Intaglio
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v3beta5 bugs
I’ve been trying the prelease version v3beta5 of Intaglio.
There is a problem with libraries: If I have enable arrows and draw a few lines with arrows, then drag an item from the library onto the drawing the result is that all the lines in the library object have arrows attached to them. This should not happen IMO. The objects in the library are ‘finished’. If I want to embelish them with arrows I need to select the object, then apply arrows.
Sometime ago we discussed the behaviour of objects when clicked. I think I managed to persuade you that, to be consistent with normal Mac behaviour and to give the immediate feedback the HIG stipulate, the resize handles should appear on the mouse-down of a single-click (to give immediate feedback), whereas in fact they still don’t appear until mouse-up.
Some of the version 3 examples don’t look quite right (at least on my 10.3.9 G3). The text with coloured background has a white background same as all the other text, also the emboss effects seem missing. Many thanks for supporting 10.3.9 by the way. It doesn’t matter to me if some of the effects are missing but a note in the examples saying which don’t work would be reassuring.
All the best
Charles
You’re right about the arrows coming from the library. That’s a bug and I’ll get it fixed for the next beta.
The appearance of the selection handles isn’t ideal, but as you’ve noticed it hasn’t changed in this version. The main issue is that handles should appear during an area selection but they currently wait until the end. Another issue is that if you click on an unselected object and immediately start dragging the handles would have to appear then disappear when the drag starts. Intaglio isn’t currently architected to support this.
10.3.9 doesn’t support CoreImage so the “advanced” effects won’t work. The version 3 sample drawing wasn’t really intended for mass consumption but you’re right, there should be a note.
All the description text in this sample has a light gray background so it stands out from the darker gray image background. It may appear white compared to the surrounding colors or there may be a bug in this area related to 10.3.9. I’ll have to boot into Panther and check it out.
On 31 May 2008, 3:17 pm, Nick wrote:
You’re right about the arrows coming from the library. That’s a bug and I’ll get it fixed for the next beta.
Great
Another issue is that if you click on an unselected object and immediately start dragging the handles would have to appear then disappear when the drag starts. Intaglio isn’t currently architected to support this.
Is it possible within the existing architecture to do the following? The mouse-down selects the object and displays handles; when the drag starts the original object stays put with the handles displayed and a duplicate without handles follows the mouse. On mouse-up the original disappears and the dropped copy is selected with handles displayed.
This seems very close to the existing behaviour, all that’s missing is the temporary ‘ghost’ of the object that stays in its original position with handles displayed and vanishes on mouse-up.
All the best
Charles
Is it possible within the existing architecture to do the following?
I forgot to mention that this is what AppleWorks does, and it feels right to me.
C.
The ghost object idea is used within Intaglio is you’re performing a “global” drag (i.e., one that can leave the current window). FWIW, the ideas about drag feedback have changed since the old QuickDraw days when AppleWorks was created. The idea is to use today’s higher powered computers to produce more realistic feedback. For example, now you’re dragging the actual object, rather than just a shadow or outline.
On 3 Jun 2008, 5:31 pm, Nick wrote:
FWIW, the ideas about drag feedback have changed since the old QuickDraw days when AppleWorks was created.
In addition to my own experience, I’ve watched two people new to Intaglio (but not new to CAD) trying its demo. In both cases, when they wanted to move an object they mouse-downed on it, paused wondering why nothing happened, the auto-duplicate kicked in while they were wondering, so they started dragging and ended up with a duplicate of the object.
Intaglio’s behaviour is inconsistent the past and current HIG:
which on the topic of mouse clicking says “The effect of a click should be immediate and obvious. If the function of the click is to cause an action (such as clicking a button), the selection is made when the button is pressed…”
Anyway, I’ve made my point (and no-one is jumping in to agree with me) so I’ll stop going on about it now.
All the best
Charles
Charles (cdhw) I am hereby supporting your point, and stating, as a long time Intaglio user.
