Cage tool
From GIMP GUI Redesign
Work in progress on the new cage tool. This is more a description of the solutions model than a true specification.
note to nitpicks: no, the ‘i’s have not been dotted, but usability is up by a factor of 18.
goals
The main goal of this interaction design is to make the mode switch—of either editing the cage (a polygon) or deforming the underlying image—as natural and unnoticeable as possible.
before the polygon
The only user-noticeable state shall be the polygon creation state. Some guidelines:
- creating the polygon shall be analogous to creating one with the free-poly select tool, including:
- hit backspace to erase the last created poly-point;
- adjustment of the position of any poly-point while creating;
- closing the polygon by hitting return; double-click to create a final poly-point and close; hit the starting poly-point;
- really, really really check out the spec, source and developer (Enselic) of the free-poly tool to get this right.
after the close
After the polygon is closed, user shall be able to edit any poly-point or deform the underlying image (layer) in any give order, by simply doing it.