So! Finally a show-off of the *power* of Martin P's work! :)

- Made framework for 3d Transform Manipulators (widgets)
- The Manipulators act like '2d buttons', by default with LeftMouse and with
  while-hold-move-release
- Implemented now: Translation Widget, which allows:
  - four hotspots for axis grab or view-aligned grab
  - center defined by 'around' setting
  - SHIFT+LMB gives planar constraint on other 2 axes
  - works in Object mode and Edit mode (not posemode yet)

Enable it with (temporal) icon in 3D header. All other 'normal' transforms
then keeps working btw.

On the todo for this widget:
- choice for Global, Local or Normal orientation

The way the widgets are going to work is in review still. Commit is also for
Matt for his proposal/paper on topic.
Some notes regarding this project;

- no life updates (on mouse over) like 3DS, I think that's neurotic
- on click, dominant axis changes to theme defined "Transform" color, other axes disappear, like maya
- manipulater size is fixed preset, independent zoom.
- manipulator follows selection, and is located based on 'around' mode

Unresolved;

- in maya, when you select 2 or more objects, the manipulator draws on the 'active' object, also interesting
- what to do with G,R,S hotkeys? It could switch the manipulator "mode"...
- header button/menu for manipulator mode?

source/blender/include/BIF_transform.h

@@ -33,7 +33,7 @@
 #ifndef BIF_TRANSFORM_H
 #define BIF_TRANSFORM_H
 
-// #define NEWTRANSFORM	1
+#define NEWTRANSFORM	1
 
 /* ******************** Macros & Prototypes *********************** */
 
@@ -67,11 +67,19 @@ void Transform(int mode);
 
 
 struct TransInfo;
+struct ScrArea;
 
 struct TransInfo * BIF_GetTransInfo(void);
 void BIF_setSingleAxisConstraint(float vec[3]);
+void BIF_setDualAxisConstraint(float vec1[3], float vec2[3]);
 void BIF_drawConstraint(void);
 void BIF_drawPropCircle(void);
 
+/* view3d manipulators */
+void ManipulatorTransform(int mode);
+
+int BIF_do_manipulator(struct ScrArea *sa);
+void BIF_draw_manipulator(struct ScrArea *sa);
+
 #endif
 

source/blender/makesdna/DNA_scene_types.h

@@ -254,9 +254,10 @@ typedef struct Scene {
 	struct Group *group;
 	
 	float cursor[3];
+	float twcent[3];			/* center for transform widget */
+	float twmin[3], twmax[3];	/* boundbox of selection for transform widget */
 	unsigned int lay;
 	short selectmode, pad;
-	int pad1;
 
 	void *ed;
 	struct Radio *radio;

source/blender/makesdna/DNA_view3d_types.h

@@ -106,6 +106,11 @@ typedef struct View3D {
 	short gridlines, viewbut;
 	short gridflag;
 	short modeselect, menunr, texnr;
+	
+	/* transform widget info */
+	short twtype, twmode, twflag, twpad;
+	float twmat[4][4];
+	
 } View3D;
 
 /* View3D->flag */
@@ -142,5 +147,22 @@ typedef struct View3D {
 #define V3D_SHOW_Y				4
 #define V3D_SHOW_Z				8
 
+/* View3d->twtype */
+#define V3D_MANIPULATOR_TRANSLATE	0
+#define V3D_MANIPULATOR_ROTATE		1
+#define V3D_MANIPULATOR_SCALE		2
+
+/* View3d->twmode */
+#define V3D_MANIPULATOR_GLOBAL		0
+#define V3D_MANIPULATOR_LOCAL		1
+#define V3D_MANIPULATOR_NORMAL		2
+
+/* View3d->twflag */
+   /* USE = user setting, DRAW = based on selection */
+#define V3D_USE_MANIPULATOR		1
+#define V3D_DRAW_MANIPULATOR	2
+#define V3D_CALC_MANIPULATOR	4
+
+
 #endif
 

source/blender/render/intern/source/texture.c

@@ -1624,7 +1624,7 @@ void do_material_tex(ShadeInput *shi)
 					warpvec[2]= mtex->warpfac*texres.nor[2];
 					warpdone= 1;
 				}
-				
+#if 0				
 				// rotate to global coords
 				if(mtex->texco==TEXCO_ORCO || mtex->texco==TEXCO_UV) {
 					// hrms, for sphere/tube map this rotating doesn't work nice
@@ -1639,9 +1639,9 @@ void do_material_tex(ShadeInput *shi)
 						}
 					}
 				}
+#endif
 			}
 