Also, I am disappointed that version 3.0 has taken so long to come along, without any major improvements to either functionality or the user interface.
As others have also pointed out, when working with a 15” display of a laptop, the cluttering caused by all the small windows is very annoying and decreases productivity. Even on large displays, it is very questionable that this is the best user interface. In my view, NisusWriter provides a good example of a “clean” interface, in which all functionality is essentially available from a “drawer”. It might be that Nick does not want to show the “secret weapon” of a new user interface in the beta releases of version 3, and that something surprising will show up in the final release, however I am not holding my breadth…
I am thankful that Intaglio exists, as it provided a solution to my problem of dealing with old ClarisDraw files, and to a large extent Intaglio has re-created the “power with ease of use” that ClarisDraw was known for.
I am disappointed to read a comment from Nick in another thread (www.freewaytalk.net/thread/view/33851), that Intaglio is not going to incorporate more basic features of 2D CAD programs. In this field, and to the best of my knowledge, ClarisCAD is a reference in terms of “power with ease of use” that has not been recreated by any affordable application for OS X 10.5.
That in the early 1990’s ClarisDraw and ClarisCAD had to be 2 different and separate programs is understandable, given the capabilities of the hardware and OS of the time.
In my view, in 2008, that sort of separation is artificial, and I am still searching for such an OS X application. I had been hoping that it would be Intaglio, but after reading Nick’s comments, I guess I should start looking for it elsewhere …
Sorry for the (too) long post. CA
CA
Charles, you can actually turn off this behaviour with the automatic copying.
However I too am with both you Charles and CA on all these issues.
I too was really hoping for some cool changes and updates to Intaglio ever since Freeway took control, but I’ve slowly been getting more and more disillusioned with the progress of Intaglio. Don’t get me wrong, I love this software, but the beta upgrade has been really disappointing especially after seeing how fantastic OmniGraffle has now become, particularly with the new text tools. Originally I chose Intaglio over OmniGraffle because I thought Intaglio was easier to use, but now after playing with OmniGraffle’s new interface, I’ve come to conclusion that it is now streets ahead of Intaglio, and Omni does everything now that i want, that Intaglio does not have.
I too was a tad miffed with the statement about not having a simple auto spellchecker in Intaglio, and that I would have to use some function in the pull down menu, that although works, is a real fuss to use- and that’s also in the ‘new’ beta!
As for CAD, I am a trained CAD designer with a design degree under my belt, and although I don’t find Intaglio as awkward to use as Autocad, the dimensioning tools in Intaglio still fox the daylights out of me, and I’ve never been able to increase the size of the dimensioning text in Intaglio either. I’m sure that there is an explanation somewhere, but the online manual never really covers that- ie it doesn’t give enough examples.
I too am sorry I’ve had to say this, but I too have been itching to get this off my chest for a while. My respect goes to both Charles and CA for having the nerve to be the first to mention their concerns.
However, I can’t afford to upgrade to OmniGraffle yet, so I’ll have to keep using Intaglio for the mean time, so Nick, I’m also really looking forward to this ‘secret weapon’ too, whatever that is. :¬)
On 3 Jun 2008, at 23:20, cdhw wrote:
On 3 Jun 2008, 5:31 pm, Nick wrote:
FWIW, the ideas about drag feedback have changed since the old QuickDraw days when AppleWorks was created.
In addition to my own experience, I’ve watched two people new to Intaglio (but not new to CAD) trying its demo. In both cases, when they wanted to move an object they mouse-downed on it, paused wondering why nothing happened, the auto-duplicate kicked in while they were wondering, so they started dragging and ended up with a duplicate of the object.
Intaglio’s behaviour is inconsistent the past and current HIG:
which on the topic of mouse clicking says “The effect of a click should be immediate and obvious. If the function of the click is to cause an action (such as clicking a button), the selection is made when the button is pressed…”
Anyway, I’ve made my point (and no-one is jumping in to agree with me) so I’ll stop going on about it now.
