Window borders remain difficult to select, even after Resolution Scale is increased #64956

New Issue

Jer Bot · 2019-05-21T18:09:05+02:00

Jer Bot commented

2019-05-21 18:09:05 +02:00

System Information
Operating system: Linux-4.19.32-1-MANJARO-x86_64-with-arch-Manjaro-Linux 64 Bits
Graphics card: GeForce GTX 1060 6GB/PCIe/SSE2 NVIDIA Corporation 4.5.0 NVIDIA 418.43

Blender Version
Broken: version: 2.80 (sub 57), branch: blender2.7, commit date: 2019-04-19 17:39, hash: bc8b884e53
Worked: (optional)

Preface
Blender has put great efforts to assist users in customizing their experience, making it easier for those with vision difficulties. However, click-ability still needs some improvements. Pie menus are a huge edition, but now window customization should be addressed. The ability to quickly customize the layout cuts down on the need to rely on presets. Here is one recommendation.

Short description of error
It is difficult to select the windows borders for resizing. When I increased the Resolution Scale, it does not appear to make this edge selection any easier. With high resolution monitors, it's extremely difficult (sometimes even painful) to try and click and drag within the 3-4 pixels.
*see attached animated GIF for demonstration
{F7058105, size=full}

Please allow the window selection edges to increase along with the Resolution Scale.

Exact steps for others to reproduce the error
Select border edges and test threshold sensitivity. Note number of pixels.
Increase the Resolution Scale and test threshold again. Still difficult to select.

**System Information** Operating system: Linux-4.19.32-1-MANJARO-x86_64-with-arch-Manjaro-Linux 64 Bits Graphics card: GeForce GTX 1060 6GB/PCIe/SSE2 NVIDIA Corporation 4.5.0 NVIDIA 418.43 **Blender Version** Broken: version: 2.80 (sub 57), branch: blender2.7, commit date: 2019-04-19 17:39, hash: `bc8b884e53` Worked: (optional) **Preface** Blender has put great efforts to assist users in customizing their experience, making it easier for those with vision difficulties. However, click-ability still needs some improvements. Pie menus are a huge edition, but now window customization should be addressed. The ability to quickly customize the layout cuts down on the need to rely on presets. Here is one recommendation. **Short description of error** It is difficult to select the windows borders for resizing. When I increased the Resolution Scale, it does not appear to make this edge selection any easier. With high resolution monitors, it's extremely difficult (sometimes even painful) to try and click and drag within the 3-4 pixels. *see attached animated GIF for demonstration {[F7058105](https://archive.blender.org/developer/F7058105/blender_hardToPickBorders.gif), size=full} Please allow the window selection edges to increase along with the Resolution Scale. **Exact steps for others to reproduce the error** Select border edges and test threshold sensitivity. Note number of pixels. Increase the Resolution Scale and test threshold again. Still difficult to select.

Jer Bot commented

2019-05-21 18:09:05 +02:00

Added subscriber: @JerBot

Jer Bot commented

2019-05-21 18:13:47 +02:00

Another solution
would be to implement the ability to assign a hotkey to access a feature that would allow for the grabbing of the nearest border edge. This would DRAMATICALLY increase the speed in which one could customize their user interface.

In the attached animated GIF, I'm taking a basic file browse window and tweaking it's position and size using the traditional method of clicking on the borders. In the second part of the animated GIF demo, I'm resizing windows by holding down an hotkey, and the nearest edge gets selected, and I'm able to quickly, and without mouse/arm strain, adjust the window position and size.{F7058096, size=full}

In the demo, I start off showing the window resizing method we all know. At 20 second in, I show the method that uses a hotkey to grab nearest edge (feature accessible in many Linux distros)

*Another solution* would be to implement the ability to assign a hotkey to access a feature that would allow for the grabbing of the nearest border edge. This would DRAMATICALLY increase the speed in which one could customize their user interface. In the attached animated GIF, I'm taking a basic file browse window and tweaking it's position and size using the traditional method of clicking on the borders. In the second part of the animated GIF demo, I'm resizing windows by holding down an hotkey, and the nearest edge gets selected, and I'm able to quickly, and without mouse/arm strain, adjust the window position and size.{[F7058096](https://archive.blender.org/developer/F7058096/hardToPick_vs_easyToPick_windowCorners.gif), size=full} In the demo, I start off showing the window resizing method we all know. At 20 second in, I show the method that uses a hotkey to grab nearest edge (feature accessible in many Linux distros)

