[UX] Improvements to usage of "effects"
The UX around using effects could be improved and made more consistent (and keyboard friendly at the same time).
Application of effects depends on context
As a basic user I assumed that if I have a group and I drag a video effect (zoom) to the group, Kdenlive will automatically use zoom on the video part of the group. I was greeted with this error.
I thought that it was a bug. As explained by jk:
Have you maybe tried to drop the effect on the audio part? (You need to drop it to the video. Otherwise it will fail…)
I see two options:
- Have Kdenlive instruct the user, that video effects belong to video clips and users have to be mindful what they're doing
- "Assume" the correct solution (since you can't zoom into audio or make video images more quiet)
Both options have their merits.
Not showing effects even when they can (and should) be displayed
Second topic deals with Kdenlive insisting on using the mouse to display effects, even when it has all the info to display them "just because".
Tweaks like this are critical for a keyboard-centric workflow.
ENV DETAILS
kdenlive-20.12.3a-x86_64.appimage
OS: KDE neon User Edition 5.21 x86_64
Kernel: 5.4.0-70-generic
KDE Plasma Desktop: 5.21.3