All the best
Charles
Tom,
Try this: (I hope I fully understood what you described below. If the behavior you describe applies just to the beta I apologize as I am at v.2 and have not tried the beta.)
on 6/4/08 3:18 PM, Tom Fenn at email@hidden wrote:
I’ve never been able to increase the size of the dimensioning text in Intaglio either.
Select Dimensions from the Layout menu, and then select the “Show Fonts” button from within the drop down window. Now change the font size, and it will stick for that document, but only as long as it is open. Closing the document reverts the settings back to default. My personal belief is that the preferences should follow the document so you would not have to remember what they were each and every time you open it. I don’t think you should have to globally change every future document just to keep the settings for one.
I wish it were easier, as in selecting a dimensioned line and just changing the font attributes, but this workaround does the job - albeit a bit clunkier.
I’m not a zealot, I’m an Appleficionado.
Yes like all the other Intaglio workarounds too. :(
Thanks for the advice btw. I had already tried that anyway :¬)
OmniGraffle v5 is really great though, and has no workarounds.
On 4 Jun 2008, at 23:02, RB wrote:
this workaround does the job
I agree with you Charles! I like the old-fashioned way of moving and copying objects. In most other drawing programs, Shift-drag constrains movement to the horizontal, vertical or 45 degrees. Shift-Option-drag copies the object, aligned to the original.
Thanks ttrw for the copying tip. I’d not discovered that one (go to Preferences and in the part which says ‘Delay Before Global Drag’, move the slider to ‘Never’).
Even after the Global Drag tip, moving and copying is still clunky. If the object you want to move is selected, when you press Shift, nothing happens. You have to click again to deselect and the deselected object can then be moved. Is it me? Am I crazy? Intaglio behaves in the opposite way to what you expect it to.
I agree about ghosting. When drawing accurate shapes, it’s useful to be able to compare the original curve with the revised shape.
“…the ideas about drag feedback have changed since the old QuickDraw days when AppleWorks was created.”
That doesn’t necessarily mean that the new ideas are better! ClarisWorks 2, released in 1993, has a word processor, draw, paint, spreadsheet, database and communications modules and the whole program is only 608k. It works perfectly in Classic. If only Apple could have added QuickDraw GX support in 1995…
I can use the Gradient tool and colour swatches can be added to the Library, but it would be better if Intaglio had a Gradient palette like the one in ClarisWorks and LightningDraw. Both these programs have a useful set of pre-made gradients which can be easily modified. To keep it out of the way, the gradients palette could be placed in the Favorites bar at the top of the Intaglio window.
Intaglio 3’s docked palettes are a real improvement. When they’re collapsed, the desktop is less cluttered than before.
That’s strange because I don’t find them any different than before.
I’ll try again.
On 5 Jun 2008, at 01:19, IanB wrote:
Intaglio 3s docked palettes are a real improvement. When theyre collapsed, the desktop is less cluttered than before
In case you haven’t discovered this: With the palettes displayed, click on a title and drag it onto another title. When a blue line appears, release the mouse. The palette is repositioned.
Concerning LonePalm’s dimensions problem: Change the font and size and save. In the Finder, select the file and ‘Get Info’ (Command-I). In the Get Info box, check the Stationery Pad box. This creates a template. Open Intaglio and drag the template onto the Intaglio icon. When you next draw a line with the Dimension tool, it will have the new font and size.
Odd behaviour dept: If Intaglio isn’t open, when you double-click the template, an error (10660) appears. The workaround is to open Intaglio first. Double-clicking now works.
What do you mean by a title?
I tried dragging palettes to other palettes, and nothing happened. Should it really be that difficult?
Check out Powercadd 7 and see how PC7 uses docking palettes. Intaglio should be as easy as this imo. On 5 Jun 2008, at 11:56, IanB wrote:
n case you havent discovered this: With the palettes displayed, click on a title and drag it onto another title. When a blue line appears, release the mouse. The palette is repositioned.
That’s interesting! I used to do this with certain apps in OS8.6 I didn’t know that this still could be done in OS X :)
Thanks!
