VSE: "Swap Strip" function should act on selected strips instead of active strip #91191

New Issue

David Salvo · 2021-09-05T07:00:38+02:00

David Salvo commented

2021-09-05 07:00:38 +02:00

System Information
Operating system: Linux-5.4.0-81-generic-x86_64-with-glibc2.31 64 Bits
Graphics card: GeForce 9800 GT/PCIe/SSE2 NVIDIA Corporation 3.3.0 NVIDIA 340.108

Blender Version
Broken: version: 3.0.0 Alpha, branch: master, commit date: 2021-09-04 16:28, hash: 079bd11556
Worked: Unsure

Short description of error
Last selected strip will respond to Swap Strip function, even if it's not the currently unselected.
Seems to be an unconsidered use case related to https://developer.blender.org/T90356

Steps to Reproduce the error

Select any strip in a channel with more than 1 strip
Click off-strip to deselect that strip (the strip label will remain in white as last-selected)
Activate Swap strip option - this strip will respond, when the function should fail

{F10386722,size=full}

As you can see in the video, you get other unexpected behaviour, such as a strip that has been explicitly selected by block select being ignored in favour of the "last selected" strip.

Honestly it would be nice if it could operate on multiple horizontally adjacent strips, but that's an expansion of current function I realize. Though even if it stays as a single-strip operator, that strip should be the strip that is currently selected.

**System Information** Operating system: Linux-5.4.0-81-generic-x86_64-with-glibc2.31 64 Bits Graphics card: GeForce 9800 GT/PCIe/SSE2 NVIDIA Corporation 3.3.0 NVIDIA 340.108 **Blender Version** Broken: version: 3.0.0 Alpha, branch: master, commit date: 2021-09-04 16:28, hash: `079bd11556` Worked: Unsure **Short description of error** Last selected strip will respond to Swap Strip function, even if it's not the currently unselected. Seems to be an unconsidered use case related to https://developer.blender.org/T90356 **Steps to Reproduce the error** 1. Select any strip in a channel with more than 1 strip 2. Click off-strip to deselect that strip (the strip label will remain in white as last-selected) 3. Activate Swap strip option - this strip will respond, when the function should fail {[F10386722](https://archive.blender.org/developer/F10386722/0060-0590.mp4),size=full} --- As you can see in the video, you get other unexpected behaviour, such as a strip that has been explicitly selected by block select being ignored in favour of the "last selected" strip. Honestly it would be nice if it could operate on multiple horizontally adjacent strips, but that's an expansion of current function I realize. Though even if it stays as a single-strip operator, that strip should be the strip that is currently selected.

David Salvo commented

2021-09-05 07:00:38 +02:00

Added subscriber: @slinkeepie

Pratik Borhade commented

2021-09-06 08:18:12 +02:00

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

Pratik Borhade commented

2021-09-06 08:18:16 +02:00

Added subscriber: @PratikPB2123

Aditya Y Jeppu commented

2021-09-08 16:46:01 +02:00

Added subscriber: @quantimoney

Aditya Y Jeppu commented

2021-09-08 16:46:01 +02:00

Box select doesn't make the strip the active one (although selected) and therefore the function "fails" here. Consistency wise, the box select should have the same functionality (not making anything active but just selected). So mostly this should just be left as it is, other areas in blender too have functionality which is applied to only the active one, even when other entities might be selected.

tintwotin commented

2021-09-08 19:38:48 +02:00

Added subscriber: @tintwotin

tintwotin commented

2021-09-08 19:38:48 +02:00

The active strip is the one displayed in the sidebar and if a value is changed in the sidebar, the values of the active strip should be changed no matter if it is selected or not.

However the operators working from the menu should only work on the selected strips, not the unselected active strip. The problem here is that the active strip is included in the selection, and it shouldn't. So with no selected strips, shouldn't Swap do anything.

The active strip is the one displayed in the sidebar and if a value is changed in the sidebar, the values of the active strip should be changed no matter if it is selected or not. However the operators working from the menu should only work on the selected strips, not the unselected active strip. The problem here is that the active strip is included in the selection, and it shouldn't. So with no selected strips, shouldn't Swap do anything.

David Salvo commented

2021-09-08 20:21:18 +02:00

In #91191#1217597, @quantimoney wrote:
Box select doesn't make the strip the active one (although selected) and therefore the function "fails" here. Consistency wise, the box select should have the same functionality (not making anything active but just selected). So mostly this should just be left as it is, other areas in blender too have functionality which is applied to only the active one, even when other entities might be selected.

