Re: [XaraXtreme-dev] UI question - constrain

["bulia byak" <buliabyak@xxxxxxxxx>]

On 4/20/06, Charles Moir <CharlesM@xxxxxxxx> wrote:
> And that's an example that won't work under Linux as Alt-drags and
> Alt-clicks (select under) are taken over by the OS (some weird X 'move
> window' thing I think).

Inkscape is not stopped by this from using Alt+mouse, and I think
neither should you. We just added a FAQ entry on this:

http://wiki.inkscape.org/wiki/index.php/FAQ#How_to_make_Alt.2BClick_.28Select_Under.29_work_on_Linux.3F

> So there are changes that will be forced upon us (if we want select
> under to work on Linux we need to find another key combination),

Please don't. I copied Inkscape's "select under" from Xara and I'd
rather not copy it again :)

> I agree that the current Ctrl constrain size option is nearly useless
> and toggling the aspect ratio lock state would be a lot more useful.
> BUT the industry standard (Adobe) use Shift for this and if we're going
> to change it we should be changing it to be that.

I hope you will also take into account Inkscape's standard keys, at
least where they do not conflict with the "industry standard". In any
case, Inkscape's keyboard layout is much closer to Xara and therefore
easier to borrow from, whereas a change to "Shift as constraint" would
be very drastic and require lots of remapping.

> Another change that is forced upon us is that the Mac OS uses center
> button as a short-cut to dashboard, and stops our page-push short cut
> working (perhaps my most used short-cut). And this is another example of
> the Adobe way (space bar) now becoming so common that people expect our
> apps to work this way as well (I note that, for example OSX Preview uses
> space bar as page-push short cut).

Yes, Inkscape users with AI background have often requested this
change too. (Those without Adobe background, including me, have no
problem with not having a Hand tool at all, since middle-button-drag
and Alt+arrows are more convenient anyway.) I expect that at some
point, we'll get a Hand tool implemented by someone, and then perhaps
we'll make an option for Space to toggle it instead of Selector.
Whether Selector or Hand will be the default for Space I don't know
yet, but I suspect that we will also have to bow to the "industry
standard" in this.

> The center mouse button is a much better way simply because you can push
> the page without touching the keyboard at all.

Absolutely. And in Inkscape, with Ctrl+arrows you can push the page
without touching the mouse at all, which is also quite nice :)

> PS Inkscape has (as we've always planned to) configurable key short-cut
> files, as a simple XML file. I suspect this is the only solution that
> will keep most people satisfied.

Yes, and then you will be able to return the favor by adding an
optional Inkscape keymap, just as we already have a Xara keymap :)

--
bulia byak
Inkscape. Draw Freely.
http://www.inkscape.org