NVil Forum

General Category => NVILL Discussion => Topic started by: cgisoul on April 16, 2013, 09:58:38 am

Title: Modern UI ?
Post by: cgisoul on April 16, 2013, 09:58:38 am
Not priority but could we in the future have a more modern UI, such as icons and buttons?
Although this a personal taste, but the common sensus is that NVIL UI looks dated.
Thank you
Title: Re: Modern UI ?
Post by: IStonia on April 16, 2013, 10:18:40 am
You can build your own GUI. View > Windows > User Tool Windows. Once you have a user tool window visible, right click to get the context menu and you can start from there.

Check this thread
http://voidworld.cmcproductions.co.uk/index.php/topic,745.0.html
Title: Re: Modern UI ?
Post by: cgisoul on April 17, 2013, 04:03:02 am
Thank you IStonia.
Title: Re: Modern UI ?
Post by: philem on April 17, 2013, 10:26:45 am
You can build your own GUI. View > Windows > User Tool Windows. Once you have a user tool window visible, right click to get the context menu and you can start from there.

Check this thread
http://voidworld.cmcproductions.co.uk/index.php/topic,745.0.html

Sorry for this dumb question, but is there a tutorial on how to implement the Icon Toolset, with before and after gui?

Thanks in advance
Title: Re: Modern UI ?
Post by: IStonia on April 17, 2013, 11:30:09 am
There is no such tutorial yet.
Title: Re: Modern UI ?
Post by: polyxo on April 18, 2013, 11:09:55 am
If I am not mistaken one can build own toolbars and use pictures of own design for the buttons.
But this of course does not change the appearance of the overall package. Out of the Box the visual impression of Nvil is very old fashioned indeed. This has nothing to do with failures on your end- it's just limitations of the GUI-Framework you use. One can see that it had originally been developed with Windows 2000 or XP in mind and it comes with all interfacing conventions of that time and also with its visual styles.
Everything in the underying framework reflects conventions of 10+ years ago, element all look 3D, there's gradients on buttons and strong shadows and dividing lines as separators. Several programs with younger GUI-frameworks (such as Modo or Blender) no longer use such elements, everything is flat, there's no more the concept of conventional stackable toolbars to pile arround the viewport... There's also interesting Browser based 3D editors available.

Visual impression may not be an issue for some users, they only look for what the program can do for them. Others definedly do care. There's very powerful and cheap program which could replace the expensive Photoshop, it in some ways is even superior. But man - that app is so ugly that it paralyzes everything what ever was creative in me :)

In my personal perception Nvil deserved to use more modern visual approaches, because it uses very innovative concepts under the hood as well. The question was how to implement such with such limited work resources...


some random samples
GUI (http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-oX4L4z9Zc6o/UQKurxyk-eI/AAAAAAAACGY/DapztFnF_xc/s1600/glise_v1_1_screencap_01.jpg) of a very new simplistic SubD-Modeller (http://www.twistednormal.com/)
Web based sample 1 (https://sketchfab.com/browse/staff) (just click on one of the thumbnails)
Web based sample 2 (http://blackjk3.github.io/threefab/)
Title: Re: Modern UI ?
Post by: Vaquero on April 18, 2013, 07:56:07 pm
When it comes to GUI, I often read aout QT being used. http://qt-project.org/ (http://qt-project.org/)
I believe its OpenGL rendering is also hardware accelerated.
But if you're going to do a modern UI, you would also need a GUI designer. That may be the limiting factor here.
Title: Re: Modern UI ?
Post by: Passerby on April 18, 2013, 08:58:15 pm
qt would be great, multi platform, easily styled, plays nice with most languages etc.
Title: Re: Modern UI ?
Post by: mightypea on April 25, 2013, 10:14:54 am
Have you guys seen the stuff I've been posting over on Polycount?

(https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/17715/vw_radial.png)
(https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/17715/vw_UI.jpg)

Just some mockups, I haven't really commited to anything yet. I have however started on some icons and a user window:
(https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/17715/vw_peek.png)

I don't actually want every tool to be listed in there like that, this is temporary while I work on icons and decide what needs to be there.
Title: Re: Modern UI ?
Post by: chikega on May 08, 2013, 01:56:56 pm
Nice Interface design there :)
Title: Re: Modern UI ?
Post by: arvin00 on May 08, 2013, 02:42:38 pm
Have you guys seen the stuff I've been posting over on Polycount?

https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/17715/vw_radial.png
https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/17715/vw_UI.jpg

Just some mockups, I haven't really commited to anything yet. I have however started on some icons and a user window:
https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/17715/vw_peek.png

I don't actually want every tool to be listed in there like that, this is temporary while I work on icons and decide what needs to be there.

I really like the designs you make/suggest, like in the Object Group thread, I really like your UI I wish you would complete it:)
Title: Re: Modern UI ?
Post by: Mario Baldi on May 08, 2013, 05:35:09 pm
Have you guys seen the stuff I've been posting over on Polycount?

https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/17715/vw_radial.png
https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/17715/vw_UI.jpg

Just some mockups, I haven't really commited to anything yet. I have however started on some icons and a user window:
https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/17715/vw_peek.png

I don't actually want every tool to be listed in there like that, this is temporary while I work on icons and decide what needs to be there.

Hey Michael, is that you? Great job my friend!
Please finish it!
Title: Re: Modern UI ?
Post by: mightypea on May 13, 2013, 05:59:46 pm
It is, heya Mario!

Glad to see some support for this. I work on this regularly, but would really need Kun to talk to me to see what's possible, and what he wants to implement.
Title: Re: Modern UI ?
Post by: Patrick on November 20, 2013, 11:52:59 am
This was the exact type of thing that I wanted to do myself, nice work there for sure! I've only used the free version so far though but seeing that this type or this level of customization is possible is just great!!


Kind Regards
Patrick
Title: Re: Modern UI ?
Post by: Mason on February 01, 2014, 06:00:04 pm
Really looks slick...have to bump this.  I feel inspired to use Nvil when I see this.  Doubtless if we had access to redesigning the UI...it would look hot.
Title: Re: Modern UI ?
Post by: philem on February 02, 2014, 09:27:04 am
I know I have asked before and I do apologize, but is there a tutorial on how to implement this UI update, I really have no idea whatsoever on how to add the new icons, and I do prefer icons as opposed to just text.

TIA
Title: Re: Modern UI ?
Post by: Mason on February 03, 2014, 09:11:08 am
Settings, Library and Hotkeys are stored here:

user\AppData\Roaming\DigitalFossils\NVil

Icons are stored here:

appdirectory\Nvil\Media


Now just load the user tool windows, and customize to your taste.