2009 Wishes - Resource Browser Improvements

[Chris D]

No I haven't got 2008 yet.... but from what I can see amongst the many improvements, the Resource Browser didn't get much love this time around. So now we're on to annual releases, here's my wishes for the 2009 browser:

1. Bigger or resizeable thumbnails

2. Longer descriptions in thumbnail view (actually can you do this on a maintenance release, pretty please)

3. Data Info for resource objects, eg. how many times a symbol is used in the file (without having to generate a report)

4. Sortable List improvements, sort by creation date, number of instances, default class etc.

5. Find/Search. You can currently search external files....but (unless I'm wrong) you can't search for a symbol in the open file, from within the Resource Browser. (Some of our mcd files have thousands of symbols in 50 symbol folders)

6. Fix the Tree! If I am in a subfolder, why should I have to navigate up to the top symbol folder, before browsing other objects like hatches. I know the new Home button helps...but let's get the tree right too.

7. Thumbnail Orientation, for wall types. Walls are not just for plans you know - they're great for sections (2D) too, and you can get the brickwork coursing correct etc, BUT the resource browser shows sectional wall types on their side, like a plan wall type, because it knows no better. It could just show all wall thumbnails vertical, that way it works for both plan and section!

8. 'Show in Resource Browser' context-menu item, when you click on a symbol in a design layer. Say I've found the symbol I want to work on...why do I have to find it again in the resource browser, just to do something like make a duplicate of it?

9. Drag and Drop Organizing. Why can't a symbol just be dragged into a symbol folder?

10. Reporting. It would be great to make reports directly from the resource browser. Menu items could offer reports, with returns such as number of symbols in particular layers etc. This is manual and laborious at the moment.

Roll on September 14th 2008...

Edited September 14, 2007 by Chris D

[Petri]

Seconded. At least by and large.

[Guest]

Where would you want this to be displayed?

Data Info for resource objects, eg. how many times a symbol is used in the file (without having to generate a report)

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Are you referring to Worksheets, Resource Browser, or something with this?

4. Sortable List improvements, sort by creation date, number of instances, default class etc.

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Can you clarify this one...

If you think about the tree - the hatches are in one folder. If you are browsing another folder, you have to switch to the folder holding resources you want to view - in this case it's the top level.

The logic works like tree structures are designed to work.

Are you looking for a way to group, or organize hatches and other resources in folders like symbols, then view them as folders in the RB?

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Would you like the Create Reports menu enhanced with more options to create reports?

10. Reporting. It would be great to make reports directly from the resource browser. Menu items could offer reports, with returns such as number of symbols in particular layers etc. This is manual and laborious at the moment.

[Chris D]

Data Info (& Reports) for resource objects:

The data for resource objects could be displayed on the info bar at the bottom of the Resource Browser, or a right-click menu item Get Info / Properties could be used to bring up a data window for the object(s) selected. Or both. The info bar could simply show the symbol name of anything clicked on, with the number of 'instances' next to the symbol name. If you want more info, use right-click (or an "i" button?) to bring up the data window which shows the date created, default class, number of instances of that symbol etc. This data window could then also have a Report button that generates a more detailed report setting out which layers the symbol instances are placed on.

Tree Structure:

It's about not having all the main branches of the tree on show at all times. I may have navigated down into symbol sub-folders, but why should this then hide the hatches? Top level object types should always stay put.

Hope I'm making sense...it's late here...

[Christiaan]

Must have missed this thread. Definitely seconded by me.

[Jershaun]

Good points, especially 8 and 9. I would also add folders for textures, hatches, etc.