Interface Preferences

DK · Post by DK » Fri Oct 01, 2004 3:05 am

The new interface really confuses me....floating boxes everywhere...especially confusing when you have your head buried in a project with brain going on auto ...find myself closing down/minimising floating Moho boxes instead of the main interface..is it possible to have a choice between a self contained Moho interface (as per the old one) and the new one?

D.K

Post by **Lost Marble** » Fri Oct 01, 2004 4:20 am

Sorry, but the new interface is the way it is. The multiple window interface was created in direct response to feedback we got asking for separate windows. Now it seems a lot of people hate the new interface, but at this point we're committed. Maintaining two different interfaces is not an option, so it seems that we've got multiple windows for now.

Maybe for version 6 we'll go back to one window and everyone can take turns loving or hating the interface.

Barliesque · Post by **Barliesque** » Fri Oct 01, 2004 5:23 am

What about making windows dockable? That way we don't have to take turns.

kdiddy13 · Post by **kdiddy13** » Fri Oct 01, 2004 3:55 pm

Maybe for version 6 we'll go back to one window and everyone can take turns loving or hating the interface.

Please, NO!!! I can finally use both monitors while using Moho! (I'm hoping this was a joke). Anyway, you can set up the floating windows to be laid out any way you want.
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Yooperville · Post by **Yooperville** » Fri Oct 01, 2004 4:35 pm

Liked single window, but no major issues adjusting to new interface and recognize the advantages if I get another monitor, or a larger one. A nice option for those of us with limited screen space would be ability to combine Actions, Layers, and Style into single window with tabs. Even ability to resize/scroll Style window would help out.

Best -- Greg.

spasmodic_cheese · Post by **spasmodic_cheese** » Sat Oct 02, 2004 1:54 am

the interface is totally fine. I dont see why theres so much dramas around this issue??

If you dont have that much screen space it'll look like a single window(since you have to mash everything up) what advantages/benefits does a single window interface provide?

I cant see any.

Hardware is pretty cheap these days anyway, surely you could afford to buhy a new pc or monitor or graphics card.

Hell even I can afford that, and I am a multimedia freelancer in the most isolated city in the world!

cribble · Post by **cribble** » Sun Oct 03, 2004 11:06 am

Hell even I can afford that, and I am a multimedia freelancer in the most isolated city in the world!

Manchester?

spasmodic_cheese · Post by **spasmodic_cheese** » Sun Oct 03, 2004 4:57 pm

Perth

jorgy · Post by **jorgy** » Sun Oct 03, 2004 5:05 pm

spasmodic_cheese wrote:Hardware is pretty cheap these days anyway, surely you could afford to buhy a new pc or monitor or graphics card.

That is true, and on my linux machine at home, I have a large monitor and quite a bit of room on the screen. However, I have a laptop for work which I also run Moho on, and the screen is substantially smaller, and can't be upgraded. So when designing UI windows, just like designing web sites, it's important to remember that there are users who are not as fortunate. Now, keep in mind, I still am trying to get my arms around Moho 4, and will be able to comment on 5 later.

spasmodic_cheese · Post by **spasmodic_cheese** » Sun Oct 03, 2004 5:20 pm

i have a tablet pc with a 12" SXGA+ monitor... 1400 x 1050 resoluton.

i guess im lucky. but I still dont think having small screen space or res has any impact on the multi window system??....

please enlighten me!
only problem i see is if you want to have all the windows open at once... which is abit silly, not to mention you would be hurting your computer's speed/responsivness on such a craptacular comp.

nobudget · Post by **nobudget** » Sun Oct 03, 2004 8:50 pm

As Barliesque asked, why not dockable? Most programs have allowed docking and undocking for years, the users are clearly divided on this point and to suggest flip-flopping (watched too much presidential election coverage

) the style seems...unprofessional.

That's luckily the ONLY part of the program so far I believe to be a step backwards.

Reindert.
www.nobudgetvideo.com

DK · Post by DK » Wed Oct 06, 2004 3:40 am

Ideally it would be great to to see a completely configurable interface similar to Lightwave where you can customize and save your own group settings. Reasons being, floating boxes clutter up the desktop and as for dual monitors, i don't have the room in my studio to fit two hd aspect ratio monitors side by side per pc.

kdiddy13 · Post by **kdiddy13** » Wed Oct 06, 2004 4:05 pm

the style seems...unprofessional.

I think everyone using any Adobe or Macromedia products would totally disagree with you on this point. Movable windows allow for a UI setup that's customizable to how the end user not the programmer works. 4.5 seemed to be even more cramped than 5. You couldn't even close the timeline while you were in drawing mode! Moho is smart enough to realise that how they work is probably not how everyone (or possibly anyone) else works and allowed for the end user to create their own setup. Locking everyone in to a cookie cutter UI will only work for a few people. Where the current setup allows us all to set it up for our own work style.

And locking people in to a one monitor setup is like forcing everyone to ride around in wheelchairs because someone else can't walk. The current setup doesn't play favorites like that. Everyone can open and close windows to their hearts content. I only have one 15" monitor (small by today's standards) but already feel like I have more space because of the new setup.

And can't you arrange the windows so it looks like it did with 4.5 anyway? Only now you don't need to keep things you don't need like the style window open, thus giving you even MORE space.

I say give us MORE windows and fewer hidden menus. Perhaps adding in a tab like structure would help people out so you can have multiple windows open in minimal space.

Or even open up the Lua scripting to include working with the interface, so enterprising individuals can customize to their hearts content and Moho won't have to do anything but come up with cool and wonderful features, instead of listening to all of us whine and compare their wonderful product to something else we've used.
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nobudget · Post by **nobudget** » Wed Oct 06, 2004 11:52 pm

Hello Kdiddy13, I think you did not understand my "unprofessional" comment, allow me to clarify.

I was referring to Lost Marble stating "Maybe for version 6 we'll go back to one window and everyone can take turns loving or hating the interface". It was a joke (I think) but it was not a satisfying answer because it still does not explain why there is no docking option.

As regarding to your comment "can't you arrange the windows so it looks like it did with 4.5 anyway" the answer is "no". Of course I tried but first the drawing area has to be smaller to fit everything in and second the pull-down menus are drawn under the windows so that's not very convenient. And shrinking and enlarging the workspace (for details) makes the workspace go under those pesky windows again. Also the reset view does not work any longer because it doesn't know where the available space is.

Don't me wrong, I like Moho very much and if I was the only one who didn't like the new layout I can live with that. But I guess the opinion seems to be 50/50 regarding to screen layout and we all know the solution. And I have used Flash(4) since 1996, guess what...dockable windows

I feel I'm repeating myself.

Sorry for the elaborate post but I don't want any misunderstanding.

Reindert.
www.nobudgetvideo.com

PS I feel I'm repeating myself.

kdiddy13 · Post by **kdiddy13** » Thu Oct 07, 2004 12:18 am

Perhaps the best solution may be to open the Lua script in future versions to include control over the interface design as well. Then it would be possible on at least a rudimentary level to accomodate everyone and not require constant noodling by Lost Marble, letting them get to the goal of creating one of the best 2d animation systems out there.
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