bpy.types.Operator property "bl_property" does not work as expected #84563

New Issue

Casey Connor · 2021-01-10T06:17:52+01:00

Casey Connor commented

2021-01-10 06:17:52 +01:00

System Information
Operating system: Linux-5.8.0-36-generic-x86_64-with-debian-bullseye-sid 64 Bits
Graphics card: GeForce GTX 1060 6GB/PCIe/SSE2 NVIDIA Corporation 4.5.0 NVIDIA 450.102.04

Blender Version
Broken: version: 2.92.0 Alpha, branch: master, commit date: 2021-01-09 14:02, hash: 6154aa1529
Worked: not sure -- also broken in 2.91 and I believe earlier versions

Short description of error

setting bl_property on an Operator in a script does not seem to focus input field as expected

Exact steps for others to reproduce the error

This documentation for an Operator suggests that "bl_property" will be used to "select the default property when expanding an operator into a menu", which I believe to understand means that that property will be focused and ready for keyboard input.

• start blender with a fresh config directory
• enable Developer Extras in prefs->Interface
• open a text editor, paste in the script below
• run the script
• hit F3, enter "object.dialog_operator" and execute it
• observe that dialog appears, but float field is not focused, despite bl_property = "my_float"

If I have misunderstood something, my apologies; I have struggled to figure out how to make a property field focused and ready for input so that mousing to the field is not required, and this is the only thing I have found by internet searching. I have asked around and nobody seems to know how to do it, so I thought it was a bug.

import bpy
from bpy.props import *

class DialogOperator(bpy.types.Operator):
    bl_idname = "object.dialog_operator"
    bl_label = "Simple Dialog Operator"
    bl_property = "my_float"

    my_float = FloatProperty(name="Some Floating Point")

    def execute(self, context):
        return {'FINISHED'}

    def invoke(self, context, event):
        return context.window_manager.invoke_props_dialog(self)

def register():
    bpy.utils.register_class(DialogOperator)

def unregister():
    bpy.utils.unregister_class(DialogOperator)

if __name__ == "__main__":
    register()

**System Information** Operating system: Linux-5.8.0-36-generic-x86_64-with-debian-bullseye-sid 64 Bits Graphics card: GeForce GTX 1060 6GB/PCIe/SSE2 NVIDIA Corporation 4.5.0 NVIDIA 450.102.04 **Blender Version** Broken: version: 2.92.0 Alpha, branch: master, commit date: 2021-01-09 14:02, hash: `6154aa1529` Worked: not sure -- also broken in 2.91 and I believe earlier versions **Short description of error** setting bl_property on an Operator in a script does not seem to focus input field as expected **Exact steps for others to reproduce the error** [This documentation ](https://docs.blender.org/api/current/bpy.types.Operator.html#bpy.types.Operator.bl_property) for an Operator suggests that "bl_property" will be used to "select the default property when expanding an operator into a menu", which I believe to understand means that that property will be focused and ready for keyboard input. • start blender with a fresh config directory • enable Developer Extras in prefs->Interface • open a text editor, paste in the script below • run the script • hit F3, enter "object.dialog_operator" and execute it • observe that dialog appears, but float field is not focused, despite bl_property = "my_float" If I have misunderstood something, my apologies; I have struggled to figure out how to make a property field focused and ready for input so that mousing to the field is not required, and this is the only thing I have found by internet searching. I have asked around and nobody seems to know how to do it, so I thought it was a bug. ``` import bpy from bpy.props import * class DialogOperator(bpy.types.Operator): bl_idname = "object.dialog_operator" bl_label = "Simple Dialog Operator" bl_property = "my_float" my_float = FloatProperty(name="Some Floating Point") def execute(self, context): return {'FINISHED'} def invoke(self, context, event): return context.window_manager.invoke_props_dialog(self) def register(): bpy.utils.register_class(DialogOperator) def unregister(): bpy.utils.unregister_class(DialogOperator) if __name__ == "__main__": register() ```

Casey Connor commented

2021-01-10 06:17:52 +01:00

Added subscriber: @clepsydrae

Falk David commented

2021-01-11 15:22:43 +01:00

Added subscriber: @filedescriptor

Falk David commented

2021-01-11 15:22:43 +01:00

Changed status from 'Needs Triage' to: 'Archived'

Falk David closed this issue

2021-01-11 15:22:43 +01:00

Falk David commented

2021-01-11 15:22:43 +01:00

From what I understand in the documentation, bl_property is used by bpy.types.Menu to select the property. I don't think this will work with dialogues the way you are trying to use it. Either way, this is not a bug.
If you need help learning or using Blender, please post a question on one of our [community websites ]], for instance https:*blender.stackexchange.com/ , https:*blenderartists.org/ or the [ https:*blender.chat/channel/support | #support channel on Blender chat . The bug tracker is only for bug reports.
Closing.

