The Transformer Gallery: Should it Stay or Should it Go?

I personally prefer Quick Add more, but it has one major downside: It cannot be resized
(not sure if that was sorted in 2024, didn’t get a chance to test it), It would be great if we could resize window itself and columns too.

I posted that idea some time ago, but it didn’t get much traction, even though I know that this is pain point for many users.
 

(On the separate note: I am nearly sure that I added photo too, but probably disappeared during the transfer to new Community pages)
 

I’m with the two posts above, resizing and quick add by category but I do have one thing I would like accessible somewhere, namely opening a browser to FME Hub so you can see the full documentation.

I voted stay. I rarely use it myself, but in training we always make it one of our recommendations to browse the gallery when looking for a transformer. We think it's a good tool for novice users to quickly get used to a lot of the transformer names and that might save them some frustration in the long run.

I'm following redgeographics opinion here, I hardly ever use it myself anymore, but I do remember from my first steps in FME that it was a useful help in finding your way around and getting to know the many transformers

And, if the gallery bothers you it’s easy to turn it off, but once it’s gone forever no way to turn it on if you liked it...

Then I have good news for you. That is part of the planned changes for 2024.1

I agree with many of the comments above, I never use the transformer gallery for adding transformers, just to show new users the transformer categories and names.

When I do find it useful is for working with linked custom transformers. I think reloading the transformer list in there after creating/editing a linked transformer feels more intuitive. And I can see the numbers changing 😅

FME friends,

As you know, the Transformer Gallery in FME Workbench is the window that exists in the lower left hand corner of Workbench, and gives you access to transformers.

However, now that most people are using Quick Add instead, we are considering removing the Transformer Gallery from Workbench completely.

Obviously, with a big change like this, we want to first get your feedback on how this might affect you.

So please:

• Visit this page to find out more information and to cast a vote in our poll of users.
• Add your comments to the thread below (but do check out the other page first).

If you vote in the poll you’ll get bonus reputation and a community badge to show which side you are on!

If you leave a comment below, please let us know what functionality you would miss by the gallery being removed. We think we have most of it covered elsewhere in Workbench, but we want to be sure.

Thanks for your feedback.

Mark

@mark2atsafe I just voted now :)

I voted to remove it, I rarely use it outside of embedded transformers and browsing categories. That said, I can absolutely understand the view of wanting to keep it, especially for new users.

For Listing embedded transformers, I would love to see the navigator changes added before it’s removed entirely.

Considering the dynamic situation of the website at present, I would prefer not to rely on the Online Transformer Gallery.

Very interesting to hear everyone’s views on elements like this. Would love to see this kind of discussion more often.

Never really used this Transformer Gallery, as there are - as you already indicate - other ways to search for and/or add transformers to the canvas. BTW I hope you do not have any plans to remove the canvas, do you? Because that's an FME Workbench window which I do use on a very regular basis… 😇

Cheers,

Egge-Jan