An exploration into the Icon theme

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Kunda1
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Re: An exploration into the Icon theme

Post by Kunda1 »

MisterMaker wrote: Wed May 11, 2022 6:15 pm haha I think I spam this topic with more than enough data that we don't need it to be repeated :lol:
It's the good kind of spam we like to see. :mrgreen:
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MisterMaker
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External geometry

Post by MisterMaker »

So this is a hard one it is the external geometry buttons and there are a lot....
p2Qg83XKCo.png
p2Qg83XKCo.png (24.45 KiB) Viewed 1605 times
So issue I have with the icons is that the arrows are too small and not readable, but it is not really bad if it is not readable since you can make the icons bigger. But the idea is that once you know the icons you make the toolbar smaller and you purely go on the icon looks since you don't need to read it. But if you cannot recognize the icons from each other this will not work. So that is my goal.
Now Solidworks has a very simple Icon. (nr 1)
Image
Just a box with a line. Simple and recognizable.
I don't want to make a direct copy since that could get me in trouble.
But since we have 7 options I doubt a simple cube with a line will do it. (The one we have now is pretty much a square cube with a line.
I was first thinking about this, but it has to much detail.
PartDesign_Thickness.png0001.png
PartDesign_Thickness.png0001.png (48.06 KiB) Viewed 1605 times
So next I zoomed in on the corner and got this:
explorer_zQIMCMtAai.png
explorer_zQIMCMtAai.png (66.95 KiB) Viewed 1605 times
In Freecad it looks like this:
FreeCADLink_sIF8f10VFQ.png
FreeCADLink_sIF8f10VFQ.png (15.62 KiB) Viewed 1605 times
Now I have some issues:
First they are only recognizable by color which can give issues to color blind.
Only the colors explain a bit of what the function does, like the geometry is green where it attaches. And the lines are the color of reference geometry when you freeze it. Sync all green, and fix all red.
Maybe something else with the same colors scheme..... :?:
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adrianinsaval
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Re: An exploration into the Icon theme

Post by adrianinsaval »

They still look like they have too much detail to me, the solidworks icon is too generic to be copyrightable, you can't get into trouble, it would still have the same problem of differentiating stuff though but the different overlayed icons might look better on that one.
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MisterMaker
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Re: An exploration into the Icon theme

Post by MisterMaker »

I tried some more simpler and more simpler and more simpler and so I ended up at the SW icon but with a wedge instead of a cube.
So I guess I only have enough pixels for 2 lines at max.
So 2 lines it is, and I present you the new icons:
explorer_pfmeAp8uK3.png
explorer_pfmeAp8uK3.png (59.71 KiB) Viewed 1491 times
FreeCADLink_I3zF9YbacY.png
FreeCADLink_I3zF9YbacY.png (15.25 KiB) Viewed 1491 times
Before and after:
Untitled.png
Untitled.png (49.99 KiB) Viewed 1475 times
bleber
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Re: An exploration into the Icon theme

Post by bleber »

I like the simpler style.
The sinc icon maybe need a more representative symbol like sinc arrows.
The fix reference seems a remove icon, maybe something like a search related works better.
Solarman
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Re: An exploration into the Icon theme

Post by Solarman »

Kunda1 wrote: Wed May 11, 2022 6:11 pm @Solarman please try to...

a la orden... ;)
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adrianinsaval
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Re: An exploration into the Icon theme

Post by adrianinsaval »

MisterMaker wrote: Thu May 12, 2022 9:00 am I tried some more simpler and more simpler and more simpler and so I ended up at the SW icon but with a wedge instead of a cube.
So I guess I only have enough pixels for 2 lines at max.
So 2 lines it is, and I present you the new icons:
explorer_pfmeAp8uK3.png
FreeCADLink_I3zF9YbacY.png
Before and after:
Untitled.png
I like the general layout but I feel like curved edges are not a good representation of what the icon does, also it might be preferable to have overlayed mini icons to convey the differences like the original instead of colors and edge position.
Also maybe use the default external edge color for the highlighted edge in the icon.
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MisterMaker
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Re: An exploration into the Icon theme

Post by MisterMaker »

Those mini icons are absolutely not readable on my 4K screen.
But I notice Linkstage has a bug there. At least at my install the dropdown menu's stay at 16px and don't follow the toolbar icons settings.
Dropdown with big icons
Image
Dropdown with smalles 16px icons
Image
Btw my icons look awesome on the bigger settings :shock: :D
dtay
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Re: An exploration into the Icon theme

Post by dtay »

What do people think of making the function more prominent? Very crude idea here:
Detach_Geo.JPG
Detach_Geo.JPG (17.03 KiB) Viewed 1396 times
bleber
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Re: An exploration into the Icon theme

Post by bleber »

adrianinsaval wrote: Thu May 12, 2022 2:58 pm I like the general layout but I feel like curved edges are not a good representation of what the icon does
The attach and detach are clear for me, the curve and color indicates the tool function. The other icons are more simbòlic.
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