I was thinking, (ah! run for the hills!) the “margins” for the Layout mode are meaningless as margins, right? So what if that section were reworked as something like:
I kinda assume it’s a “Not worth it, since we have plans for Layout’s deprecation,” but do think that it would improve clarity in the short-term, so worth bringing up.
Certainly worth taking a look at. Also if memory serves correct the margins are also that area that’s hardcoded to that 10mm that causes confusing behavior?
Seems like we just need to remove this part completely as it doesn’t even apply?
The layout has nothing to do printers other than selecting a template for the layout (paper) size. The margins are only applicable when you actually print / export. Even the templates are confusing as a user needs to select a roll or custom size width and height AT MINIMUM to fit the largest pattern piece. Which in most cases means you need to select a roll template with a long enough length, or use a custom template. All the paper sizes are usually meaningless.
To most users it would probably make more sense to replace the “paper format” templates with fabric widths like 39", 45", 60", 90", etc… with maybe an “on fold” option that cuts the width in half. And we treat those fabric widths like the current rolls with a custom length. As in… I got 3 yards of 60 fabric… give me a layout to cut the pattern on the fold.
In other words… what if we modify the current layout dialog to use fabric sizes as a step towards a marker?
Some people (me) might like to have that option for planning ahead, but not think of thinking far enough ahead to customize the paper size to something that would fit within the margins. Of course said coughhypotheticalcough person also might be prone to failing to remember that the 10mm is hadcoded, thus largely missing the expected benefits anyway.
Possibly a note along the lines of “Input smaller custom size to account for special margin needs” would more than amply account for the perceived loss.
I think that a sufficient number of users would still like one-click access to A0 size as well, but otherwise I think this sounds reasonable. (Assuming that you won’t be eliminating the option to set a Custom Size, of course.)
Maybe what might make more sense is to relabel the Layout dialog from “Paper format” to “Output size templates”, and Tab it with 2 tabs for “Fabric” and “Paper” sizes… so a user could select a size by fabric or by paper. We’d keep the paper templates, while adding fabric templates. Of course both would have a “custom” option. Preferably it would be nice to be able to add and save custom sized templates.
