Description: If UX is short for user experience then please hear my humble request for enhancement. The right side (docked) bar is a common UI element present in many similar GUIs. Working with it should be easy and intuitive. Well, my intuition got a direct hit when I realised there's no Layer section in the Properties side bar. This is really bad for UX. I know how to do this according to /help/en-US/text/simpress/guide/layer_move.html While that procedure is simple enough, it's not intuitive. Steps to Reproduce: 1.Create layer L1 and L2 (visible, unlocked) 2.Draw one object on each layer (anything) 3.Select first object on L1 - open Properties side bar (to change obj layer) Actual Results: There is no Layer section in the Properties side bar as one would expect. Expected Results: Find a Layer section along with existing Character, Paragraph, Area, Shadow, Line, Position and Size. Reproducible: Always User Profile Reset: No Additional Info: I've seen this on latest macOS but is not a bug or some OS related thing.
valid enhancement request.
Handling layers for objects from the overcrowded Properties deck would not be the best UX for working with layers in Draw/Impress, IMHO. bug 56498 and bug 90244 suggest that rather than a content panel in the Properties deck, handling layers merits its own Deck--or additional controls for a panel resident in the Navigator's deck?
Or having a context menu item "move to layer ...". It needs indeed discussion, _how_ to improve the UI. But I think, we agree, that improvement of the UI is necessary.
Current workarounds for moving layers: - long-click then drag-and-drop to other layer tab - cut, change layer, paste I agree that another "move layer" action should be available elsewhere, in part to make it available without a mouse/trackpad. I could imagine it being in the context menu, but the idea of a "layer view" of the Navigator is appealing (splitting objects by layer instead of page/slide).
I would add layers to the Navigator so it looks like v Page 1 > Layer 1 v Group 1 Shape 1 (Rectangle) Shape 2 (Circle) > Group 2 > Layer 2 > Page 2 with drag 'n drop capabilities so you can move an object from one layer to another, see also bug 90244 "SIDEBAR: Enhancing Navigator in Draw". Question is whether this can be done with grouped objects (not the group itself) and if moving to a different page is possible. Nevertheless, it would be nice to have alternative workflows. Could imagine a context menu entry "Move to" with sub menus offering the other layers on this page. Or as suggested on bug 56498 "Add Layer manager window / Enhance the Navigator" a dedicated sidebar deck / window for layer management. What do you think, Jim?
(In reply to Heiko Tietze from comment #5) > I would add layers to the Navigator so it looks like > > v Page 1 > > Layer 1 > v Group 1 > Shape 1 (Rectangle) > Shape 2 (Circle) > > Group 2 > > Layer 2 > > Page 2 > > with drag 'n drop capabilities so you can move an object from one layer to > another, see also bug 90244 "SIDEBAR: Enhancing Navigator in Draw". Question > is whether this can be done with grouped objects (not the group itself) and > if moving to a different page is possible. That does not work for groups, because a group can span objects of several layers. Example: You group a shape and a measure line belonging to that shape. Having them grouped allows to resize the shape and the measure line is automatically adapted.
(In reply to Regina Henschel from comment #6) > ...a group can span objects of several layers. Now I remember the discussion. Two solutions come in mind: sme fancy vertical tree where objects have an assignment to layers and groups: Shape 1 Layer 1 / \ Group 1 \ Shape 2 / Layer 2 - Shape 3 - Group 2 (I guess this has limitations, is not easy to understand, and requires quite some effort to implement) Or a switch to show only one at a time: (o) Layer ( ) Groups v Page 1 v Layer 1 Shape 1 (Rectangle) Shape 2 (Circle) > Layer 2 > Page 2 ( ) Layer (o) Groups v Page 1 v Group 1 Shape 1 (Rectangle) v Group 2 Shape 2 (Circle) > Page 2 (Of course, we could also duplicate the objects and show both views in parallel underneath each other. But I think it bloats the tree too much.) (In reply to Heiko Tietze from comment #5) > Nevertheless, it would be nice to have alternative workflows.
(In reply to Regina Henschel from comment #3) > Or having a context menu item "move to layer ...". This might be the easiest solution.
Created attachment 190894 [details] Set layer of object(s) demo (In reply to Heiko Tietze from comment #8) > (In reply to Regina Henschel from comment #3) > > Or having a context menu item "move to layer ...". > > This might be the easiest solution. How about .uno:SetLayer for the command name, "Move to Layer..." for the context label, and "Open a dialog to change the layer of the object" for the tool tip?