Dear Dynamo developers and users,
I am calling for feedback on a potential new Dynamo UI feature: right side panel for hosting generic view extensions, off course view extensions can opt-in or not using our API. As you guys are already using everyday, the left side panel inside Dynamo is currently hosting Dynamo Library which is a view extension by its nature. View extension is a way to expand capability of Dynamo and can be delivered by Dynamo Team or 3rd party developers via package manager.
To better illustrate what the difference would be, here is a gif of prototype:
From the gif, you can see there is a right side panel which can be collapsed or expanded to host new view extensions. The example I am posting here contains only one view extension but this is intended to be for multiple extensions. The example extension I am using is the-Saurus, which provides node suggestion during your daily Dynamo graph drafting workflow. It is currently available on package manager already but with the new framework, the experience of any new view extension can be more built-in.
Here is a very rough UX proposal I made and would like to get feedback from you: Dynamo Extensions Grid Proposal.pdf (381.5 KB)
Please kindly read the proposal (2 pages of pictures only) and rate it with the metrics at the end of it and comment here. It should take no more than 5 min.
Don’t have time for that? Feel free to just leave comments here.
Thank you everyone for your feedback improving our system.
Aaron-
25 Likes
I like the idea, but have a few comments:
- consider dock-able panel for multiple view extensions ie. tabs when multiple extensions are designed to be docked on the right.
- given that multiple view extensions can be docked, what about ability to stack them vertically? in case that we want to see multiple windows at the same time.
- if I can stack the controls, then i should be able to resize the proportions.
- in case that tabs and vertical stacks are not what user wants, we should allow them to un-dock it. The good old floating window is the default option.
So to reiterate: docking, tabs, stacking, grid size control. Just a few things to consider.
Cheers!
-K
10 Likes
Similar to how Revit handles DockablePanels? It would be a great and known experience for almost all users, not sure how difficult it would be to implement though. Sure there must be some third party libraries for WPF docking panels?
If these features are achievable, I would only add the option for the Library to be dockable and be handle similarly, considering it is also a ViewExtension.
@alvpickmans I think both Revit and Dynamo already use the Xceed WPF Toolkit which has an Avalon Dock. It’s a docking manager that should do the trick.
Would be great and handy. Further comments see Konrad.
I like things staked all in one place, I am not a fan of having a UI spread left righ up and done, it lack hierarchy. I’d rather have it left, or at least have the choice. Extensions are great, but pretty hard to consistently deploy for the time being.
Learnability 4
Efficiency 4
Memorability 3
Error Management 3
Satisfaction 3
1 Like
I really like the idea! That would be super handy 
Learnability 5
Efficiency 4.5
Memeorability 4
Error Management ?
Satisfaction 4
1 Like
Hi Qilong_Tang
I feel the UI updates are great and please keep going
Learnability - 5
Efficiency - 4
Memorability - 3
Error Management - 3
Satisfaction - 5
the most likeable thing is the view extension name loaded in right it Awesome. Hence we need to type names i.e the hints for the search for nodes each time it will be easy using Surus.
have a Good Day
1 Like
Great Idea. I lik the dockable idea, the tabs
Learnability 5
Efficiency 4.5
Memeorability 4
Error Management 4
Satisfaction 4
Nice idea, great to see functionality being added.
I wonder if we could get a side dock on the Python editor? I remember @Daniel_Woodcock1 had an idea to use one to drag and drop snippets of code.
Learnability 5
Efficiency 5
Memorability 5
Error Management 5
Satisfaction 5
Thanks again,
Mark
2 Likes
This is really cool @Aaron_Tang! Yeah, as @Mark.Ackerley said, I have a code snippet locker and some other VE’s which this would be pretty neat for. However, I can see that side bar menu getting pretty full pretty quick though. It would be great to have tear away panels, I personally like to pull out the things I need. Not sure it would be suitable for everything though due to layout constraints but pretty cool still, I wouldn’t say no to it being a feature developers could use if they wanted to.
3 Likes
@Mark.Ackerley @Daniel_Woodcock1 Excellent Idea, the panel is now in our latest daily build, feel free to take a look. Given we already have the python editor as a WPF window, we should be able to convert it to a user control and stick it in right panel. And more ideas are welcome! I think we will be able to build lots of stuff with the new panel.
1 Like
Awesome @Aaron_Tang. I’ll be sure to play around with this!
Yup, this is what I did with the Snippet Locker, just stole the one you guys already had in Dynamo and chucked it in my VE, can create or import directly to/from graph but would be nice to have them sitting to the side and searchable.
3 Likes
