Jump to content
  • 11

Better User Interface for Levels


Thomas Wagensommerer

Question

I would like to suggest some improvements to levels. The first and most important thing would be a simple list of levels, displayed in the navigation palette. This list should contain all the information belonging to levels.

In this list you should be able to create, edit, copy, paste, duplicate, delete and replace all levels.

All operations regarding levels should be possible from this list view. Especially copy and paste from one story to another.

There should also be a mechanism to export levels to another file. In this case you would simply go to the level list, copy any desired levels and paste them into the other files level list.

In order to move a level from one story to another you would simply drag it in the list, if desired also duplicating it by option-drag.

If you want to get rid of a level you should be able to delete it from the list. In  that case, there would be a dialog similar to the one, when deleting classes. This dialog should allow you to define a replacement level for the one you are about to delete.

Default Levels are nice to have, but not mandatory, because it would be really easy to create a new level.

Step 1: From the popup menu select "Create New Level"

Step 2: Enter Name and Height (relative to story, layer or absolute height)

Step 3: Drag it to the desired layer or story in the list.

Finished. There is no step 4.

There is a mock-up of the level list to illustrate the concept. (Bear with me there are some typing errors.)

Levels.png

When connecting objects to levels pretty much the same list would be displayed in the form of an pop-up menu.

 

Edited by Thomas Wagensommerer
  • Like 3
Link to comment

10 answers to this question

Recommended Posts

  • 0

I've been trying to figure out levels and stories recently and the interface certain hampers this effort. I think there are a lot of issues including the level type button being in the Design Layer tab, and the confusion of layer types and multiple possible level elevations being in a list that you check off.

 

I think the graphic in the current UI is useful as a confirmation, but the entry method is flawed. What Thomas shows above is a good start.

 

To me this is a possible workflow/interface:

 

1. Define the layer elevations (absolute height) in the deign layer dialogue as normal if desired.

2. Create a list of stories

3. Create a list of levels for each story from a default (user-modifiable) list of level names (without elevations or layer affiliation)

4. In the list of levels assign a relative height of each level to the storey, and then assign an existing layer to each level if appropriate.

 

The layer elevations will then show up and could be modified in the same interface. The absolute levels would then be shown for each level in the UI graphic of the stories.

 

I think this would be better than the mish mash of dialogue boxes we have now.

Link to comment
  • 0

I feel that the Level & Storeys is a good concept that may payoff in the long run, but at the moment is too fussy, complex and lacks an innate usability. If the process isn't good at producing simple buildings, it ain't going to work well for complex ones. The simple North American Split Level home for example is an exercise in mental gymnastics if one uses Storeys. 

 

I think the process would be greatly aided by hiring an outside design firm who specializes in interface design; at the moment it suffers from the general software flaw of design-by-well-intention-engineers rather than designers. 

  • Like 1
Link to comment
  • 0

Ah yes Stories, Levels, Layers.  In the past I had attempted to understand and implement the use of stories but with much frustration.  So I continue using the old fashioned way;  good old Layers.  I can see the benefits of stories just don't like the usability (which is lacking).

Link to comment
  • 0

If you can ignore that annoying Layer thing mixed into that matter,

Stories and Levels are much easier to understand.

Forget about Layers.

 

Deactivate all Layer auto-creation checkboxes from Default Levels.

Clean all (<therefore) redundant Level duplicates in Default Levels.

Do a sketch of your building section to think about needed levels and where your Stories will be.

 

- First set your Default Levels and their heights.

- Then create your Stories at their heights.

(Do an extra one above and below you stories if you will need to "Level above/below" access later)

- Create your Layers manually and link them manually to their Story in settings.

Edited by zoomer
Link to comment

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.

Guest
Answer this question...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Restore formatting

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

×
×
  • Create New...