Sidebar GUI for Cura 4

[ahoeben 1,985]

I'm working on a plugin that changes the new GUI in Cura to be more settings-centric by adding back the concept of a sidebar. If you can't get used to the floating panels in the new GUI, there will soon be a plugin for you.

 

While rearranging things into the sidebar, I am also taking the chance to rearrange some other bits:

• move X-ray from the Preview tab to the Prepare tab
  in my opinion it makes more sense to detect/show errors *before* slicing
• reunite the Open button with the Toolbar
  Fitts's law suggests keeping distances between small items smaller; I just dislike having UI elements in all corners of the UI.
• add the same menu and sidebar between Prepare and Preview
  so things don't jump around

The plugin is currently in the state of a proof-of-concept; there is currently no way to switch between the Recommended and Custom sidebar, and there is no way to change the materials/printcores in the sidebar. When all standard functionality is in its new place I'll post a prerelease here before publishing the plugin to the Marketplace. If you can't wait, you can check out the code here: https://github.com/fieldOfView/SidebarGUIPlugin

 

Things I'm considering:

• integrate the action panel into the sidebar
• move job name into sidebar
• move standard view items into view options/legend area

 

 

The plugin is a spiritual successor to the Compact Prepare Stage plugin, though it was written from scratch with a different end-goal in mind. That plugin will not be developed further.

 

Update: a beta is available below:https://community.ultimaker.com/topic/26014-sidebar-gui-for-cura-40/?do=findComment&comment=229800

 

Edited January 26, 2019 by ahoeben
add link to beta post

[ahoeben 1,985]

Pieces are slowly falling into place. It is all a bit fiddly to do, because I am pushing the plugin system a bit further than it was designed to go.

 

I think I might use the now empty space below the Prepare/Preview/Monitor menu for a print-settings-summary like the header for the settings view in the normal interface. Thoughts?

 

Still to do before I release a test-version:

• extruder-tabs and material/print core selection in the sidebar
• fix layerview slider positions

 

[Smithy 1,145]

I have the feeling, this plugin will be great addon! 🙂

Thanks a lot!

[Alfsoft 2]

How hard (or is it even possible for plugins) will it be to implement favorite settings section in the sidebar like I described here?

[ahoeben 1,985]

7 hours ago, Alfsoft said:

How hard (or is it even possible for plugins) will it be to implement favorite settings section in the sidebar

 

I think that would be outside the scope of this plugin.

 

When I implemented the Setting Visibility presets menu (the hamburger menu next to the search), it was always my intention to add the possibility to create custom sets (ie: save your current visible settings in a custom preset, and be able to switch to/from that). Would that satisfy your request?

[Alfsoft 2]

1 hour ago, ahoeben said:

Would that satisfy your request?

Hm... I never thought of it that way. But hey, that is even cooler and enables more possibilities like making specialized custom sets for material types or even print types (miniatures, vases, etc). So yes, that would definitely satisfy my request! 👍

[ahoeben 1,985]

A pre-release is imminent; There are still some alignment issues to work out, and there's certainly still room for improvement, but the plugin now provides a fully functioning UI.

 

 

I'll post a version to test with the Cura 4.0 beta tomorrow later today.

[ahoeben 1,985]

A prerelease version of the plugin is now available:
http://files.fieldofview.com/cura/SidebarGUIPlugin-v6.0.0-2019-01-08T12_09_37Z.curapackage

 

After downloading, you can install the plugin by dropping it into a running Cura 4.0 BETA window. Restart Cura, and you should get a sidebar in Cura 4.0 beta. Needless to say, installing the plugin in Cura 3.6 does not work.

 

I have some more changes planned before submitting the plugin to the marketplace. There are still some alignment issues, and I want to move the two elements in the lower right corner into the sidebar. I'm also open for suggestions, but note that the aim of this plugin is not to add new functionality but to carefully rearrange existing elements and functionality.

 

Finally, I want to mention that this plugin is not meant to undermine the work that's been done by the Cura UX designers. While their work has been user-tested at the wireframe level, mine's just what I think works better. I am cheating by offering you something more familiar looking. I like the "summaries" provided in the top bar of the 4.0 UX, but for me there are too many little issues with the collapsible panels. I think the new 4.0 UX will eventually evolve into a productive interface, but until it is, here's an alternative.