-
 			/* mapping */
 			if(mtex->mapto & (MAP_COL+MAP_COLSPEC+MAP_COLMIR)) {
 				float tcol[3];

source/blender/src/drawview.c

@@ -1951,9 +1951,10 @@ void drawview3dspace(ScrArea *sa, void *spacedata)
 		base= base->next;
 	}
 
-
 	if(G.scene->radio) RAD_drawall(G.vd->drawtype>=OB_SOLID);
 	
+	BIF_draw_manipulator(sa);
+		
 	if(G.zbuf) {
 		G.zbuf= FALSE;
 		glDisable(GL_DEPTH_TEST);

source/blender/src/edit.c

@@ -105,9 +105,6 @@
 #include "BIF_editarmature.h"
 #endif
 
-/* editmball.c */
-extern ListBase editelems;  /* go away ! */
-
 
 /* from editobject */
 extern void make_trans_verts(float *min, float *max, int mode);     
@@ -544,6 +541,8 @@ void count_object(Object *ob, int sel)
 	
 }
 
+/* countall does statistics */
+/* is called on most actions, like select/add/delete/layermove */
 void countall()
 {
 /*  	extern Lattice *editLatt; in BKE_lattice.h*/
@@ -559,9 +558,7 @@ void countall()
 	/* struct BodyPoint *bop; */
 	struct EditVert *eve;
 	struct EditFace *efa;
-#ifdef __NLA
 	struct EditBone *ebo;
-#endif
 	int a;
 
 	G.totvert= G.totvertsel= G.totfacesel= G.totface= G.totobj= 
@@ -585,7 +582,6 @@ void countall()
 				efa= efa->next;
 			}
 		}
-#ifdef __NLA
 		else if (G.obedit->type==OB_ARMATURE){
 			for (ebo=G.edbo.first;ebo;ebo=ebo->next){
 				
@@ -619,7 +615,6 @@ void countall()
 
 			}
 		}
-#endif
 		else if ELEM3(G.obedit->type, OB_CURVE, OB_SURF, OB_FONT) {
 			nu= editNurb.first;
 			while(nu) {
@@ -647,6 +642,9 @@ void countall()
 			}
 		}
 		else if(G.obedit->type==OB_MBALL) {
+			/* editmball.c */
+			extern ListBase editelems;  /* go away ! */
+			
 			ml= editelems.first;
 			while(ml) {
 				G.totvert++;

source/blender/src/header_view3d.c

@@ -3712,6 +3712,7 @@ void do_view3d_buttons(short event)
 		break;
 	case B_AROUND:
 		handle_view3d_around(); // copies to other 3d windows
+		allqueue(REDRAWVIEW3D, 1);
 		break;
 		
 	case B_SEL_VERT:
@@ -3963,6 +3964,11 @@ void view3d_buttons(void)
 	
 	xco+= XIC+8;
 
+	uiDefIconButS(block, TOG|BIT|0, B_REDR, ICON_OBJECT,
+				  xco,0,XIC,YIC,
+				  &G.vd->twflag, 0, 0, 0, 0, "Use 3d transform widgets");	
+	
+	xco+= XIC+8;
 	
 	/* LAYERS */
 	if(G.vd->localview==0) {

source/blender/src/headerbuttons.c

@@ -494,6 +494,7 @@ int std_libbuttons(uiBlock *block, short xco, short yco,
 static void do_update_for_newframe(int mute)
 {
 	extern void audiostream_scrub(unsigned int frame);	/* seqaudio.c */
+	ScrArea *sa;
 	
 	allqueue(REDRAWVIEW3D, 0);
 	allqueue(REDRAWACTION,0);
@@ -522,6 +523,16 @@ static void do_update_for_newframe(int mute)
 
 	test_all_displists();
 	
+	/* manipulators like updates too */
+	for(sa=G.curscreen->areabase.first; sa; sa=sa->next) {
+		if(sa->spacetype==SPACE_VIEW3D) {
+			View3D *v3d= sa->spacedata.first;
+			if(v3d->twflag & V3D_USE_MANIPULATOR) break;
+			else break;	// for now
+		}
+	}
+	if(sa) countall();	// does manipulator centers
+	
 	if ( (CFRA>1) && (!mute) && (G.scene->audio.flag & AUDIO_SCRUB)) audiostream_scrub( CFRA );
 }
 

source/blender/src/space.c

@@ -734,6 +734,9 @@ static void winqreadview3dspace(ScrArea *sa, void *spacedata, BWinEvent *evt)
 		
 		if(event==UI_BUT_EVENT) do_butspace(val); // temporal, view3d deserves own queue?
 		
