Merge Context Manager + Workfiles tool into single UI.

[BigRoy]

Issue

Currently the context (current asset + task) is managed with the Context Manager and the Work Files can be saved/opened through the Work Files app.

I'd argue that when combining these tools into a single unified interface that it would become much faster to switch tasks and load the right work file.

Here's a quick mockup of what I envision it would look like when merged:

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Feel free to start a discussion about pros/cons and potential other redesigns.

[mkolar]

this would certainly make it quicker, but we should make sure it still allows to do both individually. So in your mockup I'm only missing a button, that sets the context but does nothing else. We quite often change context, do some small tweaks to the file from previous shots and save as new.

Other than that I think it great idea

[mottosso]

Having a look at this tomorrow.

[BigRoy]

this would certainly make it quicker, but we should make sure it still allows to do both individually. So in your mockup I'm only missing a button, that sets the context but does nothing else. We quite often change context, do some small tweaks to the file from previous shots and save as new.

@mkolar would you be able to explain more about that specific Use Case? As I understand you are just switching context but not actually opening or saving scenes. I'm not sure I quite understand why you are only switching briefly.

I might be available to look into merging these tools tomorrow.

[BigRoy]

I'm struggling with the UX and figuring out how to have the interface behave most logically to the end-user. Especially as potentially you could be browsing into another asset+task and to list/save the files there you'd need to have set the current api.Session to those assets and task. As such, just browsing left-hand side invalidates the right-hand side.

Implemented

• I have currently implemented the actual context switch (setting asset + task) on double clicking on the task. That's when the files right hand side update.

To-do

• I'm thinking of "disabling" the right-hand side whenever the left-hand side browses to a different context than the currently set context. This is not in the current preview.
• The breadcrumbs at the top highlight the currently active context, not the one that you are browsing to. What I'd like to allow is when you've browsed elsewhere is to be able to click the Breadcrumbs to reset the asset+task views back to the currently active context that the breadcrumbs display. Plus, I'd like to have them display green or red dependening on whether the breadcrumb is the currently active one or not, so it's extra clear that where you are browsing now still needs to be activated by double clicking.
• The breadcrumbs would become much prettier once projects + assets + tasks get their own icons. I'll now start adding in their font-awesome icon equivalents for the time being.

Here's a quick preview:

Note that most of the tasks don't show files in this preview as it didn't have any files saved there.

Any remarks/thoughts @mkolar @davidlatwe? I think there's still lots of room to improve.

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For completeness, I'm working in this BigRoy/core/fix412 branch.

[davidlatwe]

Especially as potentially you could be browsing into another asset+task and to list/save the files there you'd need to have set the current api.Session to those assets and task. As such, just browsing left-hand side invalidates the right-hand side.

Hmm, sorry, I could not understand, how left-hand side invalidates right-hand side ?
You mean when the user changed the asset or task, the workfile list became outdated ?

[BigRoy]

You mean when the user changed the asset or task, the workfile list became outdated ?

Well, say:

1. Your current session (api.Session) is active on asset hero with task model
2. You click on left hand side to asset snake

What you're seeing in the UI now is not your currently active session, as you haven't switched yet to update the current task to that asset plus a potential task of it. As such, it would be confusing if files listed on the right still belong to the original session. Your session is still on hero > model until it's explicitly switched. No files in the work root can be accurately displayed on the right-hand side until the session is set.

So I would clear it + deactivate it and only activate it whenever the current api.Session matches what is selected as asset+task in the Work Files UI on the left. To update the current asset+task in api.Session one has to double click on a task in the task list (in my current prototype).

Does that make more sense?

[iLLiCiTiT]

I would switch also workfiles list on Asset change (with selection change in Task widget).
In this order:

• select last selected task if exist for selected asset and is in task list
• select current session task if is set and exist in task list
• select first task in list if list contain at least one task

[davidlatwe]

Ah, thanks for elaborating :P

I not sure about the double clicking, a bit implicit I think.

Could we make the GUI to work on a copy of api.Session ?
So the change may instantly reflect only to workfile list, or on file saving. And current api.Session (the global one) gets updated only when the user press Accept Context or Open File button.

[iLLiCiTiT]

Could we make the GUI to work on a copy of api.Session

We made this in our fork with creating copy of io and converting to class so it is possible to make object of "io" but with own Session but since this should be dialog (does not allow change to another widget of app) it is not necessary. Just store Session on open and override on close if Open or Save as was not clicked.

I would maybe change layout of buttons (sorry for quality):