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Official 2023.3 UX Improvements

Discussion in 'Shader Graph' started by FredMoreau, Sep 28, 2023.

  1. FredMoreau

    FredMoreau

    Unity Technologies

    Joined:
    May 27, 2019
    Posts:
    112
    Hi!

    in Unity 2023.3.0a7, we made some UX improvements, including:
    • Keyboard Shortcuts were added for most editing commands, toggling panels and adding most frequently used nodes. This includes:
      • Save, Save As and Close Tab
      • Toggle Inspector, Blackboard and Preview
      • Toggle Thumbnails and Ports
      • Group/Ungroup nodes
      • Add redirect nodes on selected wires
      • Add most frequently used nodes (Add, Multiply, etc…)
    • Zoom Step Multiplier is now customizable in User Preferences, making it a lot easier for users with a Touchpad or a very sensitive mouse wheel).
    • Shader Variant Limit has moved from User Preferences to Project Settings.
      • This allows users to share this setting when collaborating on a project.
      • We kept the original setting in the Preferences as "Preview Variant Limit").
    Documentation shall be updated soon. In the meantime you can find all the shortcuts in the Shortcuts/ShaderGraph section.

    Here are a few:
    Ctrl (Cmd) + S will save the graph.
    F4 will close the current tab. Mac users may want to remap this to "Cmd+W".

    Shift + 1/2/3 will toggle the visibility of the Blackboard, Inspector and Main Preview.

    Ctrl (Cmd) + T will toggle the thumbnails (previews) for selected nodes.
    Ctrl (Cmd) + P will toggle the ports for selected nodes.
    Ctrl (Cmd) + R will insert a Redirect Node in selected wires.

    Alt + A will create a new Add node under mouse pointer.
    Alt + M will create a new Multiply node under mouse pointer.
    Alt + 1 will create a new Float node under mouse pointer.

    Note: we didn't want to flood the Shortcuts with an entry for every possible node, and so added the most frequently used ones.
    If there's a specific node you feel is missing a shortcut, please let us know.

    In Unity 2023.3.0a8, we've updated the Toolbar to use icons and dropdown menus, and add a few shortcuts to install samples and visit community pages.

    sg-toolbar.png

    Looking forward to your feedback.
    Thanks.
     
    Last edited: Oct 6, 2023
    FredMoreau, Sep 28, 2023
    #1
    GTA_6 likes this.

  2. DigitalSalmon

    DigitalSalmon

    Joined:
    Jul 29, 2013
    Posts:
    99
    You are using modifier keys to create nodes because you couldn't get your code to receive a mouse click didn't you.

    So you have achieved zero improvement on the code I shared March 24th 2020 for creating add/multiply/float. In three and a half years.

    I don't know whether to feel more shame in the Shader Graph team for failing to allow for industry standard keyboard shortcuts when they designed the graph system (and clearly moved on, were fired, or quit, because they sure as hell don't exist anymore) or in myself for thinking actual shortcuts might ever arrive. If i'm wrong I will happily eat my words with a side of public apology. Otherwise, I look forward to having the feature "marked as resolved" despite clearly being a poor imitation of how every other Shader Editor in the last 10 years were able to implement them.
     

    Attached Files:

    DigitalSalmon, Sep 28, 2023
    #2
    mgear likes this.

  3. BenCloward

    BenCloward

    Unity Technologies

    Joined:
    Jul 15, 2021
    Posts:
    93
    We used the Alt key modifier for node creation shortcuts because it had the fewest number of conflicts with other shortcuts on both Mac and PC. We wanted all of the node creation shortcuts to use the same modifier rather than some that used Ctrl, some that used Alt, and some that didn't use one. Alt gave us the most available keys that weren't in use by something else. We were able to set our top 40 most commonly used nodes all to use a unique key + Alt.
     
    BenCloward, Sep 28, 2023
    #3
    DragonCoder and FredMoreau like this.

  4. DigitalSalmon

    DigitalSalmon

    Joined:
    Jul 29, 2013
    Posts:
    99
    No other shader editor uses "modifier + under mouse" style shortcuts.

    Respectfully, you used the alt key modifier because the input handling system that the graph system relies on doesn't allow for held key + click detection and the team doesn't have the ability, resource, or inclination to correct the underlying issue.
     
    DigitalSalmon, Sep 28, 2023
    #4
    jasonboukheir3 likes this.

  5. FredMoreau

    FredMoreau

    Unity Technologies

    Joined:
    May 27, 2019
    Posts:
    112
    @DigitalSalmon,

    You nailed it. We do have dependencies, GraphView is one of them.
    We did our best to deliver on the request as quickly as possible so that it lands by the next LTS version.

    By looking at you guys' work - which looks great btw - I'm sure you appreciate development is an iterative process and that "done" is better than perfect.
    I hope you'll find that our efforts to improve will eventually meet your expectations.

    In the meantime, I'd rather welcome some actionable feedback.

    Thank you.
     
    FredMoreau, Sep 29, 2023
    #5
    DragonCoder and jasonboukheir3 like this.

  6. tweedie

    tweedie

    Joined:
    Apr 24, 2013
    Posts:
    311
    Yeah this isn't great unfortunately. The apparent lack of key + click in the new shortcuts editor seems fairly obvious here.

    I get that you guys have dependencies and you wanted to deliver something, but after the many many years we've already been waiting, and then the discussion in the other thread about "doing this better than other editors", it's pretty sad we've ended up with Alt+M for adding a Multiply node. That is an extremely unergonomic "shortcut".

    Some actionable feedback would be: please add support for KeyHold + Mouse Click combinations in the Shortcut Editor, so we can hold keys and click to create nodes.
     
    tweedie, Sep 29, 2023
    #6
    PixelDough likes this.

  7. FredMoreau

    FredMoreau

    Unity Technologies

    Joined:
    May 27, 2019
    Posts:
    112
    Thanks @tweedie. I'll share this with the Editor team.
     
    FredMoreau, Sep 29, 2023
    #7
    PixelDough likes this.

  8. FredMoreau

    FredMoreau

    Unity Technologies

    Joined:
    May 27, 2019
    Posts:
    112
    FYI

     
    FredMoreau, Oct 6, 2023
    #8
    jasonboukheir3 likes this.