Had an interesting email today on the complexity of the plugin. I agree that the menus are a bit daunting even for myself, and I even know what each parameter is and does.
I've discussed this previously in the thread with an idea to go to an HTML menu that hopefully might be less "scary".
The problem really is that to fully define a wall with all of the flexibility needed the number of parameters quickly goes through the roof. Case in point, look at the edit window menu here:
http://design.medeek.com/test/web_dialog_editwindow.htmlPeople like the simplicity of SketchUp, that is what has drawn many of us to it. Then I turn around a throw a bunch of menus at you with 15-20 parameters each, I can understand how this can be a bit much for many people.
As I've been contemplating this problem and trying to find a solution (compromise) I've come up with the following idea.
Essentially have the draw wall tool present an HTML menu not to dissimilar from the current HTML edit menu. However organize the options that turn off the various advanced options into highlighted headers with all of the sub-details hidden unless those particular header items are enabled. It may take a few iterations to get this right but I think it would be better than the current system of multiple menus that pop up one after the other.
I'm not a software developer or a GUI expert but when I hit upon the right solution I will know when it is right.
As far as decreasing the depth of the plugin, that cannot be done. What can be improved upon is the ability to better manage that data and organize and present it in a more concise and clear fashion.
This is the reason for the extensive global settings, the user can enable or disable the default behavior for a number of parameters and options allowing the user to precisely determine to what level of granularity they wish to take their model.
For instance many people probably don't want to model the cavity insulation (personally I don't find it that useful) but if that level of detail is needed it can be turned on in the insulation tab of the global settings.
Please continue to send me your feedback. I have lots of ideas on how this plugin should go together but I've changed gears a few times already when shown a different way.