+		/* we consider manupilator a button, defaulting to leftmouse */
+		if(event==LEFTMOUSE) if(BIF_do_manipulator(sa)) return;
+		
 		/* swap mouse buttons based on user preference */
 		if (U.flag & USER_LMOUSESELECT) {
 			if (event==LEFTMOUSE) event = RIGHTMOUSE;

source/blender/src/transform.c

@@ -1564,6 +1564,134 @@ void Transform(int mode)
 	scrarea_queue_headredraw(curarea);
 }
 
+static void draw_nothing(TransInfo *t) {}
+
+void ManipulatorTransform(int mode) 
+{
+	int ret_val = 0;
+	short pmval[2] = {0, 0}, mval[2], val;
+	unsigned short event;
+
+
+	/* stupid PET initialisation code */
+	/* START */
+	if (Trans.propsize == 0.0f) {
+		Trans.propsize = 1.0;
+	}
+	/* END */
+
+	initTransModeFlags(&Trans, mode);	// modal settings in struct Trans
+
+	initTrans(&Trans);					// internal data, mouse, vectors
+
+	createTransData(&Trans);			// make TransData structs from selection
+
+	if (Trans.total == 0)
+		return;
+
+	/* no drawing of constraint lines */
+	Trans.con.drawExtra= draw_nothing;
+	
+	/* EVIL! posemode code can switch translation to rotate when 1 bone is selected. will be removed (ton) */
+	/* EVIL2: we gave as argument also texture space context bit... was cleared */
+	mode= Trans.mode;
+	
+	calculatePropRatio(&Trans);
+	calculateCenter(&Trans);
+
+	switch (mode) {
+	case TFM_TRANSLATION:
+		initTranslation(&Trans);
+		break;
+	case TFM_ROTATION:
+		initRotation(&Trans);
+		break;
+	case TFM_RESIZE:
+		initResize(&Trans);
+		break;
+	}
+
+	Trans.redraw = 1;
+
+	while (ret_val == 0) {
+		
+		getmouseco_areawin(mval);
+		
+		if (mval[0] != pmval[0] || mval[1] != pmval[1]) {
+			Trans.redraw = 1;
+		}
+		if (Trans.redraw) {
+			pmval[0] = mval[0];
+			pmval[1] = mval[1];
+
+			//selectConstraint(&Trans);  needed?
+			if (Trans.transform) {
+				Trans.transform(&Trans, mval);
+			}
+			Trans.redraw = 0;
+		}
+		
+		/* essential for idling subloop */
+		if( qtest()==0) PIL_sleep_ms(2);
+
+		while( qtest() ) {
+			event= extern_qread(&val);
+
+			switch (event){
+			/* enforce redraw of transform when modifiers are used */
+			case LEFTCTRLKEY:
+			case RIGHTCTRLKEY:
+			case LEFTSHIFTKEY:
+			case RIGHTSHIFTKEY:
+				Trans.redraw = 1;
+				break;
+				
+			case ESCKEY:
+			case RIGHTMOUSE:
+				ret_val = TRANS_CANCEL;
+				break;
+			case LEFTMOUSE:
+			case SPACEKEY:
+			case PADENTER:
+			case RETKEY:
+				ret_val = TRANS_CONFIRM;
+				break;
+			}
+		}
+	}
+	
+	if(ret_val == TRANS_CANCEL) {
+		restoreTransObjects(&Trans);
+	}
+	else {
+		BIF_undo_push("Transform");
+	}
+	
+	/* free data, reset vars */
+	postTrans(&Trans);
+	
+	/* mess from old transform, just for now (ton) */
+	{
+		char cmode='g';
+		
+		if(mode==TFM_RESIZE) cmode= 's';
+		else if(mode==TFM_ROTATION) cmode= 'r';
+		/* aftertrans does displists, ipos and action channels */
+		/* 7 = keyflags, meaning do loc/rot/scale ipos. Not sure if I like the old method to detect what changed (ton) */
+		special_aftertrans_update(cmode, 0, (short)(ret_val == TRANS_CANCEL), 7);
+		
+		if(G.obedit==NULL && G.obpose==NULL)
+			clear_trans_object_base_flags();
+	}
+	
+	/* send events out for redraws */
+	allqueue(REDRAWVIEW3D, 0);
+	allqueue(REDRAWBUTSOBJECT, 0);
+	scrarea_queue_headredraw(curarea);
+}
+
+
+
 /* ************************** WRAP *************************** */
 