On 5 Jun 2008, at 11:56, IanB wrote:
In the Finder, select the file and Get Info (Command-I). In the Get Info box, check the Stationery Pad box. This creates a template.
That’s very good, but shouldn’t a new page open automatically from a pre-created template? Logic Audio started with a template that had been saved as a stationery pad. If the template was called ‘Autoload’ then every time Logic was opened, it would automatically open from that template. But isn’t all this a bit too Apple OS9? Why can’t we have templates that automatically open without all this palaver? On 5 Jun 2008, at 11:56, IanB wrote:
Open Intaglio and drag the template onto the Intaglio icon. When you next draw a line with the Dimension tool, it will have the new font and size.
Of dear- here we go again lol! On 5 Jun 2008, at 11:56, IanB wrote:
The workaround is to open Intaglio first
The way drag works is intuitive to the point that someone who has never seen or used Intaglio (or any vector app) can drag an object from one point to another with no problem (I just tested this by showing someone the screen and telling them to drag the object).
Also, I wouldn’t discount the effort required to code an app that still works well with 10.3.9 through 10.5 when other vendors are going 10.5 only.
Re: drawers They have their own set of issues and I’ve seen devs write drawers out of their apps as a result. For some apps, they may do the trick, but even Apple’s Preview no longer uses a drawer (opting for a similar functioning sidebar).
In most other drawing programs,
I’ve just tried this in a few apps (not most, just some of the ones created since OS X) and they all are slightly different. The one thing that IS common is that if an object is selected and you click on it while holding down the Shift Key, the object becomes deselected. Also, they all offer the option that, if you decide AFTER you start dragging that you want it to be constrained, then you can press Shift at any point for the constrain to take place.
Intaglio in this instance appears to be in-line with what users would expect after using apps like Apple’s iWork.
“… the object becomes deselected”
You’re right. I’d forgotten about the other app’s quirks. I just tried the Shift-Option-drag technique in AI, E3.3, Canvas and LightningDraw and with Global Drag set to ‘Never’, Intaglio is the smoothest of them all.
As others have also pointed out, when working with a 15” display of a laptop, the cluttering caused by all the small windows is very annoying and decreases productivity. Even on large displays, it is very questionable that this is the best user interface. In my view, NisusWriter provides a good example of a “clean” interface, in which all functionality is essentially available from a “drawer”. It might be that Nick does not want to show the “secret weapon” of a new user interface in the beta releases of version 3, and that something surprising will show up in the final release, however I am not holding my breadth…
FWIW, the early development of Intaglio was done exclusively on a 15” screen. I’m sensitive to the problem of using screen real estate effectively, but it’s an area filled with compromises. You can only control so many things with a certain amount of screen.
There are a number of options to help you along with the inspector palettes. You can rearrange them to suit how you work and use the right mouse button to close one while opening another. IMO, drawers aren’t a useful solution for Intaglio because there are just too many things that need controls. I think as a UI feature they’ve peaked and are being slowly phased out of new and redesigned apps. For example, I can’t think of any current Apple apps that use them.
On 9-Jun-08, at 5:28 PM, Nick wrote:
FWIW, the early development of Intaglio was done exclusively on a 15” screen. I’m sensitive to the problem of using screen real estate effectively,
I work here on my 15” powerbook. Space is tight. Some of the palettes are a bit roomy though. perhaps some of the spacing of elements could be tightened up.
I’ve never been able to increase the size of the dimensioning text in Intaglio either.
Select Dimensions from the Layout menu, and then select the “Show Fonts” button from within the drop down window. Now change the font size, and it will stick for that document, but only as long as it is open. Closing the document reverts the settings back to default. My personal belief is that the preferences should follow the document so you would not have to remember what they were each and every time you open it. I don’t think you should have to globally change every future document just to keep the settings for one.
As far as I know the size of dimension text is correctly saved with the document. You can also apply your settings for use in new documents. I don’t understand your comments about changes sticking and preferences.