From what I understand in the documentation, `bl_property` is used by `bpy.types.Menu` to select the property. I don't think this will work with dialogues the way you are trying to use it. Either way, this is not a bug. If you need help learning or using Blender, please post a question on one of our [community websites ]], for instance [[ https:*blender.stackexchange.com/ | Blender's StackExchange ]], [[ https:*blenderartists.org/ | blenderartists.org ]] or the [[ https:*blender.chat/channel/support | #support channel on Blender chat ](https:*www.blender.org/community/). The bug tracker is only for bug reports. Closing.

Casey Connor commented

2021-01-11 20:41:04 +01:00

Added subscriber: @brecht

Casey Connor commented

2021-01-11 20:41:04 +01:00

Thanks -- I did ask on both belnderartists and stackexchange to no avail.

Here @brecht says that it is appropriate for use in an operator dialog: https://devtalk.blender.org/t/how-to-make-field-focused-in-props-dialog/2158/2

...hence I reported it as a bug. And it does in fact work for StringProperty, I have now learned, but not for FloatProperty. This feels like a bug to me, but I don't know enough to make that case.

Thanks -- I did ask on both belnderartists and stackexchange to no avail. Here @brecht says that it is appropriate for use in an operator dialog: https://devtalk.blender.org/t/how-to-make-field-focused-in-props-dialog/2158/2 ...hence I reported it as a bug. And it does in fact work for StringProperty, I have now learned, but not for FloatProperty. This feels like a bug to me, but I don't know enough to make that case.

Brecht Van Lommel commented

2021-01-13 11:24:44 +01:00

This indeed only works for text fields. but I would not consider that a bug.

Casey Connor commented

2021-01-14 02:43:21 +01:00

Ok, thanks for chiming in. I do wish that it would work on any property -- AFAIK this means it's impossible to make an operator that pops up a dialog from a keystroke that is ready for input without requiring moving the mouse to it and clicking?

It might be nice to update/clarify the documentation. I would submit new suggested text but I am underqualified. :-) E.g. I don't know how to interpret "Currently this is only used to select the default property when expanding an operator into a menu", or whether StringProperty is the only kind of property bl_property applies to.

Anyway, thanks for looking at this.

Ok, thanks for chiming in. I do wish that it would work on any property -- AFAIK this means it's impossible to make an operator that pops up a dialog from a keystroke that is ready for input without requiring moving the mouse to it and clicking? It might be nice to update/clarify the documentation. I would submit new suggested text but I am underqualified. :-) E.g. I don't know how to interpret "Currently this is only used to select the default property when expanding an operator into a menu", or whether StringProperty is the only kind of property bl_property applies to. Anyway, thanks for looking at this.

TonyG commented

2021-02-04 05:03:51 +01:00

Added subscriber: @antoine.grasset

TonyG commented

2021-02-04 05:03:51 +01:00

+1 this is confusing : I just struggled an hour not understanding with I couldn't focus a float field !
This could be a little patch to make the behaviour coherent and bring some productivity improvement.

@brecht I cannot seem to find in the code source how "bl_property" will bring a string field to focus... could you point me in the general direction ?

+1 this is confusing : I just struggled an hour not understanding with I couldn't focus a float field ! This could be a little patch to make the behaviour coherent and bring some productivity improvement. @brecht I cannot seem to find in the code source how "bl_property" will bring a string field to focus... could you point me in the general direction ?

Brecht Van Lommel commented

2021-02-04 14:43:42 +01:00

In interface_templates.c:

      /* if button is operator's default property, and a text-field, enable focus for it
       * - this is used for allowing operators with popups to rename stuff with fewer clicks
       */
      if (is_popup) {
        if ((but->rnaprop == op->type->prop) && (but->type == UI_BTYPE_TEXT)) {
          UI_but_focus_on_enter_event(CTX_wm_window(C), but);
        }
      }

In `interface_templates.c`: ``` /* if button is operator's default property, and a text-field, enable focus for it * - this is used for allowing operators with popups to rename stuff with fewer clicks */ if (is_popup) { if ((but->rnaprop == op->type->prop) && (but->type == UI_BTYPE_TEXT)) { UI_but_focus_on_enter_event(CTX_wm_window(C), but); } } ```

Casey Connor commented

2021-02-27 04:41:54 +01:00

In case anyone is as foolish as I am, I tried removing "&& (but->type == UI_BTYPE_TEXT)" just to see if it would work for float properties, and it did not. :-)

Nick Alberelli commented

2021-02-27 20:01:00 +01:00

Added subscriber: @TinyNick

Nick Alberelli commented

2021-02-27 20:01:00 +01:00

I have also encountered this as an unexpected result, but I was able to find a work around converting the string to a float. I conquer that it is not a bug but maybe this would be appropriate as a feature request instead? @brecht I made a post about my findings and work around here https://blenderartists.org/t/how-to-focus-on-an-integer-in-an-operator-in-an-addon/1287896/2 but this really only seems to be an issue for beginner programmers, because it seems that if you have a robust understanding of python its a pretty simple solution.

Sign in to join this conversation.

No Label

Download

What's New

Blender Studio

Manual

Developers Blog

Documentation

Benchmark

Blender Conference

Development Fund

One-time Donations

bpy.types.Operator property "bl_property" does not work as expected #84563