 /* warp is done fully in view space */
@@ -2294,26 +2422,27 @@ static void applyTranslation(TransInfo *t, float vec[3]) {
 	}
 }
 
+/* uses t->vec to store actual translation in */
 int Translation(TransInfo *t, short mval[2]) 
 {
-	float vec[3], tvec[3];
+	float tvec[3];
 	char str[200];
 
-	window_to_3d(vec, (short)(mval[0] - t->imval[0]), (short)(mval[1] - t->imval[1]));
+	window_to_3d(t->vec, (short)(mval[0] - t->imval[0]), (short)(mval[1] - t->imval[1]));
 
 	if (t->con.mode & CON_APPLY) {
 		float pvec[3] = {0.0f, 0.0f, 0.0f};
-		t->con.applyVec(t, NULL, vec, tvec, pvec);
-		VECCOPY(vec, tvec);
+		t->con.applyVec(t, NULL, t->vec, tvec, pvec);
+		VECCOPY(t->vec, tvec);
 		headerTranslation(t, pvec, str);
 	}
 	else {
-		snapGrid(t, vec);
-		applyNumInput(&t->num, vec);
-		headerTranslation(t, vec, str);
+		snapGrid(t, t->vec);
+		applyNumInput(&t->num, t->vec);
+		headerTranslation(t, t->vec, str);
 	}
 
-	applyTranslation(t, vec);
+	applyTranslation(t, t->vec);
 
 	recalcData(t);
 

source/blender/src/transform.h

@@ -125,6 +125,9 @@ typedef struct TransInfo {
     NumInput    num;            /* numerical input                      */
     float       val;            /* init value for some transformations  */
     float       fac;            /* factor for distance based transform  */
+	
+	float		vec[3];			/* translation, to show for widget   	*/
+	float		mat[3][3];		/* rot/rescale, to show for widget   	*/
 } TransInfo;
 
 

source/blender/src/transform_constraints.c

@@ -580,6 +580,7 @@ void setLocalConstraint(TransInfo *t, int mode, const char text[]) {
 void BIF_setSingleAxisConstraint(float vec[3]) {
 	TransInfo *t = BIF_GetTransInfo();
 	float space[3][3], v[3];
+	
 	VECCOPY(space[0], vec);
 
 	v[0] = vec[2];
@@ -600,6 +601,26 @@ void BIF_setSingleAxisConstraint(float vec[3]) {
 	t->redraw = 1;
 }
 
+void BIF_setDualAxisConstraint(float vec1[3], float vec2[3]) {
+	TransInfo *t = BIF_GetTransInfo();
+	float space[3][3];
+	
+	VECCOPY(space[0], vec1);
+	VECCOPY(space[1], vec2);
+	Crossf(space[2], space[0], space[1]);
+	
+	Mat3CpyMat3(t->con.mtx, space);
+	t->con.mode = (CON_AXIS0|CON_AXIS1|CON_APPLY);
+	getConstraintMatrix(t);
+	
+	t->con.drawExtra = NULL;
+	t->con.applyVec = applyAxisConstraintVec;
+	t->con.applySize = applyAxisConstraintSize;
+	t->con.applyRot = applyAxisConstraintRot;
+	t->redraw = 1;
+}
+
+
 void BIF_drawConstraint(void)
 {
 	TransInfo *t = BIF_GetTransInfo();

source/blender/src/transform_generics.c

@@ -370,6 +370,12 @@ void initTrans (TransInfo *t)
 	t->num.val[0]		= 
 		t->num.val[1]	= 
 		t->num.val[2]	= 0.0f;
+
+	t->vec[0]			=
+		t->vec[1]		=
+		t->vec[2]		= 0.0f;
+	
+	Mat3One(t->mat);
 }
 
 /* Here I would suggest only TransInfo related issues, like free data & reset vars. Not redraws */