Now that poser 5 is out, we're getting lots of renders of other people's interface layouts, and I can't help but notice that practically everyone has a different setup from the one I use. That is, it appears that the entire poser community has these ghastly toolbars cluttering up the UI; tools and doc settings. Now I realise that everyone has a different way of working, and also that people have just torn the wrapper from poser 5 with their bare teeth and jammed the CD into their machine, but I haven't yet seen a layout with them minimised and shoved out the way, like I do. Am I the only one on the planet who does this? LOL. I ask this for a reason. I'm currently working on a huge pack for sale, which will be thoroughly beta-tested before release, but in my own tests, all I ever do is move things around with the parameter dials. I know there are users who only use the tools to do this.....I just didn't think there were so many of them! Like....the whole world, it seems! Every time I try to use the tools, I feel my blood pressure slowly rising, until I'm finally forced to give up or take medication. The first thing I do on opening poser is press 'T' on the keyboard to get the 'Trans' (or Move) tool (intelligent name that). And that's only because I hate seeing that hideous default twisty thing all the time. I mean, I never use it to drag anything. Hmmm.... must add 'Tool-Using Beta-tester' to my list.... Oh well... 'Hurrah for differences' as they say in France. mac

I never use the tools in P4 - too imprecise, and annoying. I always use the parameter dials - except for the camera and light controls.

Same here. I do not use the tools except in certain circumstances.

Yes me, I use it. Mostly to switch on the groupingtool ;-) , but for other things ... hm, ... yes me, :o) to fastly move the lights into a base position and sometimes to move the origins but the last move goes with the dials. But that,s it. What I use much more are the different views, means renderview, wireframe and so on. Robert

I don't use the tools either...and I thought I was the only one who hated that darn twisty tool! :)

Tools? Them things ain't tools, they's just a bunch of ways to get into unwanted trouble! After a few times of trying to select an object, only to see it knocked sideways by the default "screwup" tool, I turned them off for good.

I use a mix. If I want to be really precise, I use the dials, but if I use the tools to do gruntwork positioning sometimes. I often use the "top camera" and then position characters with the toolbar, then go in and fine-tune with the dials.

I think it's cool that the program offers such flexibility!

Your layout looks pretty cool, I've often wished the workspace wasn't so cluttered. (And now I'm getting used to 5 with it's floating menus... It seems they always want to float over whatever it is I'm looking at!)

Ockham's right, tho. Accidentally hitting those buttons is obnoxious!

Glad I'm not alone! I was beginning to feel like a freak! Just one point about my interface. The 2 blank spaces (under the cameras and under the parameter dials) are there to accomodate the hierarchy window and the joint parameter window. I don't like them in my face all the time, but I do like to have space for them when I use them. Which is very often. And they fir perfectly into those spaces. >sigh< One of these days I'll get myself a huge monitor.... mac

heyas; i use the doc style things ALL the time. the tools, i constantly click on the move tool to make sure i have it, so i can move things. all you gotta do is alt click them so they are vertical, then squish them close together so the ball icons interlace, and they take up hardly any room at all. (relatively speaking.) but mac, you're still wasting a ton of space. shove the cameras WAY up in the corner, and shove the lights slightly overlapping them, close your library drawer and stick your parameter dials underneath where it was. THEN you will have lots of room for the document window!

I hate the edit group, but I keep it up there because Poser keeps going back to the "screw up" button and all sorts of stupid things happen when I try to select a body part. This way I can make sure I'm on the "less evil" tool before selecting a body part.

Your "stuff" looks real good! (i.e., "00_interiors") (I hope you got their "scale" correct.) snickersnicker** cheers, dr geep ;=]

... just as twalling has pointed out ...

"I think it's cool that the program offers such flexibility!"

There is more than one way to skin a ....

(what's that ...............?????????)

Oh, ............... sorry, cat lovers. ;=]

Um, er, uh, gosh, gee, there is more than ...

... one way to do something.

There, did I do that in the PC (NOT Personal Computer) mode ok?

I think Curiuous Labs has some outstanding software with Poser. Is there anything else like it out there today?
(for us poor folk, I mean)

aw, shut-up, geep*

Ok.
sniff

cheers,
dr geep
;=]

Bloodsong, I don't really need a bigger doc window. I do need the library almost constantly, since I'm modifying and saving all the time. I guess I could another 50 pixels out the doc if I pushed it, but it'd be cramped. geep, 00 is always the name of the folder I'm currently working on, so it always opens at it. Yeah, it's slow (6 months now), but it's really taking shape. Plus I have 3 more prop folders of it too. Argh! mac

What're ya doin', buildin' a house? ;=]

I'd like to see real toolbars like at the top or on the sides. Poser's toolbars are too big, get in the way, and always have to be moved around. I really wish they'd stop trying to adopt the Adobe way with the clutter of windows all over the workspace. It's only useful for people who own very large monitors, but that isn't the norm.

Building an 'open space', geep. It'll be the 'most flexible poser room ever built', according to my sale blurb. LOL. Nah....seriously, I'm just trying to create a room that allows the user to do just about anything, using multi-part figures. For example, I have a bay window with 60 body parts, including multiple windows, blinds, venetian blinds, etc. So now you know why I wanted the scale utility! mac

Don't look now, but it seems like ZA caught something. :0)

Yup, did ja get it? ;=]

huh? zone alarm? where? mac

A-friggen-Men, whbos! And having some keystroke commands'd be damned useful, too.

demosthenes, You took the words out my mouth! I use the kb whenever possible over the mouse, but poser is hopeless for keystrokes. mac

Attached Link: p5 interface stuff

heyas; this is a sorta tutorial, sorta tips, sorta discussion thing about how to squish the most space out of your poser workspace(s). it also includes how to change your workspace colour gradient, which i swiped from another thread here, but i forgot who posted it. if you know, tell me, so i can credit them!