request for input: default for NaviCube font

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Roy_043
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Re: request for input: default for NaviCube font

Post by Roy_043 »

Note that the face labels of the cube can already be changed with the CubeMenu addon (Interface_Customization#CubeMenu). The necessary preferences and related code are already in place. All that remains to be done is expose them in the Preferences Editor.
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uwestoehr
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Re: request for input: default for NaviCube font

Post by uwestoehr »

adrianinsaval wrote: Wed Feb 01, 2023 6:21 pm 1) IMO this would not look good
2) could work but IMO text looks less cluttered and is more inline with what most other software is doing
3) is a terrible idea as there is no intuitive correlation
4) I personally would prefer whole words or at least longer abbreviation because I think I will easily get confused by these too short abbreviations, IMO only bottom really needs abbreviation.
This sounds as if there is no issue. But we have:
- show FC to newbies and listen to their feedback (I know the default background color often comes first, but when the NaviCube looks bad, you will hear this too)
- the NaviCube display issues are mentioned in the forum frequently
- we need a solution that assures a good and intuitive look for as many users as possible.

I am a bit disappointed that English is treated by some as something everybody is familiar with. I have been a while in South America and can state there this is not the case.
So you cannot expect every user to understand e.g the term "Rear" (I assume also in my country Germany many people don't know the translation directly).
And if we allow translations, the cube can with most fonts only contain 5 letters for a proper view. This is not suitable for many languages.

I understand the argument to connect the cube text to the commands. To resolve this we can add a tooltip showing this info as we already do for the toolbar icons. I think this would also be consistent.

To improve the situation, I already added last week added the feature to set the cube text font and fontsize but this is only a solution for experts. I mean a proper UI has in the default settings something that looks nicely and offers more experienced users to fine-tune this.
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adrianinsaval
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Re: request for input: default for NaviCube font

Post by adrianinsaval »

I'm not denying the problem with words, 4 but not as extreme as you say is the solution I prefer, I think in most languages there will be a reasonably short abbreviation for all directions but if it really is the case that they don't fit I think 2 is the most plausible option there, 1 IMO won't be very clear and won't look good, 3 is completely unintuitive
GeneFC
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Re: request for input: default for NaviCube font

Post by GeneFC »

Here is a potential solution with zero font or translation problems.

NavCubeSymbols.jpg
NavCubeSymbols.jpg (69.75 KiB) Viewed 1227 times

The words are only for explanation here, and would not be shown on the cube.

I have no investment in the symbols; it is just a concept.

Clearly this would require some "training", but it would quickly become automatic.

Gene
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FBXL5
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Re: request for input: default for NaviCube font

Post by FBXL5 »

uwestoehr wrote: Wed Feb 01, 2023 4:10 pm We have 4 proposals as far as I can see and I am curious to hear your opinions about them:

1) 2D projection of an 3D on the cube face, as shown here: https://forum.freecadweb.org/viewtopic. ... 95#p656695
2) 3D object inside a transparent cube, as shown here: https://forum.freecadweb.org/viewtopic. ... 28#p656828
3) dots on the cube face (cube as dice)
4) usage of 2 letters to abbreviate the word (cube would be labeled in English as Fr, Le, Ri, Re, Bo, To)
Sometimes when in wire mode I spin my model and lose orientation. I would look at the navi cube to match my brain with the display. Anything that indicates a (read) orientation would be fine: words, abbreviations, numbers, a vehicle inside the cube or on the faces.

Eyes on a die won't help since they are symmetrical figures and so I wouldn't use 3).

My favourite is 2) then 1), because they don't need a translation. The objects/images may become customisable in later steps.
4) would work for me as well.
Roy_043 wrote: Wed Feb 01, 2023 4:24 pm I prefer to see the whole word. It links the faces of the cube to the related view commands, Std_ViewTop etc.
Good point. This should stay the default option.
Roy_043 wrote: Wed Feb 01, 2023 9:39 pm All that remains to be done is expose them in the Preferences Editor.
After that is done, what about to open a dialog via one of the cube's context menus to quickly change the cube's appearance according to the mood of the day ?
chrisb
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Re: request for input: default for NaviCube font

Post by chrisb »

My preference 1 or 2, and yes, having it configurable would make a nice gimmick.
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adrianinsaval
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Re: request for input: default for NaviCube font

Post by adrianinsaval »

GeneFC wrote: Thu Feb 02, 2023 2:32 am NavCubeSymbols.jpg
IMO this is too ambiguous, Left and right look like rotations rather than view angles, top and bottom are easily understood here on a 2D view, but once they are rotated they can point on any arbitrary direction and it will not be clear which is which, they can even be confused for left or right sides if you haven't identified that the rotating arrow is for those. The incoming/outgoing arrow symbology for front and back can work but I don't know how many people are familiar with the concept

I think 2 is the best solution if text is not preferred, I suggest making the cube very transparent and use a different color for the internal 3d model, I suggest a simple shape such as these:
Captura de pantalla 2023-02-02 091517.png
Captura de pantalla 2023-02-02 091517.png (18.9 KiB) Viewed 1052 times
rather than teapots, trains, cars or monkeys
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wandererfan
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Re: request for input: default for NaviCube font

Post by wandererfan »

Right now, I have a blank cube, so any solution would be an improvement.
CubeNoText.png
CubeNoText.png (8.98 KiB) Viewed 975 times
I would go with translatable text, trimmed to fit the available space in the same font as the rest of the UI. The font size should be adjustable for those of us whose eyes are not as strong as they used to be. If that means that I get text of "Fron" and "Righ", so be it.

The transparent cube with a 3d object is cute too. I would use a human head as the 3d object.
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Re: request for input: default for NaviCube font

Post by Hologram »

Autodesk uses front, back, left, right, top, bottom. If you could make it so that 6 characters fit, I doubt there would be any issues. To me the icons or other images or even a 3d inside the cube all seem to be overthinking and overcomplicating something as simple as a viewcube. With icons you'll always wonder what it could mean. Text is simple to understand.
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obelisk79
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Re: request for input: default for NaviCube font

Post by obelisk79 »

I conducted a very brief meta-analysis of cube labeling across all major CAD platforms using screenshots found through a google image search.

It appears that either you get a cube with text labels just like FreeCAD currently uses, or no navi-cube at all.

*If* I had to choose an alternative, I think the 3d model provides a semi-reasonable alternative, however I don't believe it's a great option.
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