User:Zachman/GSoC2019/Plan

Project Plan

This page will be frequently updated as I work throughout the summer. This page contains a schedule and list of all ideas from the Outliner Ideas page that I feel I can implement during the coding period this summer. The descriptions listed here are more general, a detailed design document can be found here.

Outliner Syncing

The major task for the summer of code is synced selection between the outliner and other editors. This will include a toggle to enable/disable the synced selection features per-outliner.

The easiest way to implement synced selection will be to call a function in 3D View selection operators that sends the resulting selection state to the outliner. And the outliner sends the state to the 3D view after outliner selection operations. Once 3D viewport syncing is finished, other editors may be added to the "connected" editors list. The properties editor is one that would benefit. Clicking on modifiers, material data, etc in the outliner currently does nothing. This could either select the object it is a child of, or open that data in the properties editor.

Editor syncing priorities

• Viewport selection (3D View)
• Properties
• Other Editors

Interaction/Operators

• Shift+click range select
• Ctrl+click extend selection
• Click and drag for box select
• Arrow key navigation (up/down for walk, right/left for open/close disclosure triangles)
• X for delete should work properly for all data types
• Multi-object selections:
  • Drag and drop parenting should work
• Fix and add other shortcut keys
• Modifier keys for Box, Range, Walk

UI

• Simplify highlights and selected element indication
  • Active object highlighting
  • Blue-line selected object highlights
  • Drag and drop highlighing
  • "Active Collection" highlighting (collection in which active object is in (or all selected objects)
• Clean up context menu
• Add new object and bone constraint icons to outliner
• Add toggles for enabling constraints from outliner

Other

• Make collection new objects are added to more obvious
  • This could be done by adding new objects to the collection in which the active object is in.
• Support eyedropper tool in outliner

Schedule

As mentioned in my proposal I have a CS course during the first three weeks of the summer of code. I will do my best to follow this schedule, but I have left the last few weeks with less detailed planning to allow for flexibility. After that class ends I will be able to dedicate my time to this project completely.

Week 1 May 27 – June 2

• Look at Abid's work on the outliner and implement and improve on his work in my branch
  • Active elements
  • Box selection
  • Range selection
  • Arrow key navigation
• Determine simplified UI (highlights, active item)
  • Begin implementing this as part of integrating Abid's work.
• Detailed planning for synced selection implementation (look here)

Week 2 June 3 – June 9

• Continue implementing Abid's work
• Begin implementing synced selection with 3D View

Week 3 June 10 – June 16

• Finish implementing features from Abid's patches
• Modifier keys for selection
• Synced selection

Week 4 June 17 – June 23

My CS course ends (17th). I will have one final exam this week (19th).

• Determine how to implement active outliner elements
  • This is part of synced selection. How could an active collection be handled? Collections cannot be active in the viewport, syncing?
• Synced selection

Week 5 June 24 – June 30

Evaluation 1

• Prevent adding new objects to hidden collections
  • Perhaps by making the active object's collection the collection to add objects to by default.
• Synced selection

Week 6 July 1 – July 7

• Finish synced selection for 3D View
  • Begin connecting outliner to other editors
• X for delete should work properly for all data types
• Fix and add other shortcut keys

Week 7 July 8 – July 14

• Connect outliner to properties editor
• Drag on disclosure triangles [link]

Week 8 July 15 – July 21

• Work more on outliner and properties editor syncing
• Drag and drop parenting with multiple selected objects

Week 9 July 22 – July 28

Evaluation 2

• Support eyedropper tool in outliner

Week 10 July 29 – August 4

• Work on community ideas

Week 11 August 5 – August 11

• Begin work on documentation in the Blender manual
• Work on community ideas

Week 12 August 12 – August 18

• Extra time for previous goals in case of delay
• Extra projects

Week 13 August 19

Last day! Make sure everything is done before final evaluations.