v23 - Genuine plea to reduce the number of clicks when dimensioning options need to be chosen!

[simonb65]

After changing the best part of a hundred holes on a 3D print design to incorporate printable holes, i.e.



I found the task of dimensioning from linear to circular a process that has made me loose the will to live! The amount of clicks to select which option I want is painful.

As a suggestion to reduce the number of clicks when dimensioning options need to be chosen, it would be nice to see the Slot Dimension Option dialog optimised from the existing 3 click operation ...



... to something like this single click operation ...



Where you just select the desired option 'button' or cancel.

The images could be smaller and the dialog dynamically size to fit other options in based on those available for the operation being carried out.

Again, if v24 already has improvements in this area, please let me know. If not what do other think?

 

[JST]

I've surely noticed that also.

It's easy to say "it's just another couple of clicks, what's the problem?"

Well, the problem is that over a day of work on even several dozen parts, those extra clicks add up to quite a number. Each one takes a little time, to locate the correct item, mouse to it, click it, and maybe close the window, in some cases. There is only time for a certain number of clicks like that in an hour. So the extra ones add up.

If it takes only 5% more clicks, then over an 8 hour day of work, that means perhaps 20 to 25 minutes are needed just for the extra clicks.

 

[simonb65]

If it takes only 5% more clicks, then over an 8 hour day of work, that means perhaps 20 to 25 minutes are needed just for the extra clicks.

It's not just the clicks, its the time you need to pause between clicks so Alibre keeps up! Its bad enough waiting for Alibre to change mode when you click a different tool (constraint tool switching takes 1-2 seconds for me), then determine what edge/face/sketch figure you hovering over, then do something when you click the item, then an option dialog pops up with 3 more button clicks ... you get the picture.

Looking forward to v24 to see usability and performance improvements. I'm not usually a 'power user' of Alibre Design, but the last few weeks it has consumed 100% of my long (10-14 hour) working days and it's opened my eyes to the shortcomings when performing countless repetitive operations that require multiple tool selection changes and geometry selections, on what is in essence very simple models.

Quite a long way from the research outlined in "Response times - The Three Important Limits" by Jakob Nielsen ... which states 100ms is about the limit for having the user feel that the system is reacting instantaneously and 1.0 second is about the limit for the user's flow of thought to stay uninterrupted, even though the user will notice the delay.

 

[HaroldL]

What would be real nice is to eliminate the dialog completely. Just drag the dimension to get the placement you need, sort of like angle dimensions.
Sometimes when dimensioning from arcs to lines I guess wrong and have to start over to get the correct placement.

 

[lamar]

I like the way solid works does this, If you hover the curser over the spot you want the dimension to come from a node will automatically be applied and the dimension will be attached to that node.

 

[jfleming]

I struggle with choosing outside or inside, it never makes sense or is obvious to me which is which, or "how" Alibre decides which is which. Either way I always choose the wrong one the first time and always have to re-do it.

 

[bigseb]

On the topic of too many clicks: how about some polishing of the variable fillet tool. It's a mess.

 

[DavidJ]

On the topic of too many clicks: how about some polishing of the variable fillet tool. It's a mess.

What specifically in your view would improve it, and reduce number of clicks...? or put another way, where are the unnecessary/extra clicks with the current dialogue?