Diptrace look improvement

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SoundMod
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Diptrace look improvement

#1 Post by SoundMod » 21 Oct 2016, 05:16

I would like to see Diptrace's GUI improve and get slick like this while keeping toolbars.

https://upverter.com/

Actually, take a deep look at it because they offer feature that other do not offer and I think
Diptrace can compete with them if you carefully craft the future of Diptrace.

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VEC7OR
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Re: Diptrace look improvement

#2 Post by VEC7OR » 04 Nov 2016, 02:54

Keep preaching. Devs don't listen.
I've tried
viewtopic.php?t=2000
viewtopic.php?f=5005
viewtopic.php?t=9795
viewtopic.php?t=10027

I've been on a lecture about KiCAD and where it is now, its usable, but boy oh boy Diptrace workflow is so slick compared to anything, even with all its quirks and drawbacks.
So devs, when will the user interface will be improved once and for all ?
Its not like shoving a few control boxes and buttons around takes as much as writing a push and shove router, I see the interface every day, and hate it, but lack of push and shove isn't a big deal, so why DON'T YOU LISTEN ?
Oh and I'm still going to give a lecture on how to use it, coz its still better than anything out there.
My rhombicosidodecahedron is bigger than yours.

Serg
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Re: Diptrace look improvement

#3 Post by Serg » 10 Nov 2016, 02:17

Please specify what you want to improve in DipTrace GUI?

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KevinA
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Re: Diptrace look improvement

#4 Post by KevinA » 15 Nov 2016, 06:14

SoundMod wrote:I would like to see Diptrace's GUI improve and get slick like this while keeping toolbars.

https://upverter.com/

Actually, take a deep look at it because they offer feature that other do not offer and I think
Diptrace can compete with them if you carefully craft the future of Diptrace.
For $125 a month per user with limits, I bet DipTrace could produce a fancy user interface along with pages of marketing gib. And that $125 a month doesn't cover Internet Access Cost (LTE for me) which adds another cost. While a bunch of users working on a project sounds like 'fun' at best it's a pain. Besides, with today's technology one person can do what it took a company to produce 10 years ago. It appears they take user built parts and 'Verify' them for all to use so you don't have 're-spin'. If you watch the video they are adding traces where a decent router would have routed, when you dig deeper the 'WEB' interface is broken with all browsers https://upverter.com/documentation/how-to-use-generics/ only the first two menu items work in Resources. Cloud based 'Work-Flow' is the catch all of marketing, when you pay for data by the byte not so much.
One thing that I miss with DipTrace is a programmable user interface, like LISP for AutoDesk but using Python. Oh, back/forward annotation and audit trails would be good too. Did I mention parametric parts? Or a 'PartQuest' like interface? :o

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VEC7OR
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Re: Diptrace look improvement

#5 Post by VEC7OR » 16 Nov 2016, 13:43

sl_sergey wrote:Please specify what you want to improve in DipTrace GUI?
Duplicate button. CTRL+D. And make the component after duplication hang on the mouse cursor as if placing new component, with another click placing it (copy-paste, places it so you have to drag it).

BIGGER WINDOWS. BIG. NO TABS.

Image

It takes 6 clicks to change what is displayed about the component, and it should take 3 - click on the component, select the info, click OK.

Stop using drop-down lists in the places that need list boxes.

Make a 3 click measuring tool - a single one, for all the cases.

Image

Direction of drag should specify which dimension is needed.

Why the hell drawing tools start hidden? 4 clicks to draw a line ? WTF.
Everything should be present on the toolbars, I'm not even asking for editable toolbars.

Clicking on a text should edit the text, not select the font.

Selecting something inside a bigger component is still a pain in the ass.

Image

Dragging wires in the schematic is still broken.

Image

This one is hard but you need to do it - move the components to a relational database - search will be fixed, multiple patterns for a single component, much more flexible infrastructure. I'm happy that components get stored in the file tho.

Also add a global option for positioning components by origin and for origin display - this is how it should always be - positioning by pads, why it even exists.

Adding multiple pads to a net with shift click - try doing via stitching manually and feel the pain - you have to click everything twice, instead of just selecting the first net and going click-click-click.

Dudes, really, nail this down and do anything else that needs to be done - I see this stuff every time I do a board and it grinds my gears to no end.
Everything else OK, or not used constantly to be a bother. Autorouter is fast and fun but still stupid.

Image

Image
My rhombicosidodecahedron is bigger than yours.

Alex
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Re: Diptrace look improvement

#6 Post by Alex » 18 Nov 2016, 02:50

Hi Vector,
Thank you for the suggestions. I agree with some improvements but some others don't fit into DipTrace interface.

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Re: Diptrace look improvement

#7 Post by VEC7OR » 20 Nov 2016, 14:26

Alex wrote:Hi Vector,
Thank you for the suggestions. I agree with some improvements but some others don't fit into DipTrace interface.
Such as, and why ?
My rhombicosidodecahedron is bigger than yours.

SoundMod
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Re: Diptrace look improvement

#8 Post by SoundMod » 21 Nov 2016, 08:42

Non-copper layers should have the ability to be displayed plain, hatched or with dotted line (like in eagle).
This is usefull when there is a lot a costum shape drawn manually on those layer.

I also agree that some parameter are hidden behind too much mouse-click.

I don't want to have a web interface but the look and the overall useability should be refined.

bronc3buster842001
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Re: Diptrace look improvement

#9 Post by bronc3buster842001 » 29 Jan 2017, 17:37

The one thing that I hate the most is in pattern editor. When you want to edit a pattern that has solder mask,paste,etc layers. They cover the pads and you have to click a billion times and hope you get the right layer. Need to be able to hide the different layers like in PCB editor

Also better calculation when switching between units. If you start in mil, then switch to mm, then back to mil, the dimensions all change.

johnboxall
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Re: Diptrace look improvement

#10 Post by johnboxall » 01 Feb 2017, 21:14

We use notebooks with high-resolution screens (3000 x 2000 pixels, MS Surface Book). Happy with Diptrace using external monitors in the office. However when on the road, no matter how we scale the display resolution in Windows' "Display Settings>Customise your display" the toolbar doesn't scale properly. If we go back to 100% the icons are tiny, however if we go to the recommended 200% they are cut off, as shown in the image below:
diptrace.jpg
diptrace.jpg (84.06 KiB) Viewed 661 times
If the toolbar and icons could scale with resolution - along with the ability to adjust vertical toolbar width - Diptrace would be perfect.

-- 11 May 2017, 13:36 --
johnboxall wrote:We use notebooks with high-resolution screens (3000 x 2000 pixels, MS Surface Book). Happy with Diptrace using external monitors in the office. However when on the road, no matter how we scale the display resolution in Windows' "Display Settings>Customise your display" the toolbar doesn't scale properly. If we go back to 100% the icons are tiny, however if we go to the recommended 200% they are cut off, as shown in the image below:
diptrace.jpg
diptrace.jpg (84.06 KiB) Viewed 661 times
If the toolbar and icons could scale with resolution - along with the ability to adjust vertical toolbar width - Diptrace would be perfect.
The solution is to run the 32-bit version of Diptrace, works great on 3000 x 2000 Windows 10 machine.

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