset Name in Tool Options Title | New Feature | See the active Tool Preset name requires the Tool Preset Editor to be open or the Tool Preset selector to be in list mode | Added the active Tool Preset name after the Tool name in the Tool Options title. Tool Name |
| 11. Preferences Folder Options | New Feature | Folders have to be manually added or removed per resource | Added a GUI to add, deactivate, or remove folder paths to a set of resources, allowing quick control over active resources |
Changes
Resource Saving Preferences:
- Introduced a new preference to toggle automatic resource saving on exit, preventing unwanted overwriting of user-set Tool Options during a session. This allows users to disable automatic saving and manually save specific changes when needed.
Immediate Resource Saving:
- Added functionality to save specific resource changes immediately upon request, ensuring that any modifications are persisted, even if the session ends unexpectedly. This avoids data loss in case of a crash.
Save As:
- A ‘Save As’ feature was added, allowing users to name and save resources with custom filenames, enhancing clarity and preventing confusion between resource names and file names.
Save All:
- Introduced a ‘Save All’ option to the Preset Editor, enabling users to save all active changes across tool presets, brushes, palettes, and other resources, reducing the need for manual per-resource saves.
Simplified Menus and Button Bar:
- Cleaned up the interface by providing an option to hide the ‘Copy Resource Location’ menu item, which was seldom used, thereby reducing menu clutter.
- Rearranged the Button Bar to reflect the new saving behaviors and align with the revised menus for consistency.
Brush Editor Enhancements:
- Adjusted the behavior for brush types so that double-clicking on image-type brushes opens the image for editing, while double-clicking on parametric brushes opens the Brush Editor. This resolves the confusion around brush types.
Locked Resource Notification:
- When a resource is locked (due to folder permissions), the user will now receive an informative message in the Brush Editor, improving clarity on why the resource cannot be modified.
Create New Brush from Drawable:
- Added the ability to copy and paste a drawable as a new brush via a Script-Fu plug-in, accessible from the Brushes Menu.
Save Active Tool Assets:
- Introduced a ‘Save All Active Tool Assets’ feature, allowing users to save all the active tool assets (brush, gradient, palette, dynamics) in a session for easier resource management.
Tool Preset Name in Tool Options Title:
- Added the active Tool Preset name after the Tool name in the Tool Options title. Tool Name | Tool Preset Name. We can see which Tool Preset is active from the Tool Options Title.
Preferences Folder Options:
- Added a GUI to add, deactivate, or remove folder paths for a sets of resources, allowing quick control over in session resources.
Benefits
These changes aim to provide better control over resources and presets, allowing users to manage their assets more intuitively and prevent unintended modifications.