[Feature Request] Mini Dopesheet

AAdamT · 3. Dez 2013

Because you clearly love all these little things

Could we get a "Compact View" toggle in the Dopesheet?

I think you could knock 5 pixels off the top and bottom of each track without needing new icons or it becoming too fiddly to be useful - and seeing a third more timelines in the same space would be very handy.

i.e.

AAdamT · 3. Dez 2013

Pharan · 3. Dez 2013

Hmmm...
seconded.

Nate · 3. Dez 2013

Note you can collapse all dopesheet rows for a more compact view.

I don't think we'd want multiple display modes. If there is too much space per row then we should fix that, for all the time. Each row is currently 25px high. Each key is 5px wide but the clickable area is 22x16. It isn't 25 high to allow you to drag a selection box that starts on the key, however 1.6.38 enables you to drag a selection box starting on a key when ctrl is held (just like in the editor), so we could reclaim 3px for clicking. Reducing the height makes it harder to click. My initial guess for the smallest clickable area we'd want to go is probably 16x18 or so, but we can test out different sizes. Your mockup is definitely too cramped, there needs to be padding around the icons and text.

Here's a quick adjustment with a row height of 21:

The keys are the full height of the row, though this makes seeing the current frame difficult. Here's the same row height with a 1px space between keys:

Here is the same row height with the current 3px between keys:

The keys are looking pretty squashed, but then I've used to looking at the old key height.

I think we can shave off 2px per row, but more than that starts to look bad:

What do you think Shiu?

Søren · 3. Dez 2013

Don't like it cause now it becomes harder to use the select box :S

Pharan · 3. Dez 2013

Doesn't the new CTRL + box select help?
I like the 2nd to the last mockup. But I could also go for something smaller. Not sure if it would help if it turned a bit wider to compensate for being shorter.

I'll take -2px or -3px over nothing, I guess. :p

AAdamT · 4. Dez 2013

I think this is one of those one-shoe-many-feet things.

How about +/- size buttons alongside the Zoom Timeline elements, add/deduct 1 pixel from the top/bottom with each press?

Nate · 4. Dez 2013

I think it's something core to how the dopesheet looks. I prefer not providing a myriad of configuration options, instead we make it work in a way that is good for everyone. This is the theme for all of Spine. of course sometimes things need to be configurable, but it's surprisingly rare.

Adam · 5. Dez 2013

BIG +1 to this.

I would go for saving as much space as possible, I usually have very crowded dopesheet and I gotta scroll like crazy :bang:

For me, even the very very tiny version would be good.
Or also the + / - buttons in settings for adjustment.

Regarding the difficulty when selecting - one thing that comes to my mind is be to change symbol from [] to <>

Take for example the After Effects (my favourite example)

Zoomed in:

Moooore zoomed in:

Also, AE uses different symbols for different interpolation styles (easy in, easy out, easy ease, linear....)
Thats a really helpful UI thing too...

And if you have more keys, the hight is still good...

If you have more layers you really see the difference.

I'm always comparing it with After Effects.
There is SO SO SO SO many options in UI in AE... and it's so so so amazingly handled by the UI and hotkey system.
AE interface, handling of shortcuts and overall architecture for efficiency & productivity is I think the best from all softwares I've been working with so far...

It's really a software... from future!

I'm one of those who really do everything I can to optimise my workflow as much as possible (but you already know that lol) and I see that I'm not alone yeyyy, there is another Adam here :yes: :yes: :yes: