Interface manual basics #9632

vgezer · 2024-07-21T12:19:06Z

This is an initiative to have a detailed manual on editor's interface elements. Which menu does what, where to find a specific tool, etc.

Currently, some useful functionality is discovered by accident. By looking at the merged PRs of such items (e.g., menu items or toolbar buttons) as well as the source code, I am trying to document the usage of each interface element in different sections.

Currently on this page we on this page: https://docs.godotengine.org/en/stable/tutorials/editor/index.html, we have:

Using the Project Manager
The Inspector
Project Settings
Default editor shortcuts
Customizing the interface

No usage of the menus, toolbars etc. I have currently the following items, still WIP:

Editor's Interface:

Project Manager
Editor's Interface

Interface Elements:

Each dock on its own page, either new page, or reference to existing pages.

Customization:

Project Settings (currently almost no info is there)
Default editor shortcuts (if Add a tool to automatically find shortcuts from the source code godot#94130 gets merged, it will automatically be updated)
Customizing the interface (e.g., new floating options, closing and reopening docks.)

I think it makes sense to have an overview of all interfaces, elements including (basic) usage.

PS: There are also tools to be documented, such as Orphan Resource Explorer, Docks themselves, or some optimization topics such as Customize run instance, but I think this should be the starting point.

AThousandShips

Some initial feedback, needs some extensive work for grammar and wording and will go over again when I find the time

tutorials/editor/project_settings.rst

tutorials/editor/playtest_buttons_and_renderer.rst

tutorials/editor/main_menus.rst

tutorials/editor/bottom_panel.rst

tetrapod00 · 2024-11-20T19:15:52Z

I think #10282 covers the project settings window reasonably well

tetrapod00 · 2024-12-03T21:44:18Z

Can this be broken up into multiple PRs for the different pages for easier review? Some of the pages here look ready for review, if they were split into individual PRs.

tetrapod00

I know this is still a draft, but here's a bit of feedback that stood out to me while reading it.

tetrapod00 · 2024-12-03T21:53:17Z

tutorials/editor/customizing_editor.rst

+After making changes, open the `Editor` menu at the top of the editor then
+choose `Editor Layouts > Save`. Enter a name for the layout, then click
+`Save`. If you've already saved an editor layout, you can choose to override


All these should not be changed. The docs generally use Bold for interactible UI buttons, not italics. The docs are currently inconsistent about this, but in #10169 we put this into a formal guideline.

tetrapod00 · 2024-12-03T21:55:39Z

tutorials/editor/import_dock.rst

+Import Dock
+===========
+
+Import dock allows you to change the importing parameters of non-native resources 


Suggested change

Import dock allows you to change the importing parameters of non-native resources

The Import dock allows you to change the importing parameters of non-native resources

IMO all these pages should start with "The Import dock" or "The Inspector dock" rather than "Import dock" or "Inspector dock".

tetrapod00 · 2024-12-03T21:56:26Z

tutorials/editor/inspector_dock.rst

+If the inspector dock is visible, clicking on a node in the scene tree will automatically
+display its properties.
+If it is not visible, you can show it by navigating to
+`Editor > Editor Settings > Editor Docks > Inspector`.


Suggested change

`Editor > Editor Settings > Editor Docks > Inspector`.

**Editor > Editor Settings > Editor Docks > Inspector**.

As mentioned earlier, generally bold for UI buttons and menu paths like these.

tetrapod00 · 2024-12-03T21:57:51Z

tutorials/editor/node_dock.rst

+Node Dock
+=========
+
+Node dock has two tabs:


Suggested change

Node dock has two tabs:

The Node dock has two tabs:

tetrapod00 · 2024-12-03T21:58:12Z

tutorials/editor/node_dock.rst

+Signals
+-------
+
+The `Signals` tab lists the signals of the selected node in the Scene dock which the node can emit.


Suggested change

The `Signals` tab lists the signals of the selected node in the Scene dock which the node can emit.