I can use the Gradient tool and colour swatches can be added to the Library, but it would be better if Intaglio had a Gradient palette like the one in ClarisWorks and LightningDraw. Both these programs have a useful set of pre-made gradients which can be easily modified. To keep it out of the way, the gradients palette could be placed in the Favorites bar at the top of the Intaglio window.
Several of the changes in version 3 center around the idea of being able to save and reuse things. For that the library is the main tool. I suppose in a sense you’re asking to be able to customize the toolbar fill color item, which is something that can be considered for a future version.
Intaglio 3’s docked palettes are a real improvement. When they’re collapsed, the desktop is less cluttered than before.
For the record, this isn’t new in version 3. Those palette management features have been available for quite some time.
On 5 Jun 2008, 11:43 am, ttrw wrote:
What do you mean by a title?
I tried dragging palettes to other palettes, and nothing happened. Should it really be that difficult?
Check out Powercadd 7 and see how PC7 uses docking palettes. Intaglio should be as easy as this imo. On 5 Jun 2008, at 11:56, IanB wrote:
n case you havent discovered this: With the palettes displayed, click on a title and drag it onto another title. When a blue line appears, release the mouse. The palette is repositioned.
See page four of the user guide.
I am disappointed to read a comment from Nick in another thread (www.freewaytalk.net/thread/view/33851), that Intaglio is not going to incorporate more basic features of 2D CAD programs. In this field, and to the best of my knowledge, ClarisCAD is a reference in terms of “power with ease of use” that has not been recreated by any affordable application for OS X 10.5.
That in the early 1990’s ClarisDraw and ClarisCAD had to be 2 different and separate programs is understandable, given the capabilities of the hardware and OS of the time.
In my view, in 2008, that sort of separation is artificial, and I am still searching for such an OS X application. I had been hoping that it would be Intaglio, but after reading Nick’s comments, I guess I should start looking for it elsewhere …
For the record I didn’t say that Intaglio won’t ever incorporate more CAD features. The chances are good that new CAD features will be added over time.
This thread is a good example of how thin a line Intaglio is trying to walk. Some people want better dimensioning or other CAD related tools. Some want better text handling or predefined gradients or other graphics tools. Everybody wants better user interface that packs more information on the screen without sacrificing legibility or convenience.
Intaglio has evolved considerably in the last few years based on the feedback of its users. The plan is to continue on that path so this type of discussion is always helpful.
for what its worth, that is something I’ve always loved about Intaglio, that you don’t need to read the manual to get it working and to get good results quickly. I do think that the work space ease of use could be improved, but as it stands, Intaglio is a far better example than other so called ‘Mac applications’, that look like PC cross-over nightmares
I don’t really care for CAD in Intaglio any more, because I’ve found Punch Software’s ViaCAD, and ViaCAD, and its bigger sister, Shark FX are utter dynamite. Both these apps are written as proper Cocoa Mac apps- ie making full use of Apple services etc. Basically, if you can use Intaglio, you can use ViaCAD. VC has got both 2D and 3D ability, it also uses the same Spatial 3D kernel developed by UGS/Siemens and used in software such as Solidworks/ Pro Engineer and Pro Desktop, yet VC only costs $99!
Sorry for the VC plug Nick, but perhaps some here who wanted CAD tools in Intaglio, could find VC useful :¬)
On 9 Jun 2008, at 22:58, Nick wrote:
See page four of the user guide.
Well, then. Today it works fine; when I penned my comments I could not get the settings to stick. Tried it multiple times. Maybe a wonky preference file - I don’t know.
I tried three times today with both a newly-created file and an existing file and experienced no failures. Preferences stuck. So I’ll take back my remark. I’m baffled, but glad.
on 6/9/08 4:42 PM, Nick at email@hidden wrote:
I’ve never been able to increase the size of the dimensioning text in Intaglio either.
