by Simon » Fri Feb 23, 2018 8:54 pm
I quite like the brushes approach, with a bit list of shapes you can make (including modifiers). It would act like a Preset to all the options we currently have.
And then you can either use the preset 'brush' or open an additional settings panel to muck around with the preset by hand.
Common and frequently used settings like radius, length, resolution would probable be available without an additional layer.
SPHERE = Lathe Round Profile
CUBE = Square End + Straight Rail
CYLINDER = Circle End + Straight Rail
Most of the the other prims now become a combination of END and RAIL, with the option of parametric defaults to replace Curves.
Lathe PROFILES, and Slab BEVELs have a similar role, and you should be able to convert between the two by adding/removing an END (using one profile as a bevel)
There could be multiple workflow depths:
1) Select a preset, then draw the number of curves it requires. No UI required.
2) Select a preset, draw END (makes a Slab Object). Adjust Radii and Resolution in simplified preset UI
3) Select Slab. Select Bevel Slot in simplified UI, draw Bevel.
And if you want to go beyond the preset..
4) Select Slab. Open Full UI popup. Change End Mode to Blob. Select Rail Slot. Draw rail to make Extruded Blob. Delete End curve to become Line. Simplified UI now updates to show Circle End radius. Delete Rail. Becomes CYLINDER with round ends.
The highest level toolbar only need have a single 'create' button if you like, and if you expand it you show as many presets as you like, with common/frequent first, then a 'full' list with more types.
It would work exactly like 3.0 if you want it too (Select, Draw, set Prim Options) or you could have presets for all kinds of combinations and varients (tempting in as much as it might be a sort of tutorial if they had a good preview image, and perhaps even workflow tips as to which curves to draw and where).