Jump to content
You must now use your email address to sign in [click for more info] ×

Touché for Mac - Software Touchbar for pre-2016 Macs


Recommended Posts

If anyone is wanting to play with the new Touchbar features as implemented in Affinity Apps (as well as any other Mac OS apps), download Touché and it will pull up a software Touchbar on your screen...

2021 16” Macbook Pro w/ M1 Max 10c cpu /24c gpu, 32 GB RAM, 1TB SSD, Ventura 13.6

2018 11" iPad Pro w/ A12X cpu/gpu, 256 GB, iPadOS 17

Link to comment
Share on other sites

So you're saying I shouldn't submit a bug report about not being able to use my 2011 MBP screen as a multi-touch screen when using this app? Will the next beta enable the touchscreen on my MBP?

 

 

2021 16” Macbook Pro w/ M1 Max 10c cpu /24c gpu, 32 GB RAM, 1TB SSD, Ventura 13.6

2018 11" iPad Pro w/ A12X cpu/gpu, 256 GB, iPadOS 17

Link to comment
Share on other sites

All joking aside what u guys did for the touchbar looks pretty awesome! I can't wait to see Affinity on a Surface Studio! I wanna see some cool

2021 16” Macbook Pro w/ M1 Max 10c cpu /24c gpu, 32 GB RAM, 1TB SSD, Ventura 13.6

2018 11" iPad Pro w/ A12X cpu/gpu, 256 GB, iPadOS 17

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Thank you! Nice find!

Now I can avoid to keep xCode open!

 

Does it recall the same emulator maybe?

 

I was a bit skeptic about this touch bar, but to be honest I'm finding it quite useful together with Cintiq or even Duets.

I'm experimenting it with the application at full screen and hidden UI.

It is snappier than the Wacom HUD.

The white dog, making tools for artists, illustrators and doodlers

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Works great!

Actually leaves the impression that the touch bar might be more useful than I thought at first.

 

Would be very interesting to hear from professionals using the touch bar for proper work. I watched the demo utterly bewildered as to how this was anything other than a distraction to a workflow.

 

Also know a few of programmers who are furious that the physical Esc key has gone from their 'pro' machine! 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Would be very interesting to hear from professionals using the touch bar for proper work. I watched the demo utterly bewildered as to how this was anything other than a distraction to a workflow.

 

Also know a few of programmers who are furious that the physical Esc key has gone from their 'pro' machine! 

 

The demo made by Adobe during the Keynote has been disappointing...

The girl from Adobe UX was trying to sell the "best experience" when it was pretty evident she was in trouble...  ;)

 

I guess it depends on what you place there...

So far I think that companies are still investigating the very best ux.

 

Something like a quick focus to attributes input I think could speed the workflow, since the numbers row is just below.

The white dog, making tools for artists, illustrators and doodlers

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Yeah interesting space to watch.

 

Whenever I'm taking my eyes off the screen (and looking down at the keyboard/moving hands off usual shortcut keys) it's breaking my flow/focus somewhat, so I'm unsure how that is better than an existing shortcuts/UI interface. Certainly the Surface Studio knob (or whatever they are calling it) seems much more connected with the users focus - as additional interfaces on expensive products go :) 

 

Perhaps there is more merit in it if you are just working on your laptop when screen real estate is limited, rather than when plugged into a workstation - jury still out methinks. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Perhaps there is more merit in it if you are just working on your laptop when screen real estate is limited, rather than when plugged into a workstation - jury still out methinks. 

 

 

 

Yes it is clearly focused on mobile workflow.

When I doc my laptop it is perfectly useless, but its software emulation could be very handy.

The white dog, making tools for artists, illustrators and doodlers

Link to comment
Share on other sites

 

 

They are really struggling to come up with something new.

 

Like putting a flipping screen and the iPadPro pressure layer to use Apple Pencil for example?

In that case you if will read about an Italian guy throwing notes from his balcony towards the Apple Store this is me.

