UI: Show invalid cache as stripped lines #108196

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opened 2023-05-23 16:29:00 +02:00 by Dalai Felinto · 5 comments

Dalai Felinto commented

2023-05-23 16:29:00 +02:00

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At the moment we use a faded color to indicate that a cache is invalid. The difference is a too subtle at times, even when users customize their theme colors.

The proposal here is to draw the invalid caches with a darker stripped diagonal line (see image). In this case I used the original color with a 50% value.

In this mockup you see the Simulation cache (pink) as invalid, and the Cloth cache (blue) as valid.

Design done with Pablo Vazquez.

At the moment we use a faded color to indicate that a cache is invalid. The difference is a too subtle at times, even when users customize their theme colors. The proposal here is to draw the invalid caches with a darker stripped diagonal line (see image). In this case I used the original color with a 50% value. In this mockup you see the Simulation cache (pink) as invalid, and the Cloth cache (blue) as valid. ![invalid_cache.png](/attachments/f5704eb4-a552-4d30-bb0c-fe23c07e2149) _Design done with [Pablo Vazquez](https://projects.blender.org/pablovazquez)._

invalid_cache.png

58 KiB

Dalai Felinto added the

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Dalai Felinto added this to the Nodes & Physics project 2023-05-23 16:29:01 +02:00

Dalai Felinto added the

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Dalai Felinto commented

2023-05-23 16:30:20 +02:00

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Design done with @pablovazquez

Design done with @pablovazquez

Pablo Vazquez commented

2023-05-24 10:53:53 +02:00

Member

The reasons behind this are mainly two:

Accessibility (patterns are easier to recognize by colorblind or visually impaired people)
Unless we use a completely different hue, it will always be difficult to come up with a value for each cache type.

Another solution could be to just draw the outline, but I think the stripes are better for accessibility.

This example uses 50% value difference but probably 50% transparency would do too.

The reasons behind this are mainly two: * Accessibility (patterns are easier to recognize by colorblind or visually impaired people) * Unless we use a completely different hue, it will always be difficult to come up with a value for each cache type. Another solution could be to just draw the outline, but I think the stripes are better for accessibility. This example uses 50% value difference but probably 50% transparency would do too.

Leon Schittek commented

2023-05-29 19:52:06 +02:00

Member

I looked into this and had a few questions.
The way the state of the cache (valid/invalid/baked) is indicated is different for simulation nodes and the other simulations:

Simulation nodes differentiates via the alpha (1.0 -> baked, 0.7 -> cached, 0.4 -> invalid cache)
Other simulations always use an alpha value of 0.4 and adjust the brightness to indicate state (darker -> baked, lighter -> invalid cache)

Should this difference be preserved or should it be more unified?

I also noticed how for the other simulations the simulation frame range is highlighted using the base color at a low opacity. Simulation nodes don't seem to have a concept of start and end frame. Should the entire scene frame range get a similar highlight for consistency?

Anyway, here's a first attempt: timeline-cache-stripes.diff

This uses diagonal stripes at 50% value for the invalid cache. Otherwise the colors are unchanged.
The following screenshots show a few different scenarios in the timeline with caches for Cloth, Dynamic Paint, Simulation Nodes, and Soft Body enabled.

