Pointer mode and clear-all button for tablet-only use

[gmasarotto]

First of all, I would like to thank you for developing drawpen; it is truly a great tool. My suggestion is intended to make it even more usable.

I would like drawpen to be usable on a tablet (in my case, Linux) without a keyboard. Looking at similar tools (which unfortunately only work on Windows), such as gInk or ppInk, and also at how the screen annotator works in Zoom, this would essentially require adding two new buttons to the drawpen window:

• A button (called Pointer in ppInk) that keeps the drawpen window visible on the screen but, when activated, passes all input events through to other applications (i.e., temporarily disables screen annotation).
• A button to clear all annotations from the screen.

These two additions would make drawpen much more convenient to use in tablet-only workflows.

[DmytroVasin]

Hi! Thanks a lot for the suggestion!

• A one-tap Clear All button to remove all annotations from the screen will be added in the next sprint.
• Regarding Pointer Mode: I would like to clarify that I understand your workflow correctly:

You would like to draw something using DrawPen, then tap a button on the toolbar to temporarily disable annotation input. The annotations you have already drawn should remain visible on the screen, but DrawPen should stop capturing input events so that you can interact with the underlying applications (for example, browser, chat, IDE, etc.).

Then, using an on-screen control (without relying on a keyboard), you would be able to switch back to drawing mode and continue interacting with your annotations again.

Is that correct?

drawn should remain visible on the screen

Is this required? I mean you want to see drawings, or just want to be able to Hide and Pop the Drawpen?

[gmasarotto]

Thank for the interest in the proposal. And yes, that the idea. You click on the "Pointer" (or how you want to call) button and the annotations and the Drawpen window remain visible on the screen but the app stops capturing the input events; if needed you can delete all the drawings with a single click (that the use of the other button; like Ctrl-K but without needing a keyboard), if you want to add a new annotation you have to click on the tool (e.g. the pen) in the Drawpen window. It is important that the Drawpen controls remain visible and on the top of all the other windows so that it is possible to restart drawing without using the keyboard also when one of the no Drawpen windows is fullscreen (it happens if you are giving a presentation and you want to use Drawpen to annotate the slides).

[gmasarotto]

An alternative would be to have the 'minimize to system tray' button optionally minimize Drawpen also into a small 'always-on-top mini window' instead. This window would remain visible on screen and restore Drawpen when clicked—acting as a mouse-friendly alternative to the Ctrl+Shift+A shortcut. This ensures Drawpen can be reactivated even when the system tray is inaccessible, such as during a presentation.

[DmytroVasin]

That is great suggestion and description - now I see use case.

I will definitely do that feature (or at least try to implement it).

BTW. "Clear All" button was added in 0.43 version

[gmasarotto]

Thanks Dmytro for all the great work on this tool!