Hi,
I’d love to see some more layout functionality in the panel edit mode (and maybe in the wiring mode as well):
Does this exist and I missed it?
Does that make sense as you can resize the window?
I certainly think so. The positions internally MUST be stored as some numerical values as well, either pixels or relative to some size…so, yes, I think, it makes sense.
These types of requests for alignment such as grids have been discussed numerous times.
Yes, I found the posts about snapping to a grid and also GP’s developers reasoning why it is more confusing than useful, actually, before I wrote my post …all fine.
I am not talking about a grid, though.
Which part is confusing?
I don’t find the actual post now, but it said somehting like “snap to grid was more confusing than useful”.
But again, I am NOT talking about a grid, rahter I would appreciate an answer to my original question instead of having to justify myself for asking it. I cannot be the only one looking for more sophisticated alignment and positioning options…
With aligning groups of widgets and the flexibility to freely zoom the main window widgets could be placed where you would not want to.
What do you want to achieve with more sophisticated alignment.
I must say I am not the visual guy, I am more on the functions under the hood, like scripting, OSC, Host Automations etc.
In principle, I’d be happy with the three things mentioned in my first post. This would make the positioning and alignment similar to what can be done in apps like InDesign or Illustrator; I am not saying I want a layout app :), I am just a neat freak and such things matter to me (besides the ample functionality of GP, which I enjoy very much.)
Besides, at least absolute positioning is implicitly there: when I look at the XML of a .gic-file, I find a -element with attributes like width=“…” and height=“…”. So actually, the information exists.
I am feeling with you and i also was asking for such features multiple times - some things have been implemented, others not…
You know, much of this visual oriented stuff which is requested seems to just drown in the deep sea of musical priorities, what i mostly understand from our developers point of view.
Some times i was curious if there was a poll for those things, about what the majority of the users actually would prefer… the next hot OSC-stuff (or such advanced features) or rather an improved usability of the basic visual components (things like drag&drop, copy & paste, general undo, grouping)…
Not to be ungrateful - i absolutely do appreciate every improvement that is made, and i go with most decisions of the devs - but from my own point of view, i would be at some point much happier with some of those rather “un-musical” improvements.
For Gig Performer actually is a very visual oriented Software, i think the improvement of the visual side (and usability) should not be neglected…
You cannot compare Gig Performer to InDesign or Illustrator.
Absolutely! There is so much attention to detail in the design of the different widgets, which I really enjoy. And therefore, I would love to not only put them on the panel but also align and position them with proper tools - so that the entire panel looks beautiful. I there was no desire to have it look nice, there would e.g. not be different colour knobs, metal ones, old school knobs, the 11,…etc. They all have the same functionality but look different to make working with them easier and more intuitive, same goes for layouting, in my opinion.
I did not. What I wrote was " like InDesign or Illustrator; I am not saying I want a layout app :)". Just so that one could get an idea of grouping elements for layout purposes or editing the actual numerical values of position and size.
I clearly feel that the GP team gets the need for alignment as witnessed by the alignment tools that appear when multiple widgets are selected. They are super-nice and helpful! But for placing all widgets in the way I want, I have to do it by eye, which I would like to avoid as it takes longer and is certainly less accurate.
I do not get it
When you want widgets aligned to another, just select your “reference” widget first and then the others and then align
When you want a group aligned.
Select the 1st widget as reference, select another widget and align for example left.
Then select the 2nd widget first and the others to align vertically and then for example
distribute them horizontally.
Sure some steps, but simple steps and it is working.
Hm… the bitter truth seems to be that the vast majority of users just doesn’t care - if they actually would, there were dozens of postings like yours (and some of mine), but all the users just stay silent… the dont complain nor do they applaude.
So how should one interpret this (non)behaviour other than to assume that people are happy with what they have? 
At the same time, Gig Peformer permanently has to somehow compete with all the other DAWs and Live hosting software and their oh so long and cool feature lists (may they be useful and functional/stable or not)… that surely is not the easiest situation, developers can be in.
I think it’s always a shaky walk on the tightrope to fulfill the user’s wishes, improve what we already got and also add new features, while at the same time mantaining the speed, stability and reliability for what Gig Performer generally stands. 
But this shouldn’t keep us from sometimes raising a hand and ask for things we’d like to have. 
I will probably hav to make a video to show you. But as said, the functions I wish for are listed in the initial post.
Sure you are right, eye candies are a good selling point 
But like German words “Aussen hui, innen pfui” should be the most important thing to avoid.
Maybe you got me wrong… what i meant are all those “super-features” which are advertised in other programs, where most of that still doesn’t work reliably… but these are things that people hear and see and i think many want to have all this in Gig Performer too (might they need it or not).
So (i.e.) if suddenly all the other Live Hosts support timeline handling or native DMX integration, that should be available in Gig Performer as well, because every potential new user who compares feature lists might probably decide to not buy Gig Performer but another software - so i think there is also a permanent pressure to somehow keep up with the competitors.
Those little refinements we sometimes ask for, unfortunately are nothing that will obviously be noticed “from the outside” and so would hardly serve as a real selling feature.
The only ones who actually would appreciate those things might just be a bunch of long term users who build a lot of rackspace panels which should look nice.
Yes a nice look is … nice
But really that important?
From your personal point of view: Most probably not.
From my personal point of view: Definetly yes!
So that’s a draw…
For example, all this OSC-stuff and timeline automation is nothing i actually use… so every new feature in that direction, won’t be something that makes GP more valuable for me.
But i understand that there are quite a lot of users who will appreciate exactly this kind of stuff.
The usability of GP already is very good, but in some points (i.e. panel building) it could be even better, but as said above that all always depends on personal preferences…