Dot groups/layers, and free rotate transform ability...

[sdlawrence]

The dots are, without question, the greatest core power of this product (and oh my, what a product). There are two parts to my suggestion, both related to what is already native to Photoshop and other image manipulation programs.

The ability to manipulate (transform) groups of dots en masse is beyond powerful. Lasso was a giant step in the right direction, and I was going to suggest lasso and resizing as an ability, only to find you had already implemented it! NICE.

I would also like a free rotation feature. Thought of in Photoshop terms, an axis/center of rotation circle in the center of a selection that can be relocated, along with a mouse pointer that turns into a rotation curve hint when you hover outside one of the corners of a selection.

Secondly, the reason I ask (nay, beg) for the ability to group and/or layer dots: regional separation: I have local morphing regions that need to "travel" in sync with other morphed regions.

Please consider?

EDIT: Actually, the free rotation ability is by far the one I value and need most. Even a suggestion for a temporary workaround would be greatly appreciated. I have a group of dots that I need to rotate, but each dot needs to keep its spacing relative to its neigbhors. Is there a way this can be accomplished with the program as it is now?

[fantam]

Many thanks for your suggestions.
The rotation feature will come out with the new version 5 soon.
I'm not sure I understand what you said "the ability to group and/or layer dots: regional separation: I have local morphing regions that need to "travel" in sync with other morphed regions." Can you please describe more? You can directly send us an email if you need to attach some figures.

[sdlawrence]

VERY excited to here about version 5! (Rough ETA?)

I'm sorry, I think my suggestion and what I envisioned was more complicated than it needed to be. All I'm really looking for is an easy way to group dots for selection. So 'groups', rather than layers, would be a more correct term. Here's a mockup example:



Imagine dots at the start of each arrow. I work with a lot of "regions" (e.g. fluids) that must move and morph separately, albeit on the same image. I would basically like the ability to group/select (one click lasso) a group of dots (list/folder off to the right or something).

This would especially come in handy in cases where lassoing might gather in a bunch of unwanted selections (like Group 1, the dots of which must move as one unit, but the selection of which would be a pain - especially where hundreds of dots are involved).

Grouping/group selection would also be tantamount to the ability to "freeze" dots (different suggestion?).

[fantam]

Here is a Flash tutorial on how to select/remove/append dots for a dot group. Just remember you can use ALT key to remove unwanted dots or use SHIFT key to append any new dots. In this way it is not very difficult to make the selection like Group 1.


On the other hand, we have some new ideas on dot groups that you can expect in version 5.

[austing]

+1 on this request. I knew few users where this is a useful one.