Select Dimensions from the Layout menu, and then select the “Show Fonts” button from within the drop down window. Now change the font size, and it will stick for that document, but only as long as it is open. Closing the document reverts the settings back to default. My personal belief is that the preferences should follow the document so you would not have to remember what they were each and every time you open it. I don’t think you should have to globally change every future document just to keep the settings for one.
As far as I know the size of dimension text is correctly saved with the document. You can also apply your settings for use in new documents. I don’t understand your comments about changes sticking and preferences.
I’m not a zealot, I’m an Appleficionado.
” FWIW, the early development of Intaglio was done exclusively on a 15” screen. I’m sensitive to the problem of using screen real estate effectively, but it’s an area filled with compromises. You can only control so many things with a certain amount of screen.
There are a number of options to help you along with the inspector palettes. You can rearrange them to suit how you work and use the right mouse button to close one while opening another. IMO, drawers aren’t a useful solution for Intaglio because there are just too many things that need controls. I think as a UI feature they’ve peaked and are being slowly phased out of new and redesigned apps. For example, I can’t think of any current Apple apps that use them. “
Nick,
Taking applications in iWork as a model for the user interface, would be (in my opinion), a great improvement. For example, If you were to introduce an inspector window, in which the several tabs would replace today’s multiple palettes, that would be a greatly reduce the screen clutter.
Also, I would submit that the way in which exporting content to other file formats is done by the iWork apps, with a window showing icons for each format, is the best.
In fact, since iWork does not include a drawing application, I am surprised that no independent drawing app developer has designed a drawing app with the exact look and feel of iWork, as if it had been devloped by Apple. I hope this inspires some app developer to do it …
CA
CA
” For the record I didn’t say that Intaglio won’t ever incorporate more CAD features. The chances are good that new CAD features will be added over time.
This thread is a good example of how thin a line Intaglio is trying to walk. Some people want better dimensioning or other CAD related tools. Some want better text handling or predefined gradients or other graphics tools. Everybody wants better user interface that packs more information on the screen without sacrificing legibility or convenience.
Intaglio has evolved considerably in the last few years based on the feedback of its users. The plan is to continue on that path so this type of discussion is always helpful. “
Nick,
I am glad to read that you plan to incorporate more CAD functionality into Intaglio.
Indeed Intaglio evolved a lot, with each new release bringing many useful new features. I think that version 3.0 left most of us a little disappointed in this regard.
Perhaps this is not the right thread to provide suggestions for new features, but there are some basic features / functionality that are almost obvious. Other are less obvious but could be a major point of attraction for new customers. For example, I have searched, and not found, drawing/CAD applications for OS X, that would import/export GDS2 files, a format that is pervasive in electronic engineering. In fact there aren’t even simple “format translation” apps that are OS X native. (such as this one www.linkcad.com/site/formats) This is an great market opportunity for an app developer for OS X.
By the way, I would not mind paying an upgrade fee, if that is what is needed to get more CAD functionality and improved user interface in some future release (4.0 ?). I suspect that many others agree with me on this point.
CA
CA
Taking applications in iWork as a model for the user interface, would be (in my opinion), a great improvement. For example, If you were to introduce an inspector window, in which the several tabs would replace today’s multiple palettes, that would be a greatly reduce the screen clutter.
Yes, but it would also reduce functionality and useability - I sometimes need several palettes open at the same time - with a single inspector window that would no longer be possible.
> Phil
While I think the iWork palettes may be limiting for this kind of app, having several windows open with iWork is a matter of holding option before clicking one of the inspector tabs.
FWIW, the early versions of Intaglio used a single inspector palette model closer to what iWork uses. The problem was that there are now so many inspectors it became impractical to create a toolbar or other header control to specify them all.
Personally I also think using a text name for the inspectors is more usable than the iWork icons. With lots of little icons it’s easy to lose track of what they represent. This is the kind of thing that’s always open to debate and if it becomes an important issue for a lot of people could be changed (or at least supplemented).
