Rounded Handles ?

[shijan]

A lot of current apps use rounded handles instead of "classic" rectangle ones. What if use rounded handles in PhotoLine? Guess not everyone may like it, so perfectly it could be a user option in preferences to switch between rectangle and rounded handles look.

Examples to discuss:


Here is also how same round handles may look in Curves:


Also i would love to see user option for fully transparent center point and for thin monochrome handles. Subtle handles are useful when working with photos. Current acid green handles sometimes takes too many attention.
Not sure how they could look exactly, but here is some sketch:

[Hoogo]

What's the benefit of circles?

I'm using Ctrl+6 repeatedly to let layer handles blink. That way I get both: A clean picture when I need it, and some hint when I'm looking for the handles.

[shijan]

What's the benefit of circles?

Circle points definitely look better in Curves tool. I shared some examples here earlier https://www.pl32.com/forum3/viewtopic.p ... 953#p47953 But seems Curves, handles and some other tools share same icon resource for dots, so quick changing of dots shape only in Curves currently impossible and needs additional changes in code.

Circles in layer handles are just a visual user option. Some people like circles, sore like rectangles. Circle dot took less space compare to rectangle dot of same width. As side effect, due more complex curved shape Circle dots may look pixelated and less accurate at non-retina displays. I am personally OK with rectangles if only it was an option to use thinner lightweight look. Example from other app was illustrated here https://www.pl32.com/forum3/viewtopic.p ... 959#p47959 and some ideas here https://www.pl32.com/forum3/viewtopic.p ... 226#p49226

I also use "Show/Hide Layer Handles" command a lot. Mapped it to Command+T to emulate "transform" command in other apps. But hiding layer handles is not a solution for all situations. It is impossible to Rotate and Scale layer when handles are hidden. This "blind" scale/rotate layer option was available in older versions of PhotoLine but was buggy, so after my report instead of bugfix developers decide to disable it at all Some other apps allow to scale/rotate layer if handles are hidden and in some situations it is very useful.

Another possible useful option could be autohide handles during object movement, as described here https://www.pl32.com/forum3/viewtopic.p ... 960#p47960

Thick green handles vs thin monochrome handles is all about user comfort. For vector works or technical CAD drawings i probably prefer better visible thick colored handles. For photo collages, photo editing and color grading i probably prefer subtle thin grayscale handles because they don't distract form photography itself.

[russellcottrell]

quick changing of dots shape only in Curves currently impossible and needs additional changes in code.

I hate to say it, but there are many issues more important than this one. I do not see any virtue in coming up with more things for the developers to do.

[shijan]

Yes, it is not urgent at all. I just try to organize discussion so people can add ideas and opinions here about handles. UI changes are very different from plain technical bugfixes, they need more time to think and understand in abstract way if those changes really good or bad.
As for changes in code, it was only my guess (PhotoLine developers just like to use same icon resource used in multiple UI places, which sometime makes customization things problematic). It is also possible that each tool use its own separate resource for handles, so it could took just few clicks to draw new shape and replace existing one.

Also from current vector tool handles logic, layer should use rectangle handles because layer rectangle always represented by lines and sharp corners. But Curves should use rounded handles because Curves are always curved. Just thinking...
UPDATE: Here is another sketches with thin rectangle handles filled with 75% opacity white color outline and another with 100% white. Handles are well visible on complex colored backgrounds and same time you can "see trough" them.

[shijan]

Another possible way to create subtle but same time normally visible handles - outline with auto adjusted color. Same dynamic auto adjusted method used in many other apps and also it is used for PhotoLine brush preview outline:

[shijan]

And probably the simplest possible idea - just add an user option to use monochrome handles (and also monochrome center point) instead green ones. No any changes in lines thickness. This will allow to keep current colored scheme with Red and Cyan handles that represent enabled/disabled layer locking toggles.