The white dog, making tools for artists, illustrators and doodlers

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Also know a few of programmers who are furious that the physical Esc key has gone from their 'pro' machine! 

I’m furious about the replacement of every port with mini USB. They didn’t even keep the MagSafe port! Now you need adapters for everything. How stupid is that?

It’s a wonder that they kept the headphone jack.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Would be very interesting to hear from professionals using the touch bar for proper work. I watched the demo utterly bewildered as to how this was anything other than a distraction to a workflow.

We're still figuring out how best to use it. My feeling is that having it duplicate things already available as keyboard shortcuts may be helpful for casual users who don't yet know what the shortcuts are, but is less useful for professionals. Having it duplicate mouse UI may be useful for professionals if using the touch bar lets them keep their hands on the keyboard instead of reaching for the mouse. If you are using the touch pad instead of a mouse then the benefit is a bit less.

 

So for example at the moment for text we just have bold and italic buttons, which is pointless (it's really just a place-holder). Better would be sliders for things like pointsize, leading, kerning and tracking. I think. We do have shortcuts for those, eg Cmd+Shift+> to make text bigger by one step, but using a touch bar slider might be smoother and more direct.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

We're still figuring out how best to use it.

 

For example try a history slider with small previews and the possibility to zoom/pinch into the timeline (same for layers, everything showing with your loved fonts, etc.). Don’t forget the slide gesture that shows the future document!  ;)

 

A slider to change the UI colours ;) and pre-defined panel positions, a panel for colour mixing and creating/editing brushes, new buttons for semi-professionals like undo, redo, …

 

What about starting an idea competition?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 4 weeks later...
  • 1 month later...

If anyone is wanting to play with the new Touchbar features as implemented in Affinity Apps (as well as any other Mac OS apps), download Touché and it will pull up a software Touchbar on your screen...

finally got a hardware version of it  :D  :P 

 

it's not yet really well done in Affinity but generally across other apps not as bad as the press suggested it was 

 

I really think Dave Harris nailed it.

 

@VIP about the MagSafe VS USB C, I thought just the same as you but USB C is actually really rugged and it is comfortable that you can plug in from both sides now depending on where you're located. And a friend could now charge his Lenovo Thinkpad with my cable, first time this kind of compatibility happens  :D  :D

 

cheers

 

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 3 months later...

about the MagSafe VS USB C, I thought just the same as you but USB C is actually really rugged

 

That's the problelm.  Power cords often dangle off the table and can go across a walking path to reach an outlet.  Not only does this create a tripping hazard, but it can result in a laptop being pulled off the table/desk and bringing it crashing to the ground (bye-bye laptop).

 

The MagSafe ports help to avoid that because the connections are intentionally *weak* - they break free and can simply be plugged back in after that.  With USB-C, we are back to the danger zone.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I've seen laptops fly without wings using only power cords.... MagSafe saved my laptop twice from certain death. Not theoretical at all

2021 16” Macbook Pro w/ M1 Max 10c cpu /24c gpu, 32 GB RAM, 1TB SSD, Ventura 13.6

2018 11" iPad Pro w/ A12X cpu/gpu, 256 GB, iPadOS 17

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Yeah there's already micro USB and Lightning port adapters for smartphones, but goddammit, the new MacBooks are useless without docks and dongles and adapters...

 

I already wonder when the first USB-C to some sort of MagSafe *adapter* will appear on Kickstarter …  ;)

2021 16” Macbook Pro w/ M1 Max 10c cpu /24c gpu, 32 GB RAM, 1TB SSD, Ventura 13.6

2018 11" iPad Pro w/ A12X cpu/gpu, 256 GB, iPadOS 17

Link to comment
Share on other sites

×
×
  • Create New...

Important Information

Terms of Use | Privacy Policy | Guidelines | We have placed cookies on your device to help make this website better. You can adjust your cookie settings, otherwise we'll assume you're okay to continue.