Affinity Designer Node Tool icon redesign rethink iOS specifically (as you can simply hover on desktop & Mac)

[Critical0G]

Hi there

I’m not sure if this is just me or not although I have an issue working with nodes. I wouldn’t really call this a bug more like a UI issue.

i work with nodes a lot as I like to draw vector art however a lot of my time is taken up trying to remember which  icon is close, break, split etc.

so after i select a node and I want to split it for example, I’ll usually have to perform undo a few times before I hit the correct icon, I know it tells you after the fact although the amount of nodes in a drawing seriously affects my performance time and I could get everything done a lot quicker if the icons had a clue, said the names on them instead of icons that are very similar or maybe just initials like C, B & S blended in at the beginning of the icon graphic?

i have a TBI (frontal lobe brain injury), and unfortunately I cannot learn the icons or the order as I just forget each time making me tap what I think is split to get a close then two finger tap to undo then I might even get close again and finally usually after quite a few attempts for one node I’ve wasted so much time when I could be drawing. I estimate a drawing that takes me 4 hours would probably take me 2/3.

it would be great if you could consider this and add alternative icons under accessibility or do something like I mentioned above, as it drives me even more insane.

thanks

Shane 

 

Edited December 5, 2023 by Critical0G
Spelling, expanded ideas suggestion.

[Old Bruce]

15 hours ago, Critical0G said:

... I cannot learn the icons or the order as I just forget each time making me tap what I think is split ...

Set your Preferences > User Interface to have a very short time for the Tooltip Display. Move the slider all the way to the left and the tooltip will show up in a fraction of a second.

It would be great if we could include text labels, but then that would make the Context Toolbar much much wider. 

[walt.farrell]

27 minutes ago, Old Bruce said:

Set your Preferences > User Interface to have a very short time for the Tooltip Display

From the topic title I think the request is for the iPad apps, which does not have that Setting. There are still Tooltips available, but only if you have a mouse or trackpad, as far as I know. 

Or, the ? button will explain the icons, too.

[Critical0G]

That’s correct it is for the iPad version so I can’t adjust that setting as it doesn’t exist although it would do no good anyway as I would still have to tap an icon to get the tooltip to show and yes including text labels would be good but as you say this would make the toolbar longer I would be happy with the first letter of each tool in uppercase as a background to the tool with a low opacity then the icon over this that would be an easy update and it could also be added in settings general or accessibility would probably be more appropriate then a button for show background node initials or something. And yes I could use the tooltip button but again this is time wasting, hopefully something can be done about it, it’s very frustrating especially when I’m on a roll…

thanks anyway…

Affinity (Serif), what do you say is this an option that could be included? I used to develop for Apple until IAP and tracking took over the store then I pulled my apps as the changes from the early days were too much for me to deal with. I would never have dreamed of charging people twice not to mention track their every movement although thankfully Apple have now done something about the tracking but they still bump apps with IAP as they make more money from their 30%, I had a one time payment for my main app which was on the store from 2011 till 2018, anyways what I mean to say is that it would take maybe an hour or so to edit the icons and minutes to implement and it would be very much appreciated.

I can even do the icons for you if you like then when someone presses that hey help me out a bit here button in settings all you’d have to do is code to swap the icons out with the ones with a big initial as the background with an if or a case statement along with a few booleans and bosh done…
 

Kinda like this (needs a few adjustments although as stated only took about an hour and I’ve got brain damage ;)…

Edited December 6, 2023 by Critical0G
Added (Serif), changed upgrade to update, grammar correction.