Is there a reason why the file browser have basic stuff like path auto-complete? So if you start writing d:\s then it should five you a list of possible folders like d:\stars, d:\stuff and d:\shoes with the alphabetically first one auto-completed like your internet browser does with urls (type dev and this site name should be offered as auto-complete option). It is super useful features and makes file browsing so much quicker.
Also why not have windows style folder tree on the left side? That way I can browse the folder tree very quickly to get where I want. I think the drive letters buttons is an outdated concept that even windows got rid of in windows 98. It is just slow and cumbersome way to figure out a path to a file you want to open somewhere.
Iâd also prefer a lot if all the options were not behind drop down menus. Especially when you have so much space on screen to use to just show them?
Here a quick sample I made which should be easier to use:
You donât need search text bar. User should be able to search just by typing into the single text box that is already there.
No need to have separate text boxes for folder path and object name. One is good enough.
Add âopenâ to right click menu.
Folder tree on left and you should be able to navigate it with arrow keys.
Buttons to quickly change between previews and list view list. More detailed options behind mouse right click and not drop downs.
File path auto-complete with a list of options.
user should be able to navigate at any moment by just typing a folder name (with nothing selected) and blender should select a matching file or folder
control+mouse wheel should toggle through all browser view options from list to big previews
have more stages between list. List, small thumbs, medium thumbs, large thumbs for example.
blender should not even attempt to open files which it wonât open (.png for example). Donât close the file browser and show the error message. Instead show the error message on top of the file browser.
I just tried it and it seems nice, but Iâm missing the ability to click in the file system view and just be able to type to move to and highlight folder or file names.
Also, more importantly, although perhaps this was never a feature in Blender, Iâm missing the ability to apply a scaling factor to OBJ imports (very often, everything comes in 100x too large)⌠it probably was never in Blender, but FBX has it (but FBX has other hierarchical scaling bugs that Blender developers said they wonât fix which makes it unusable for me anyway).
Guys, did you notice a little flaw Iâm about to write is a bit boring?
When you search for a file, and select it, and open it it wonât load ⌠this is because the file is not really selected, and you have to double click on the file to select it âŚ
It would be useful if this small defect were correct
Not just when you searchâŚ
This is a common issue in blender⌠This always happen when youâre coming from a text field. No matter what you do, your first click will just get you out of the text field, even if you click on a button/file etcâŚ
Collections - how about an option to view Hierarchy?
Itâs a bit painful to look for a needed collection among hundreds, when only a couple are actually first or second level ones.
I donât have anything to add to the actualy UI discussion of the browser. I use it and I like where itâs heading so I leave that to you guys
There is just one thing file-browser related I really, REALLY miss in Blender: A âsave incrementalâ command that lets me actually skip the browser when saving something.Using the Plus button on the keyboard is pretty cool and I would love to have this in other software as well but ever so often the cursor is not inside the right window secion so instead of increasing the file numbering I just increase the sidebar zoom. And the lack of a âwoah dud - do you really want to overwrite?â doesnât make it better, either.
I find it much more important to keep on reiterating. Blender is on a very good track since 2.8 and has been improving massively in many areas that were deemed unchangeable in the era up until 2.79.
These things happen in most software development projects. Weird quirks that should be obvious but somehow are not deemed valuable enough yet. Blender 2.8 was supposed to ditch wireframe mode alltogether, at some point. Itâs a constant process and if something is overlooked but important we need to make sure itâs being heared.
I kept saying âwe need multi value editingâ and it went from ânoâ to âitâs easy to implement in a basic settingâ to âokay we need this right and open a design task for itâ. The community needs to keep pushing if itâs important. Donât keep saying that the whole is broken because of details.
A warning popup dialog when you are about to overwrite something is needed in the file browser. Itâs very easy to lose files in blender because of this.
This discussion is way too often led in pure theory, unfortunately.
Iâve read many argument points over the last few months (or longer?) - and they all sound like a valid point to be had in theory. When actually using the software though I know I have been saved by a warning popup before overwriting frequently when making a typo or similar things.
If you donât make a mistake then a popup wonât slow you down. Itâs a parachute that only opens when there is a reason.
Same thing with a save incrementally button. Where is the problem in having it?
It takes care of automatically naming somthing so itâs even faster.
And if you DO want to have the thrill of overwriting without a prompt then add a checkmark to the options just like the quit dialog. This one also was a long discussion but itâs a good thing that itâs there, doesnât do harm and can be disabled for everybody else.
And if there is a better plan to making sure the user does not overwrite something by accident without a warning - then by all means implement that.
Okay - seriously. I just now deleted a file because there was no warning popup. I accidentally selected export FBX instead of Import FBX (which can happen while working pretty easily) and saved an empty scene over the one I needed to import.
The whole discussion whether it slows down Blender or is obtrusive while at the same time we have large travel ways between all sorts of areas in the UI which cost a lot more time during every day work is ridiculous. Ther is no harm in a popup but right now there was very much harm in not having one.
Is there really an actual, sensible resoning not to have one?
Yes - I am emotional because this was very much super unnecessary and very easily preventable for a professional piece of software!
Thatâs exactly how Iâm constantly losing files in blenderâŚ
The only safe way to deal with this is by working like a snail⌠LOL⌠if you go too fast⌠boom⌠itâs goneâŚ
