Undo?

[kollatt]

http://vimeo.com/6143607

if you watch the video that david revoy posted here in the 'sketches' forum you will see a beautiful example of how alchemy operates. during the initial phase of the drawing, he is using alchemy to fill the canvas with chaos. rather than focusing on making the 'right' shapes, he is instead concentrating on the moment when the shapes being made start to speak to him and become something in his mind. at one point he starts to see a face in the drawing and takes a few moments to flesh it out. then, once he has decided that the face isn't working for him, he doesn't try to undo what's going on in an attempt to control the situation and fix it. rather, he blots more shapes down directly over top and moves forward looking for something else that speaks to him more. he's letting the creative process move down the path that it wishes and simply tries to co-exist with it and flow with it until it reveals itself.

this is the idea that is at the heart of this program. let's vote to keep it that way.

[justonce]

once again, i think people are ignoring the sessions option in alchemy. it's the software's answer to an undo feature, and using sessions instead of undo creates a very different workflow that is quite organic and forward moving. another reason to not implement undo is that it would make alchemy a heavier program, requiring that it keep history of past strokes.

I am not a programmer.I know little about the difference between sessions software and other softwares(Photoshop...etc).
Would a simple "Undo" function within 3 steps make Alchemy a heavier program? I can hardly believe it.I am eager to see the Undo function in next version of Alchemy. Let more users use Alchemy in more fields---that is the way to improve this sofware,I think.

[kollatt]

can you make more of a point as to why undo would make alchemy a better and more production-friendly program in contrast to the points i've made? i don't feel like i've seen enough people make an argument as to why undo is better for the software vs. the reasons why undo would negatively affect the original concept and strengths of alchemy. usually i just see "just put it in undo so it will be better." i've posed reasons why alchemy is special among the many tools available and keeping clear of the undo option is better for it's development. by putting in options that we're accustomed to in other programs it disallows creative solutions to the issue and doesn't allow for new types of workflows. we don't want alchemy to be like every other program. that's precisely the point of the whole thing i'm curious as to what the developers are thinking on this issue right now..

justonce - also if you don't know the difference between the sessions system of alchemy and the undo features of ps and other software it might be wise to do some research and experimentation with it before making an argument against it. i'm not trying to be rude, just pragmatic.

[kollatt]

i'd like to post another point about the idea that an undo option would make alchemy more useable in other fields.. in many instances you see studios and companies developing in-house tools to specialize in a particular workflow or pipeline ( this is prevalent in the cg industry ). this option is very viable for open-source software like blender or alchemy because someone who understands the program's language can simply rewrite the tool to suit their needs without needing to license out proprietary tools. so if the argument really is that alchemy needs to make it's way into the fields of production then it would be up the the users to adopt the program and hire someone ( either freelance or an employee in their company ) to develop an undo function for alchemy. but the general public's version should stay true to it's original course as developed by the original creators.

also i use alchemy in my production work with very satisfying results and i have hardly if ever wished for an undo function because i simply know what to expect from the tool when i open it. i don't go into photoshop expecting to have robust natural media tools like corel painter, and i don't count on painter having editing tools like photoshop. if it doesn't work for your method, then don't try to use it for that purpose, right?

[Nirmal]

how about a feature to enable or disable undo for the users discretion?...probably an option can pop up that allows a session of either an undo-redo enabled session and one that does not...so the user can get ultra messy when he wants to and donsn't have to when he doesn't...this leaves alchemy more flexible to tinker with...so either parties are satisfied

[tan-art]

i was going to raise a topic about undo, since im so use to it when working on a computer... after reading through this, it makes sense to use alchemy as part of your creative process... iv started studying graphic design this year, and in our creative process class, they tell us no judgements, and to 'not think'. if your going to undo, then your already thinking too much about 'one' idea and should be moving onto the next or redoing it entirely... adding undo feature would just make it into a tool which defeats the purpose of creative thinking... so maybe dont add an undo feature...

lol but then again... i would like to do final things in vector format, so by then it would be good for an undo... because the difference with this and illustrator, is that i can draw vectors with my tablet alot easier than using pen tool in illustrator......

[dasAdam]

my opinion is short and might sound harsh
GET OVER IT!

as it got mentioned before! its perfect as it is. try to play around with alchemy for a bit longer.stop the whining use it what it is made for! SKETCHING! its for the rough raw stuff! *bites into raw piece of meat*

you can start hating me! but you should better start to love alchemy instead

[tryingtodraw]

My only beef with the lack of an undo function is the following:

I'm just starting off drawing and I appreciate having to use the eraser to clean things up, but my tablet occasionally just jumps on its own and makes a line where it shouldn't be, by which I mean completely ruins the picture and is a hassle to clean up. If you're trying to draw actual objects and not something purely conceptual, this makes it very frustrating to correct. I understand why you don't want an undo function for general drawing, but it would be very nice to have an undo function to get rid of random lines across your drawing as a result of the tablet you're using.

[imitazion]

Hi all,

I just want to add a little comment about 'undo'.. it is ok for some alchemy fanatics to bother this.. here i am speaking about creativity,.. if this undo tool is weakening our process of creation then it is ok to keep it 'unavailable', but the undo tool is needed because there is no way that this great small apps will be tamed by us, it is the nature of alchemy to be wild as a beast..
after so many pictures i made, the wild side of alchemy will always RUIN the design..even when i have photoshop run in the background to do the rescue.. but it wasn't help..
so, please have a compromise to all, simply make the undo available... you can give us limited 5X undo, limitless undo, or 'on/offable' undo... if we can have a better results then it will give benefit to alchemy too...
no hard feeling please...

Peace!!