If a user is working with a stylus on a tablet, they need continuous access to the tools on the Pen toolbar. A solution might be to allow the user to “pin” the Pen toolbar so that it remains open until the user “unpins” it.
This request is from the perspective of using an Apple Pencil to do extensive drawing in the iOS app on an iPad, but it applies to any scenario where the user is using the app to primarily draw with a stylus.
Currently, the Pen toolbar disappears when a user selects a tool on the Main toolbar. This forces the user to open the Pen toolbar again when they want to continue drawing. In the course of a day, this can add up to many unnecessary (and eventually annoying) clicks to reopen the Pen toolbar. This also interrupts the user’s “flow” and distracts them from the task at hand (i.e. drawing).
Occasionally, the user may need to use a tool from the Main toolbar but, when drawing with a stylus, the majority of their work will require the tools in the Pen toolbar. The user should not have to reopen the toolbar that they are primarily using (i.e. the Pen toolbar).
Related:
Need ability to "pin" the Pen toolbar to keep it open | Miro
Pen - don't hide toolbar after tool selection | Miro
Sorry, “Related” should have included the following idea because it also has to do with interrupting “flow”:
Icon in Main toolbar for Pen toolbar should not change; interrupts drawing "flow" | Miro
And after finding a similar idea, I think a good solution would be to replace the “X” icon in the Pen toolbar with a “Pin” (or “thumbtack”) icon.
Probably the biggest interruption that this issue causes is when I use the Pen tool to draw something and then use two fingers to zoom in/out or move the canvas. Every time I do this, the Pen toolbar closes, which is super annoying because I am zooming or moving the canvas so that I can continue drawing.
HI@f_lagrant , we just updated our Pen experience on a tablet. When using a stylus, Miro will auto detect the stylus and allow you to draw on a board without having to select the pen tool. Give it a try when you have a moment.
More info here.
-Nick
Hi @nick. Thanks for the update. That approach might work. I am still testing it out.
One issue I have seen while testing this on 2 different iPads is that even though “Only draw with Stylus” is selected I can still draw with my finger.
I determined that drawing with my finger is possible anytime the Pen Toolbar is open. That is not the behavior I would expect while having “Only draw with Stylus” enabled.
Hi@Nick Cook . I’m sorry to say, regardless of the finger-drawing bug or not, this new auto detect feature is not a sufficient replacement for simply keeping the Pen Toolbar open.
When I am drawing I am constantly bouncing between Pen, Eraser, Selection, and the pen Size/Color items on the Pen Toolbar. They need to all be visible at the same time, all the time. Also, as soon as I tap my finger on an object to move it, the toolbar disappears.
The new auto detect feature is a slight improvement because I do not have to select the Pen tool to start drawing again, after selecting an object with my finger, but if I want to then select another group of objects to be moved (with the Selection lasso) I have to go open the Pen Toolbar again to access the Selection tool. The same issue applies if I want to change my pen color or size before I start drawing again.
Hi@f_lagrant ,
Thank you for the detailed feedback. I will relay this back to our product team.
-Nick
I totally agree!
Have had the same need for a while as a cross-platform user this would be a great feature for may devices.
Also, since the auto-detection of inking, it continually keeps reminding me that I can just draw instead of hitting the menu, but since I have to hit the menu to do anything other than inking in the single default color to begin with I am always reading that message though I know about the capability.
It would be great if one could permanently dismiss the message after acknoledging it.