channel display toolset request

Ideas for improvements and requests for new features in XnView MP

Moderators: XnTriq, helmut, xnview

thibaud
Posts: 274
Joined: Sat Dec 02, 2006 12:41 am

channel display toolset request

Post by thibaud »

Hello Pierre ... and everyone :)

It could be nice to have the "use alpha" and "show mask" (why is it not labeled "show alpha" btw ?) somehow integrated into the viewer bar - (I could design icons for that if you are interested)...

but what would actually be even better, is to have theses functions integrated into an extended "channel manager/selector" toolset on the viewer's toolbar that would provide:
1.instant visualization of the available channels for any selected image
2.quick selection of the channel to use/display.

the advantage of such a toolset would be amazing for image formats holding multiples channels/layers like exr, rpf, etc.. while still providing enhanced usability for more popular format. (being able to display rgba channel individually would alreay be nice)

what do you think ?

can't wait for the next version of MP :D
User avatar
oops66
XnThusiast
Posts: 2005
Joined: Tue Jul 17, 2007 1:17 am
Location: France

Re: channel display toolset request

Post by oops66 »

Hello,
I agree, an extra toolbar (with for example, some boxes to check or uncheck) is a good idea for quickly enable or disable the "layers" (channels : Red,Green,Blue,Alfa. + "show transparency" + "show mask" + "apply the ICC Profile" + "show Grid" + ...) and maybe with the possibility to add or subtract an (or some) other(s) channel(s) from an other image.
XnViewMP Linux X64 - Debian - X64
thibaud
Posts: 274
Joined: Sat Dec 02, 2006 12:41 am

Post by thibaud »

here is a mockup of how I imagine it could be:
Image
what do you think ?
User avatar
JohnFredC
XnThusiast
Posts: 2010
Joined: Wed Mar 17, 2004 8:33 pm
Location: Sarasota Florida

Post by JohnFredC »

Extremely well done, Thibaud.

...and I like the chromatic icons better than the monochrome ones.

How do you see the grid option working?
John
thibaud
Posts: 274
Joined: Sat Dec 02, 2006 12:41 am

Post by thibaud »

if nested dropdown in toggle button is too much, you could off course simply enable/disable the dropdown with the 'aux channel' toggle button just next to it:
Image
thibaud
Posts: 274
Joined: Sat Dec 02, 2006 12:41 am

Post by thibaud »

JohnFredC wrote: How do you see the grid option working?
to be honest I never used it. :?
there is a display grid button already present in MP viewer toolbar.
i just slightly changed it and placed it along the other display function buttons
User avatar
JohnFredC
XnThusiast
Posts: 2010
Joined: Wed Mar 17, 2004 8:33 pm
Location: Sarasota Florida

Post by JohnFredC »

I see...

I thought perhaps you meant to imply a grid specific to the channel functionality... perhaps for displaying a "pixel" grid on an image. This would differ from the current use of the generic XnView grid (which is already much - if incompletely - improved in MP)

...perhaps your approach could extend to HSL, also.

...and be available in the Compare panel.

8)
John
User avatar
xnview
Author of XnView
Posts: 44821
Joined: Mon Oct 13, 2003 7:31 am
Location: France

Post by xnview »

What do you think :
Image
Pierre.
thibaud
Posts: 274
Joined: Sat Dec 02, 2006 12:41 am

Post by thibaud »

exellent, my vote for second line (with cubes).
User avatar
JohnFredC
XnThusiast
Posts: 2010
Joined: Wed Mar 17, 2004 8:33 pm
Location: Sarasota Florida

Post by JohnFredC »

Those are nice to look at but I think they are confusing.

If a user is coming to XnView from the 3D modeling software world, a cube with one face filled implies something entirely different from "channel".

A user might confusedly think that the face refers to an x, y, or z axis, a camera view, or a construction plane.

If it sounds weird that such a misinterpretation might occur within the context of a GUI for viewing color channels, IMHO the 3D software realm has already staked a claim to what those visual metaphors mean to most users. :(
John
User avatar
xnview
Author of XnView
Posts: 44821
Joined: Mon Oct 13, 2003 7:31 am
Location: France

Post by xnview »

So the first one is better?
Pierre.
User avatar
JohnFredC
XnThusiast
Posts: 2010
Joined: Wed Mar 17, 2004 8:33 pm
Location: Sarasota Florida

Post by JohnFredC »

xnview wrote:So the first one is better?
The first group is better than the second group, but not as good as Thibaud's.

Honestly, I think it is important to include the "R", "G", and "B" in the icons. That way there will be no ambiguity about what they represent.

Perhaps a good solution would be your first group overlaid/composited with the letters representing the channel colors.
John
thibaud
Posts: 274
Joined: Sat Dec 02, 2006 12:41 am

Post by thibaud »

personally i have no prob with the second group, I find it really good.
much better than the the first group imho (alpha channel is so directly identifiable)

actually i find them much more readable than what I did.
User avatar
oops66
XnThusiast
Posts: 2005
Joined: Tue Jul 17, 2007 1:17 am
Location: France

Post by oops66 »

Personally I vote for the second group and the first line (the landscape ,and the alpha channel here, is really directly identifiable), I also like the RGBA but the RGBA is mostly intuitive in English (so not in all Languages), and I also think than the 3D cubes concept must be reserved for 3D functionalities.
But for me, at least one icon is missing:the bistable function :"apply the embedded ICC Profile on the fly" for this picture !
PS: The alfa channel icon function in this case, also means for me, apply(on/off) the png, ... alpha channel or the gif transparency.
XnViewMP Linux X64 - Debian - X64
thibaud
Posts: 274
Joined: Sat Dec 02, 2006 12:41 am

Post by thibaud »

(the landscape ,and the alpha channel here, is really directly identifiable)
How many landscape photo to you have that hold a relevant alpha channel ? :?
Most of the image that are generated with a usable alpha channel are actually very often coming out of a 3d renderer precisely... (hence the relevance of the 3d cube)
I also like the perfect match of the 3 visible faces with the 3 (rgb) channels. where in the first line, having that same mountain visible in red, green, blue make little sense when you think about it.
and I also think than the 3D cubes concept must be reserved for 3D functionalities
Yeah right, there is so many 3d functions in xnviewMP. :shock:
PS: The alfa channel icon function in this case, also means for me, apply(on/off) the png, ... alpha channel or the gif transparency.
that is the last icon function: 'use alpha' ,
the black and white icon is for 'show alpha'.