William Reynish commented

2019-05-21 18:15:42 +02:00

Added subscriber: @WilliamReynish

William Reynish commented

2019-05-21 18:15:42 +02:00

Yeah I guess it doesn’t take the UI scale into account

Daniel Paul commented

2019-05-21 19:06:50 +02:00

Added subscriber: @DanielPaul

Pablo Vazquez commented

2019-05-21 21:55:24 +02:00

Added subscribers: @Harley, @pablovazquez

Pablo Vazquez commented

2019-05-21 21:55:24 +02:00

@Harley is this something you could have a look at?

Harley Acheson commented

2019-05-21 22:26:49 +02:00

I actually have this on my "to do" for something to do next. I just assumed it would have to be after the freeze.

The root issue here is that resizing is done in the gaps between editors but the gap isn't actually the size of the black lines you see. The editors are pulled away from each other in a fairly course way and then the border lines are painted on top. We see evidence of this in a few ways. We have to define the headers as being 25 pixels tall even though we see only 24 and then have to bump everything up. The top most border on top of 3DViewport usually looks 2 1/2 pixels wide...

I had code I was working on that would make the gaps between the editors and those lines exactly match and change properly as scale (and line width) are changed. If that is done some of these issues would go away and we could also consider adding the gap width as a user preference - nice for tablet users.

I could look at it tonight and see if it is something we can fit in? Or if this is something that can be done after the freeze you can absolutely just assign this to me.

I actually have this on my "to do" for something to do next. I just assumed it would have to be after the freeze. The root issue here is that resizing is done in the gaps between editors but the gap isn't actually the size of the black lines you see. The editors are pulled away from each other in a fairly course way and then the border lines are painted on top. We see evidence of this in a few ways. We have to define the headers as being 25 pixels tall even though we see only 24 and then have to bump everything up. The top most border on top of 3DViewport usually looks 2 1/2 pixels wide... I had code I was working on that would make the gaps between the editors and those lines exactly match and change properly as scale (and line width) are changed. If that is done some of these issues would go away and we could also consider adding the gap width as a user preference - nice for tablet users. I could look at it tonight and see if it is something we can fit in? Or if this is something that can be done after the freeze you can absolutely just assign this to me.

Harley Acheson commented

2019-05-22 03:29:49 +02:00

Sorry, but I don't any fast solutions for this to shove in quickly.

I was expecting to find really good notes from when I was exploring this issue about six months ago. But I find only crappy notes.

So anyone else is welcome to look at this. Otherwise I might have something in a week or two, but certainly not a day or two

Sorry, but I don't any fast solutions for this to shove in quickly. I was expecting to find really good notes from when I was exploring this issue about six months ago. But I find only crappy notes. So anyone else is welcome to look at this. Otherwise I might have something in a week or two, but certainly not a day or two

Pablo Vazquez commented

2019-05-22 12:57:33 +02:00

In #64956#684854, @Harley wrote:
I actually have this on my "to do" for something to do next. I just assumed it would have to be after the freeze.

Absolutely. This fix won't change how screenshots or tutorials look, it's an improvement on adjusting an already existing feature. It's okay to do after, thanks for looking into it!

> In #64956#684854, @Harley wrote: > I actually have this on my "to do" for something to do next. I just assumed it would have to be after the freeze. Absolutely. This fix won't change how screenshots or tutorials look, it's an improvement on adjusting an already existing feature. It's okay to do after, thanks for looking into it!

Harley Acheson was assigned by Pablo Vazquez

2019-05-22 12:57:45 +02:00

Harley Acheson commented

2019-05-22 16:02:44 +02:00

My plan, if all goes well, is that everything will as close to identical as possible but there might be some things that differ by a pixel or less.

I was also planning on initially keeping the user preference interaction the same, so the border sizes would remain controlled by scale and line-width. But it will then be trivial to add something desperately needed: removing line width from the equation and adding a separate slider. Changing border size independently is pretty important for tablet users.

My plan, if all goes well, is that everything will as close to identical as possible but there might be some things that differ by a pixel or less. I was also planning on initially keeping the user preference interaction the same, so the border sizes would remain controlled by scale and line-width. But it will then be trivial to add something desperately needed: removing line width from the equation and adding a separate slider. Changing border size independently is pretty important for tablet users.