	all caches invalid
main
patch

	only simulation nodes cache invalid
main
patch

	simulation nodes baked, others invalid
main
patch

I looked into this and had a few questions. The way the state of the cache (valid/invalid/baked) is indicated is different for simulation nodes and the other simulations: - Simulation nodes differentiates via the alpha (1.0 -> baked, 0.7 -> cached, 0.4 -> invalid cache) - Other simulations always use an alpha value of 0.4 and adjust the brightness to indicate state (darker -> baked, lighter -> invalid cache) Should this difference be preserved or should it be more unified? I also noticed how for the other simulations the simulation frame range is highlighted using the base color at a low opacity. Simulation nodes don't seem to have a concept of start and end frame. Should the entire scene frame range get a similar highlight for consistency? --- Anyway, here's a first attempt: [timeline-cache-stripes.diff](/attachments/8b74d541-09a0-4459-b036-9a13bc4b164c) This uses diagonal stripes at 50% value for the invalid cache. Otherwise the colors are unchanged. The following screenshots show a few different scenarios in the timeline with caches for Cloth, Dynamic Paint, Simulation Nodes, and Soft Body enabled. ||all caches invalid| |---|---| |**main**|![simulation-cache-invalid_main.png](/attachments/b28b164e-00ea-4e98-9544-a8dd0e92a8d4)| |**patch**|![simulation-cache-invalid_patch.png](/attachments/d2a280f8-9113-4b54-8de4-31f8df31c29b)| ||only simulation nodes cache invalid| |---|---| |**main**|![](https://projects.blender.org/attachments/d82def96-abaf-43ec-8756-5f8c125b509a)| |**patch**|![](https://projects.blender.org/attachments/ec637e19-e11e-43cb-bfc4-5fe4c92620a4)| ||simulation nodes baked, others invalid| |---|---| |**main**|![simulation-cache-bake-invalid_main.png](/attachments/0fce1154-880a-453c-83e2-3fb042c74a69)| |**patch**|![simulation-cache-bake-invalid_patch.png](/attachments/0d2acb88-ac0d-416c-9ca8-f57c32e2ee88)|

simulation-cache-nodes-invalid_patch.png

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timeline-cache-stripes.diff

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simulation-cache-invalid_main.png

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simulation-cache-nodes-invalid_main.png

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simulation-cache-bake-invalid_main.png

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simulation-cache-bake-invalid_patch.png

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simulation-cache-invalid_patch.png

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Pablo Vazquez commented

2023-05-30 01:31:08 +02:00

Member

Looks great! Indeed quite some inconsistency with the other methods.

Simulation nodes differentiates via the alpha (1.0 -> baked, 0.7 -> cached, 0.4 -> invalid cache), other simulations always use an alpha value of 0.4 and adjust the brightness to indicate state (darker -> baked, lighter -> invalid cache)

We should definitely unify this. Other simulations being lighter when invalid doesn't sound right to me, how about:

Baked: 1.0 alpha
Cached: 0.7
Invalid cache: stripe lines, 0.7 (same as cached)

The stripe lines already make it clear that it's invalid, so no need to also change alpha on that.

What do you think?

Looks great! Indeed quite some inconsistency with the other methods. > Simulation nodes differentiates via the alpha (1.0 -> baked, 0.7 -> cached, 0.4 -> invalid cache), other simulations always use an alpha value of 0.4 and adjust the brightness to indicate state (darker -> baked, lighter -> invalid cache) We should definitely unify this. Other simulations being lighter when invalid doesn't sound right to me, how about: * Baked: 1.0 alpha * Cached: 0.7 * Invalid cache: stripe lines, 0.7 (same as cached) The stripe lines already make it clear that it's invalid, so no need to also change alpha on that. What do you think?

Leon Schittek commented

2023-05-30 07:26:07 +02:00

Member

[...]
What do you think?

Sounds good!

I'll make a PR in the coming days.

> [...] > What do you think? Sounds good! I'll make a PR in the coming days.

Leon Schittek self-assigned this 2023-05-30 07:26:23 +02:00

Leon Schittek referenced this issue from a commit

2023-05-31 21:39:20 +02:00

UI: Display invalid cache as striped lines in the timeline

Leon Schittek referenced this issue

2023-05-31 21:41:15 +02:00

UI: Display invalid cache as striped lines in the timeline #108481

Jacques Lucke referenced this issue

2023-09-11 17:50:01 +02:00

Timeline drawing with multiple simulation bakes #112232

Leon Schittek referenced this issue from a commit

2023-10-05 12:15:30 +02:00

UI: Display invalid cache as striped lines in the timeline

Jacques Lucke referenced this issue from a commit

2023-10-06 13:12:27 +02:00

UI: display invalid cache as striped lines in the timeline

Hans Goudey closed this issue

2023-10-23 12:40:14 +02:00

Blender Bot added the

label 2023-10-23 12:40:16 +02:00

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