I’ve noticed that the new OmniGraffle is taking a middle approach. It uses multiple palettes but groups several icons into each one. You can also select multiple icons in each window (although this mostly only seems useful to me if you don’t change it much). Clearly everybody is facing the same set of problems and trying different things to find the “best” solution.
As I’ve alluded to before, one way to use the current implementation more efficiently for screen space is to use the right mouse button (on the disclosure triangle) to open the inspectors. This will open the clicked inspector and close the others in the same window. If you combine this with the inspector regrouping option you can reduce the screen space you use.
I’ve noticed that the new OmniGraffle is taking a middle approach. Another interesting take is their toolbar that snaps to the side of the window like a drawer.
I made a template (Paper Size Super B/A3, oriented horizontally) and docked all the palettes together into a single column. The template almost fills the screen and as the closed palettes are only 3” high, there’s lots of room to create design elements, even with several open palettes. It’s a significant improvement over the previous arrangement, where the work area was cluttered with open palettes.
“…use the right mouse button (on the disclosure triangle) to open the inspectors.”
This doesn’t work with a single-button mouse. These shortcuts do work, however:
To open or close all pallettes: Option-click on a disclosure triangle. To open a palette and close all open palettes, Command-click on a disclosure triangle.
I’d like to see most of the features in the Object menu available via palettes.
Blends and Paths could be easier to access. In other programs (Photoshop, Chocoflop, Pixelmator, Lineform), blends (or ink modes) are in a drop-down menu that’s always visible.
Alternatively, put Blends in the menu bar, next to the colour palettes. The palettes would be easier to use if they ‘stuck’ (stayed open), or were detachable. Currently, when you choose a colour, the palette closes, so if you’ve chosen the wrong colour, you have to go back to the menu and choose another colour. If it’s still wrong, do it again…etc. LightningDraw’s colour and ink palettes are in a menu bar at the top of each window. This is similar to Intaglio, but the palettes can be detached and dragged into the working area.
Alternative 2: if Blends and Paths were put into palettes and docked, they could be detached and dragged into the work area. I hope this makes sense; it’s easier to explain this with screengrabs.
Path Operations (Unite, Intersect, Exclude and Subtract) would be easier to access if they were in a palette. The features could be accessed by pressing radio buttons, similar to the options in the Group palette.
Alternatively, put Blends in the menu bar, next to the colour palettes.
I’m guessing you meant the toolbar rather than the menu bar.
It would be nice to allow the toolbar items to “undock” as various apps have done in the past (probably going back to MacPaint). That’s mostly just a question of priorities. So far it hasn’t been a huge priority because it tends to go in the opposite direction of a main discussion on this thread. Namely, undocked palettes take up more screen real estate than menus.
“toolbar”
I meant the horizontal row of icons at the top of a window.
“…undocked palettes take up more screen real estate than menus.”
That’s accepted, but an unopened docked palette is tiny—it’s just a title.
Menus are harder to use than palettes. If you know exactly what you want to achieve and know what effect a particular blend will have when it’s applied to an object, menus are good enough. You just go straight to the menu item and—bingo—the job’s done. I’m not that clever; it takes me longer.
Also, any item in Intaglio’s Window menu can be added to the list of docked palettes. That’s very good, but if a user doesn’t need a particular feature, he doesn’t have to add it to the list. For example, I don’t display Document Properties and Text Ruler, but I know the features are available if required.
If you choose the wrong blend or path operation, you have to keep going back to the Object menu, then the sub-menu, etc, until you get it right. If the options were more easily accessible, trying out different combinations of blends and colours would be much easier.
With palettes, when you’re done, you just click the close button and the desktop is free again.
I think you can very quickly get to a “Microsoft Office” point where EVERY tool is directly clickable and editable. I don’t think anyone wants to intentionally design their app like Office though (unless it’s the Office clones).
I’m not sure if this applies, but I believe, in the System Preferences, there exists the ability to assign a keystroke to any menu command at the app level (under Keyboard & Mouse). I just tried this with “Reverse” and it worked as expected.