Jer Bot commented

2019-05-28 06:18:03 +02:00

Thank you @pablovazquez & @harley. Any way soften the accuracy required when selecting borders would be a great help... and yes, especially for tablet users. Cheers!

Harley Acheson commented

2019-05-28 18:28:12 +02:00

@JerBot : If you compile on your own, you could give the following patch a try to see if it helps enough. If don't compile, the explanation of what it is addressing might be interesting regardless.

https:*developer.blender.org/D4947

It is possible that it is not enough change and it can't truly be solved until we have user-selectable border widths that are separated from line width. Unfortunately that is a bit of a bigger task as the drawing of the borders ties the width to the border radius at the corners. So radius would get huge and occlude content at the corners if you set the border very wide. So this would have to be done a bit differently.

@JerBot : If you compile on your own, you could give the following patch a try to see if it helps enough. If don't compile, the explanation of what it is addressing might be interesting regardless. [https:*developer.blender.org/D4947 ](https:*developer.blender.org/D4947) It is *possible* that it is not enough change and it can't truly be solved until we have user-selectable border widths that are separated from line width. Unfortunately that is a bit of a bigger task as the drawing of the borders ties the width to the border radius at the corners. So radius would get huge and occlude content at the corners if you set the border very wide. So this would have to be done a bit differently.

Jer Bot commented

2019-05-31 22:04:14 +02:00

@Harley , I can dig up my docs on how to get a build made for my Manjaro system. I've done it for my laptop, so know it only takes a few hours... but gotta find those hours first.

Looking forward to digging deeper.

Thanks again!

@Harley , I can dig up my docs on how to get a build made for my Manjaro system. I've done it for my laptop, so know it only takes a few hours... but gotta find those hours first. Looking forward to digging deeper. Thanks again!

Scott VanKirk commented

2019-11-02 21:30:42 +01:00

Added subscriber: @ScottVanKirk

Scott VanKirk commented

2019-11-02 21:30:42 +01:00

Currently pulling from the lower right corner to split the screen is much easier than right clicking.I was thinking it would be nice to add an icon to the lower right corner to indicate this visually. It would add a lot to the explorability of the interface. I was also thinking that this might be a good starter project for myself to dive into the code? Thoughts?

Harley Acheson was unassigned by Dalai Felinto

2019-12-23 16:34:18 +01:00

Pablo Vazquez commented

2020-05-18 17:33:58 +02:00

Got time to look into this @Harley?

Harley Acheson commented

2020-05-18 18:13:44 +02:00

@pablovazquez - Got time to look into this

I have managed to fix this perfectly and have even allowed for user-selectable border widths. But I just lack the OpenGL smarts to do corner rounding like we do now in an efficient way. It would require someone to make a proper shader for those corners.

That old patch, along with a good explanation of what is going on, is here:

https://developer.blender.org/D4947

> @pablovazquez - Got time to look into this I have managed to fix this perfectly and have even allowed for user-selectable border widths. But I just lack the OpenGL smarts to do corner rounding like we do now in an efficient way. It would require someone to make a proper shader for those corners. That old patch, along with a good explanation of what is going on, is here: https://developer.blender.org/D4947

Harley Acheson commented

2020-05-26 01:36:15 +02:00

This issue should be fixed with the following patch: https://developer.blender.org/D7823
Just committed. https://developer.blender.org/rB4e8693ffcddbe580ddac21e305a085dd846a6c04

This issue should be fixed with the following patch: https://developer.blender.org/D7823 Just committed. https://developer.blender.org/rB4e8693ffcddbe580ddac21e305a085dd846a6c04

Jer Bot commented

2020-05-26 06:08:32 +02:00

In #64956#938567, @Harley wrote:
This issue should be fixed with the following patch: https://developer.blender.org/D7823

Roger dodger.
I posed my (positive) test results over there. Thanks again!

> In #64956#938567, @Harley wrote: > This issue should be fixed with the following patch: https://developer.blender.org/D7823 Roger dodger. I posed my (positive) test results over there. Thanks again!

Julian Eisel commented

2020-05-26 10:13:10 +02:00

Added subscriber: @JulianEisel