Extensions reordering / renaming proposal
Hi, there are a few requests to reorder/regroup extensions (extensions#385 (closed), extensions#10). Here's my proposal, that I'd like to have UX feedback on (cc @doctormo):
- Arrange
- Deep ungroup
- Restack
- Color
- ...
- Document
These extensions are logically connected with the entire document (layout).- AI Import postprocessor
- Docinfo
- DPI Switcher
- Fill page with Grid [was: Render → Grid → Grid]
- Guides Creator [was: Render → Guides Creator]
- Layout (N-up layout, Perfect-Bound Cover,...) [was: Render → Layout]
- Export
- Export Layer Slices
- Guillotine → Help tab is missing
- Plot
- Preprocess File save as (what does this do?) Broken since verb removal!
- Generate from Path
These extensions take one or more path elements as input. Adding objects is the foundation of their functionality.- Construct from Triangle [was: Render → Draw from Triangle]
- Distribute along path [was: Scatter]
- Extrude between two paths (Loft) [was: Extrude]
- Inset/Outset halo
- Interpolate between paths [was: Interpolate]
- Long shadow [was: Motion]
- Pattern along path
- Voronoi Diagram
- Images
- Embed Images
- Extract Images
- Set Image Attributes
- Maybe move Raster extensions here?
- Modify Path
These extensions modify one or more selected paths in-place.- Add nodes
- Convert dashes to path [was: Convert to dashes]
- Inset Shadow [was: Edge 3D]
- Envelope Deformation [was: Envelope]
- Approximate as polyonal line [was: Flatten Bezier]
- Fractal distortion [was: Fractalize]
- Jitter nodes
- PixelSnap
- Rubber strech (seems broken?)
- Straighten Segments
- To Absolute
- Twirl [was: Whirl, I think it's called Twirl for raster images]
- Raster
- Generate [was: Render]
These extensions don't need a selection as input, except maybe as bounding box for the rendered object.- 3D
- 3D Polyhedron [was: Render → 3D Polyhedron]
- Wireframe Sphere [was: Render → Wireframe sphere]
- Alphabet soup
-
Barcode / QR Code [was: Barcode]
- Classic/Datamatrix/QRCode
- Foldable Box
- Function plotter
- Gear (Rack Gear, Gear)
- Grid
- Cartesian grid → Renders a rectangle
-
Fill bounding box with grid [was: Grid]
(This extension is also under Document -> Grid, since without selection, it fills the page) - Isometric grid → render a rectangle
- Polar Grid → renders circle
- L-System
- Formula (pdflatex) [was: Render → Mathematics → PDF-Latex; could also go into Text] -> done: extensions!453 (merged)
- NiceCharts
- Parametric curves
- Random Tree
- Spirograph
- Triangle
- 3D
-
Styles [was: Stylesheet]
These extensions modify styles or generate style-like objects, e.g. aVoronoi fill.- Color Markers [was: Generate from Path → Color markers]
- Interpolate attribute in a group [was: Modify Path → Interpolate attribute]
- Merge Styles into CSS (maybe this should go into Web?)
-
Mesh gradient [was: Modify Path → Mesh]
- Mesh gradient to path
- Path to mesh gradient
- Replace font [was: Text → Replace font]
- Voronoi Pattern fill [was: Generate from Path → Voronoi Pattern]
- Text
- Change case
- Convert to Braille
- Extract from selection [was: Extract]
- Hershey Text
- Lorem Ipsum
- Merge
- Split text
- Typography
- Is this still needed with the new font editor? @mkov, what do you think?
- Visualize Path
Like Generate from Path, these extensions add objects based on a selected path, but their main function is to give the user additional information about the path.- Dimensions
- Draw handles
- Frame [was: Render → Frame]
- Measure path
- Number nodes
- Web
- Interactive Mockup
- JavaScript
- Set attributes
- Transmit attributes
- Slicer [maybe should go into Export → Web Slicer]
We should revisit what Web slicer, Export Layer Slices and Guillotine do differently.- Create a slicer rectangle
- Export layout pieces & CSS+HTML code
- Set a layout group
The main goal of this is to fix inconsistencies in the ordering, as well as to give some extensions clearer names. This should address extensions#385 (closed). extensions#10 asks for standardized ordering of 3rd party extension which is out of scope for this issue.
I know that this breaks some people's workflows, but I suspect it will improve extension discoverability significantly (but should go hand in hand with better documentation, since googling the name won't lead people to Tav's manual anymore)
Thanks :)
Edited by Jonathan Neuhauser