The **Signals** tab lists the signals of the selected node in the Scene dock which the node can emit.

tetrapod00 · 2024-12-03T22:00:06Z

tutorials/editor/project_manager.rst

@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 .. _doc_project_manager:

-Using the Project Manager
-=========================
+Project Manager


I like this change! IMO sometimes the docs needlessly uses "Using X" rather than just "X" for titles just to follow a guideline.

tetrapod00 · 2024-12-03T22:01:10Z

tutorials/editor/project_settings.rst

@@ -5,12 +5,21 @@
 Project Settings
 ================

-This page explains how to use the Project Settings window. If you would like to access and modify project settings via code, see :ref:`ProjectSettings <class_ProjectSettings>`.
+.. warning:: This page is a work-in-progress.


We should not have notes of this form. We should bring the page to a correct state, even if it is very short, and not directly comment on future changes within the text of a page.

tetrapod00 · 2024-12-03T22:03:55Z

tutorials/editor/workspace_selector.rst

@@ -0,0 +1,25 @@
+.. _doc_workspace_selector:
+
+Workspace selector


Let's check if this has an official name in the editor itself, or if it was named a "workspace selector" either in this PR or in a prior docs PR.

I think the name is a good one, but by adding a page here we're solidifying the name as the official one.

tetrapod00 · 2024-12-03T22:04:35Z

tutorials/editor/workspace_selector.rst

+  in the project. 
+- **AssetLib** allows you to download plugins and addons for your project. This requires Godot to 
+  be in online mode. Unlike the Asset Library in the project manager, the results will not include 
+  complete game demos. See :ref:`AssetLib <toc-learn-features-assetlib>` for more details.


This link should probably be to an anchor, not a toc. You might need to add an anchor above the toc.

vgezer · 2024-12-09T20:18:13Z

Can this be broken up into multiple PRs for the different pages for easier review? Some of the pages here look ready for review, if they were split into individual PRs.

I will go over your comments and try to separate them! Thanks!

AThousandShips added enhancement area:manual Issues and PRs related to the Manual/Tutorials section of the documentation labels Jul 21, 2024

AThousandShips requested changes Jul 22, 2024

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vgezer force-pushed the editorintro branch 3 times, most recently from e278a05 to d318036 Compare August 4, 2024 19:08

vgezer force-pushed the editorintro branch 3 times, most recently from 39dc595 to 90af831 Compare August 13, 2024 16:05

tetrapod00 mentioned this pull request Oct 17, 2024

"Using the file Browser" section located in a confusing place #10104

Closed

vgezer force-pushed the editorintro branch 2 times, most recently from cc8c1c4 to 7f886a2 Compare October 23, 2024 08:27

tetrapod00 added the topic:editor Related to editor features or workflows label Nov 15, 2024

vgezer added 7 commits November 28, 2024 14:52

interface manual basics

5c3dfe8

moving docks

a0adc6c

Add node documentations

9d2e5d6

Add Scene Tree manual

6463597

move debug from scripting section to its own

d757fdb

drag drop on inspector and crosslinking

7b16db3

update inspector with favorite option

e64b0d6

vgezer force-pushed the editorintro branch from f68f293 to e64b0d6 Compare November 28, 2024 13:52

tetrapod00 reviewed Dec 3, 2024

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Interface manual basics #9632

Interface manual basics #9632

vgezer commented Jul 21, 2024 •

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vgezer commented Dec 9, 2024

	Import dock allows you to change the importing parameters of non-native resources
	The Import dock allows you to change the importing parameters of non-native resources

	`Editor > Editor Settings > Editor Docks > Inspector`.
	Editor > Editor Settings > Editor Docks > Inspector.

	The `Signals` tab lists the signals of the selected node in the Scene dock which the node can emit.
	The Signals tab lists the signals of the selected node in the Scene dock which the node can emit.

		@@ -0,0 +1,25 @@
		.. _doc_workspace_selector:

		Workspace selector

Interface manual basics #9632

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Interface manual basics #9632

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