Collapsing Nodes?

Hi. It'd be really nice if you could collapse filter nodes into a more compact form. One idea that works well for the "collapsed" version is to put the name and input/output sockets and de-collapse button on a rounded rectangle, excluding all socket labels and the preview pane (this is how Blender does it for their node system). See attached image for an example of this.

Joe

Put my vote in on this. Not just the individual nodes. But whole trees would be nice.

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Hippotizer wrote: As a global property of Filter Forge, components display all vars BELOW the thumbnail rather than on the right.

That was the initial design, we did mockups and a real working prototype, but found it not very good. Long component bodies visually break the flow of connections, and the filter becomes a lot harder to "read". I don't think we'll get back to vertical components.

I hope the tree zoom feature and the absense of the component bar on the right will solve the width problem.

yes, but you want to attract the PROFESSIONIAL users, don't you?

btw, seems that i belong to the 2.42%..

i do like the zoom idea of the edit window.

i dont like the collapsing nodes idea. i'm used to flowcharts and i like being able to see the whole at a glance. the zoom will fix that. however, i can see it as an option for those that want it.

for now, you can resize the components to a 'small' version. this helps a bit.

i've also suggested in another thread being able to have a printout in block form of the edit window.

and vladimir, when did you decide to get rid of the components panel on the right? this can be closed, so i dont see a problem with that one. i do see a problem with the left panel, however. how bout making both as a rollover drop-down or both as a toggle of on or off? i like the components panel where it is. turn it on, turn it off. that's easy as it is.

i would also guess that very few graphic artists use dual monitors. i have heard of a few, i think it was Mac users, that had photoshop tools on one monitor and the image in another, but i'd guess that's pretty rare. most of us 'unprofessionals' cant afford such luxuries or simply dont want it.

craig

What is amazing and surprising is that ALL this suggestions here ARE FROM MAY 2006 and in August 2011, 5 years after none of this have been included !!!! And there is NO news that this will be included in FF 3.0, so will we have still to wait until 2012 or any other date to see a new FF user interface ????

This was already asked and suggested when the dual monitors was a luxury and only professionals could afford it, and of course the monitors were small, now in 2011 it is NOT anymore a luxury and I think that is very common on professional and even enthusiast or hobby graphic designers, and monitors are much cheaper and are MUCH BIGGER in size and resolution, but FF is keeping THE SAME interface.

This is the best suggestion here from bemused0

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If I could break off the component panel, the node-options area, and the preview window and have all of those on one monitor, and the workarea node view on the main, that would be awesome. (That's how I work in Maya, Max, Photoshop etc.)

And also very good from Hippotizer

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Hippotizer wrote: - zoom-out in the editing view (e.g. just Zoom*2 could be done easyily and would help a lot) - the preview and properties of the currently selected component should be a separate window. many user today have a dual-monitor setup today, and would then just drag n drop to monitor #2!

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Vladimitr Golovin wrote: Quote Hippotizer wrote: many user today have a dual-monitor setup today Hmmm.... didn't think about that. Edit: According to Steam hardware survey, only 2.42% of their users have a dual-monitor setup.

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Hippotizer wrote: yes, but you want to attract the PROFESSIONIAL users, don't you? btw, seems that i belong to the 2.42%..

Very well said Hippotizer, I think that Vladimir and the FF team should think that this software is going to be used mainly by PROFESSIONALS and now in 2011 most of the professional sofware have very flexible, user customizable, resizabñe and dockable user interfaces, and separated windows panes, and FF still keeps the user interface in one block. WILL PROFESSIONALS LOVE FF THIS WAY whenany other professional software has been upgraded and updated the user interface in 2011 ??

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Kraellin wrote: and vladimir, when did you decide to get rid of the components panel on the right? this can be closed, so i dont see a problem with that one. i do see a problem with the left panel, however. how bout making both as a rollover drop-down or both as a toggle of on or off? i like the components panel wh ere it is. turn it on, turn it off. that's easy as it is.

Please, it would be very good to give options to modify in some way the user interface, with components panels that could be open or closed, rollover or drop down panels that could be toogled on and off, or dockable or dettached windows panes, any way you find better, but please release the User Interface and break the rigid and one solid block window user interface of FF