It seems that most Synfig users are happy to dabble in animation. However, Synfig could also be a productivity booster for those of who have a different purpose. I create educational videos and tutorials. This means using audio, moving assets/layers on and off the canvas, and longer play times (10 minutes or more), in addition to animation. These few changes would go a long way toward making Synfig a more universal tool:
Using the space bar to play and pause the animation. My left hand is useless right now.
Showing the audio wave pattern in the timeline would make it vastly easier to sync audio and canvas.
Using a library approach to assets so they can be moved onto and off of the canvas.
Just these three items would make Synfig a player in the education and training field.
If there are current features that could help me become more productive, I’d appreciate hearing from you.
Hello kwilco,
You make some good points and if I may I would like to toss in my two cents
My left hand is always on the control key. Whether its to undo (ctrl+z), or select all handles (ctrl+a), or select a number of specific handles and/or layers (ctrl+ left click), or even to zoom in and out of the canvas(ctrl+scroll wheel), and (shift+scroll wheel) to navigate left and right in the canvas. I’m sure there are many other shortcuts I am not utilizing. The space bar would be somewhat handy to play and pause, but personally, I would like a shortcut to easily navigate back and forth on the timebar.
I hope making synching easier is on the action items list. Showing waveform would be a good way about it.
I agree that the manipulating layers in the layers panel could be easier, although a library wouldn’t do it for me.
[Edit:] Also here is a Masking Tutorial for an infographic (CC on for english). There are others using Synfig for education too.
Please post your feature idea request. Lets continuously make Synfig better.
And Zelgadis, how does one post those items as feature requests to the bugtracker? Can we use our current login to the forum or do we have to separately register?
