BIM workbench UI discussion

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yorik
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BIM workbench UI discussion

Post by yorik »

I started this discussion with Regis today, so better continue it here so everyone can participate.

Basically, this is the BIM WB ui today:
Screenshot from 2019-01-30 19-33-19.png
Screenshot from 2019-01-30 19-33-19.png (121.1 KiB) Viewed 2505 times
Or, with 16px icons:
Screenshot from 2019-01-30 19-34-05.png
Screenshot from 2019-01-30 19-34-05.png (54.47 KiB) Viewed 2505 times
I am trying to organize these tools as logically as possible. Now, several questions arise, some pretty contradictory:
  • There are too many toolbar buttons already
  • There are not enough buttons. Some useful tools from other workbenches should be there too
  • Some icons should have another color (ex. those that create a new object should be yellow)
  • Some people want less tools
  • Some people want more tools (a separate one for doors and windows, for ex)
  • ATM the toolbars reflect identically the contents of the menu. Should we differentiate? Which tools should stay on the toolbar?
So, time for you guys to pour in! Ideas? Comments? What could we do to better things?
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regis
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Re: BIM workbench UI discussion

Post by regis »

Thanks for starting this post here @Yorik.
I'll try to recap some of the points that we've mentioned as well.


As Freecad is evolving, there are just too many new features, and redundant features that are created or that needs to be streamlined. So the intention of this post is to start addressing them and hopefully give it a brand new user interface like the complete overhaul created on the blender side.
Here we want to also identify features that can be compacted together, reorganised, enhanced etc etc. so we can achieve a consistent workflow that meets basic expectations and doesn't get other new comers completely confused.

brainstorm chat from Yorik and I
  • maybe the contents of the menu should be different than the toolbars.. At the moment they are identical
  • maybe the toolbars should contain only selected ones
  • There is also this other debate... For ex. the structure tool can do columns, beams and slabs. Folks want a separate button for columns, beams and slabs
  • same for door/window
  • well it's not so much to delete them at this point but mostly to consolidate and make them uniform. like and alike together, same functionalities together etc
  • staying consistent with the meaning of "blue, red, yellows" etc
  • For ex the reason why the blue clone is now far away from the red clone, is that I tried to group the tools that create new objects together, to differentiate from those that modify or destroy objects
  • but indeed therefore they would need new icons
  • or, the blue clone should become yellow since it creates a new object (no risk to harm an existing object)
  • blue can be create, red can be destroy. no problem, but all the reds in one row, all the blues in one place, all the modifies in another, etc
  • probably indeed the menus should contain more stuff, while the toolbars less
Last edited by regis on Thu Jan 31, 2019 12:55 am, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: BIM workbench UI discussion

Post by regis »

This is a general example of what is meant.
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regis
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Re: BIM workbench UI discussion

Post by regis »

And then you have good hidden tools like this one in the part workbench that can be included with the other booleans added in the BIM work Bench.
Boolean Menu.png
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regis
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Re: BIM workbench UI discussion

Post by regis »

Another opportunity for consolidation of functions can be the two types of offsets. Both are very practical.
Screenshot from 2019-01-30 21-10-07.png
Screenshot from 2019-01-30 21-10-07.png (1 KiB) Viewed 2474 times
Menu_005.png
Menu_005.png (2.57 KiB) Viewed 2473 times
the first picture is also great because it works with 3D objects aswell, but not very intuitive for 3D offsets. It's really great for 2D ofsets.

Screenshot from 2019-01-30 21-07-27.png
Screenshot from 2019-01-30 21-07-27.png (77.1 KiB) Viewed 2474 times
the picture one for a strange reason cannot offset a single line. But has good control of 2D ofssets. can't also handle 3D offsets

Screenshot from 2019-01-30 21-11-44.png
Screenshot from 2019-01-30 21-11-44.png (127.32 KiB) Viewed 2474 times
the 3D offset allows to re-enter in the menu once it has been created to re-edit the offset values, something that the other 2kinds of 2D offsets don't have.

Screenshot from 2019-01-30 21-27-11.png
Screenshot from 2019-01-30 21-27-11.png (100.66 KiB) Viewed 2473 times
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regis
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Re: BIM workbench UI discussion

Post by regis »

Haha probably not much to do with the ArchBIM workbench at this point. But I can definitely see the practical use of this tool which needs much needed love. If it worked like blender it would be beautiful.
For now it doesn't look like a "apply thickness Icon"
Screenshot from 2019-01-30 21-36-44.png
Screenshot from 2019-01-30 21-36-44.png (7.06 KiB) Viewed 2473 times
For most Tools with this kind of menu like the Offsets or the Apply Thickness and any other similar
Screenshot from 2019-01-30 21-42-16.png.png
Screenshot from 2019-01-30 21-42-16.png.png (96.32 KiB) Viewed 2473 times
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regis
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Re: BIM workbench UI discussion

Post by regis »

I don't really see a difference between the Move and Copy, They seem to have the same menu aswell. And basically do the same thing with the same options.
Screenshot from 2019-01-30 21-54-40.png
Screenshot from 2019-01-30 21-54-40.png (1.81 KiB) Viewed 2472 times
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Re: BIM workbench UI discussion

Post by regis »

What about these? I was wondering if we could make this better?
Screenshot from 2019-01-30 21-55-18.png
Screenshot from 2019-01-30 21-55-18.png (86.11 KiB) Viewed 2470 times
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Re: BIM workbench UI discussion

Post by regis »

Hehe another quite obvious one. The Buildingpart and the Floor object seems to be the exact same thing, no difference even in the options. Only difference is that I like the Icon of the Building part better. :D More refined and more sleek.
Screenshot from 2019-01-30 22-11-18.png
Screenshot from 2019-01-30 22-11-18.png (1.44 KiB) Viewed 2469 times
Screenshot from 2019-01-30 22-11-28.png
Screenshot from 2019-01-30 22-11-28.png (2.77 KiB) Viewed 2469 times
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Re: BIM workbench UI discussion

Post by Roy_043 »

There is a 'nameless' BIM toolbar that is missing in Yorik's screenshots:
BIM_Nameless_Toolbar.png
BIM_Nameless_Toolbar.png (2.27 KiB) Viewed 2442 times
2 buttons I miss:
Multi material button (available in Arch WB but not in BIM WB).
A button to disable all selected Draft Snap options, so you don't have to click them one by one prior to selecting different options (this is not the same as toggling all snaps on/off).
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