better UI for path/node editing features

This is more of a feature request than an outright bug, but it's a close call IMHO, because the current UI is so unhelpful as to make several features almost unusable to users who are not super-experts. I know people who wasted multiple days trying to solve a problem that could have been solved in seconds if the UI had been better.

This report is based on version 0.92+devel, but all versions since 0.91 are similar AFAIK.

Observed behavior:

  1. The top-level menu->path dropdown menu lists about 21 path- and node-related features. Call these the "primary" features.
  2. Meanwhile, when the node-edit tool (shortcut n or F2) is selected, then a couple dozen "secondary" path- and node-related features are shown on the tool controls bar, PROVIDED that bar is visible.
  3. The problem is, if that bar is not visible, it's not the least bit obvious how to find the secondary features.
  4. The primary "combine" and "break apart" features are in my experience not nearly as useful as the secondary "join nodes" and "break path" features. Also some of the names are not particularly descriptive.

Suggestions:

  1. On the main menu->path dropdown menu, there should be an item (perhaps called "edit paths/nodes") that opens a flyout daughter menu listing all the secondary features. Rationale: There should be a logical, self-documenting way to find those features, even when the tool controls bar is not visible.
  2. The primary "combine" and "break apart" features can be demoted from the primary dropdown menu to the secondary flyout menu. Some others including "cut path" might be demotable also. Rationale: This would be more logical and consistent, and would free up some space on the primary menu.
  3. The documentation should keep in mind that the tool controls bar is not always visible. When an obscure feature is mentioned, there should be explicit instructions on where to find it.
  4. It might be good to give some thought to the names, so that users don't have to scratch their heads wondering what is the difference between combine/break-apart paths versus join/cut paths.
Edited by John Denker