Edited January 8, 2019 by ahoeben

[Alfsoft 2]

Do this empty space intended to be here?

[ahoeben 1,985]

That space is supposed to be used by the sidebar. In the words of Bill Gates: "That must be why we're not shipping it yet".

I think it is because of a change that happened after the Cura beta was created. I'll investigate.

[Alfsoft 2]

5 minutes ago, ahoeben said:

I'll investigate

Thank you! There's another place with an empty space. On both prepare and preview tabs. To see it yourself just start resizing Cura window horizontally:

[Priddy 10]

@ahoeben You are my hero right now and this is amazing. Thank you.

[nallath 1,124]

I've also shared this with our UX designer. So it could be that we're going to borrow some elements from this. 

[ahoeben 1,985]

That would be great. I would love for this plugin to become redundant in a couple of releases.

[ahoeben 1,985]

A new version fixes both issues raised by @Alfsoft:

http://files.fieldofview.com/cura/SidebarGUIPlugin-v6.0.0-2019-01-08T17_26_30Z.curapackage

 

 

[Alfsoft 2]

30 minutes ago, ahoeben said:

fixes both issues

Indeed, it does. Thank you very much 👍

 

Here's another one visual "issue":

Click on the layer slider's top circle and it becomes active (blue) with the tooltip showing current layer on the left. But!

Click on the line between two circles and something appears just under the sidebar.

 

If we start to press "Down" button on the keyboard this "something" moves down until we see that it is just a current layer tooltip but now it's on the right of this slider.

 

Sorry, I do not find these bugs on purpose. They just reveal themselves 😁

[ahoeben 1,985]

Huh, that's an interesting one. The "thing" that you see is indeed the layer number box. Clicking and dragging the slider area between two top and bottom nubs lets you drag them both at the same time. The layer number box behaves correctly in the current code-base (which will become Cura 4.0 BETA 2), so I think I will let this one slide for now; it will fix itself for once ;-). Thanks for noticing it though.

 

2 hours ago, Alfsoft said:

Sorry, I do not find these bugs on purpose.

 

Don't be sorry, it is exactly why I post a beta before publishing the plugin.

Edited January 8, 2019 by ahoeben

[joestefano 6]

How do I install the plugin from my desktop?

[ahoeben 1,985]

9 hours ago, ahoeben said:

After downloading, you can install the plugin by dropping it into a running Cura 4.0 BETA window. Restart Cura, and you should get a sidebar in Cura 4.0 beta. Needless to say, installing the plugin in Cura 3.6 does not work.

 

[joestefano 6]

Very cool, thank you. It does not work on the 4.0.0 Master version?

[ahoeben 1,985]

Currently there is only a beta version of Cura 4.0. The plugin will work both with the upcoming second beta and with the final/stable version of Cura 4.0.

Edited January 8, 2019 by ahoeben

[nils91 0]

i wish u could just block the computers from ultimakers so they are forced to use this shitty dropdown menu themself.

[Smithy 1,145]

33 minutes ago, nils91 said:

i wish u could just block the computers from ultimakers so they are forced to use this shitty dropdown menu themself.

Perfect start posting when joining a new community, welcome on board.

[ultiarjan 1,223]

On 1/5/2019 at 6:00 PM, Alfsoft said:

Hm... I never thought of it that way. But hey, that is even cooler and enables more possibilities like making specialized custom sets for material types or even print types (miniatures, vases, etc). So yes, that would definitely satisfy my request! 👍

 

You can already make custom sets by editing the files that control the visibility settings.

Just make a copy on an existing profile, change it in notepad++, and save it under a different name, also don't forget to change the name of the custom set in the file;

 

obviously creating the custom list from the gui is a 1000x easier... so I would be very grateful @ahoeben if you ever find the time for this.

 

[ahoeben 1,985]

21 hours ago, ultiarjan said:

obviously creating the custom list from the gui is a 1000x easier... so I would be very grateful @ahoeben if you ever find the time for this.

 

I accept your gratitude 😉

Edited January 12, 2019 by ahoeben