Hey Aditya, thanks for taking a look! (sorry I've fixed the video now, keep forgetting it won't play weird resolutions). The other bug I mentioned above was fixed for this same reason, it just isn't consistent with the closest other relevant behaviour. i.e. You can't grab an unselected strip, delete, or any other operator, so this is confusing to the user. I can't remember the exact situation, but I came across this behaviour during regular usage on a project.

(Note: I've no problem with box select not creating a new active strip, as that's primarily a multi-strip selector).

> In #91191#1217597, @quantimoney wrote: > Box select doesn't make the strip the active one (although selected) and therefore the function "fails" here. Consistency wise, the box select should have the same functionality (not making anything active but just selected). So mostly this should just be left as it is, other areas in blender too have functionality which is applied to only the active one, even when other entities might be selected. Hey Aditya, thanks for taking a look! (sorry I've fixed the video now, keep forgetting it won't play weird resolutions). The other bug I mentioned above was fixed for this same reason, it just isn't consistent with the closest other relevant behaviour. i.e. You can't grab an unselected strip, delete, or any other operator, so this is confusing to the user. I can't remember the exact situation, but I came across this behaviour during regular usage on a project. (Note: I've no problem with box select not creating a new active strip, as that's primarily a multi-strip selector).

David Salvo commented

2021-09-08 20:31:31 +02:00

Note: Menu description would be have to be changed from "active strip" to "selected strip" if this is corrected.

Also any failure of this function to operate based on a multiple strip selection should probably have some kind of unobtrusive notification be displayed to the user (like the message on bottom bar when file is saved?), but honestly that doesn't seem to be a thing in the VSE so I understand if that's not done for now.

Note: Menu description would be have to be changed from "active strip" to "selected strip" if this is corrected. Also any failure of this function to operate based on a multiple strip selection should probably have some kind of unobtrusive notification be displayed to the user (like the message on bottom bar when file is saved?), but honestly that doesn't seem to be a thing in the VSE so I understand if that's not done for now.

David Salvo changed title from ~~VSE: "Swap Strip" function will act on last selected (but currently unselected) strip~~ to VSE: "Swap Strip" function will act on active (but currently unselected) strip

2021-09-09 09:32:44 +02:00

David Salvo changed title from ~~VSE: "Swap Strip" function will act on active (but currently unselected) strip~~ to VSE: "Swap Strip" function will act on active strip when unselected

2021-09-09 09:33:25 +02:00

David Salvo changed title from ~~VSE: "Swap Strip" function will act on active strip when unselected~~ to VSE: "Swap Strip" function should act on selected strip instead of active strip

2021-09-09 09:38:25 +02:00

tintwotin commented

2021-09-09 09:40:28 +02:00

It's the same situation with the operators exposed in the Effect Strip menu:
{F10390042,size=full}

And Inputs > Change Path/Files:
{F10390046,size=full}

Imo, all of them should be moved into the strip sidebar which works on the active strip no matter if it is selected or not.
(The Change Path/Files functionality seems to be already exposed in the Source sidebar)

It's the same situation with the operators exposed in the Effect Strip menu: {[F10390042](https://archive.blender.org/developer/F10390042/image.png),size=full} And Inputs > Change Path/Files: {[F10390046](https://archive.blender.org/developer/F10390046/image.png),size=full} Imo, all of them should be moved into the strip sidebar which works on the active strip no matter if it is selected or not. (The Change Path/Files functionality seems to be already exposed in the Source sidebar)

David Salvo commented

2021-09-09 09:54:05 +02:00

In #91191#1217805, @tintwotin wrote:

Imo, all of them should be moved into the strip sidebar which works on the active strip no matter if it is selected or not.
(The Change Path/Files functionality seems to be already exposed in the Source sidebar)

Yep agreed, that would create some nice consistency. I consider this buggy behaviour because it's just so unexpected and inconsistent, not to mention unintuitive - despite the function technically doing what it says it does.

After I found this one, I had a quick look through the menu to see what other functions could be operating in this weird way... didn't find any, but I did notice that although "Slip strip" works on selected strip(s), the mouse-over help message in the menu states it acts on the active strip. I will file a simple bug report for this tonight.

> In #91191#1217805, @tintwotin wrote: > > Imo, all of them should be moved into the strip sidebar which works on the active strip no matter if it is selected or not. > (The Change Path/Files functionality seems to be already exposed in the Source sidebar) Yep agreed, that would create some nice consistency. I consider this buggy behaviour because it's just so unexpected and inconsistent, not to mention unintuitive - despite the function technically doing what it says it does. After I found this one, I had a quick look through the menu to see what other functions could be operating in this weird way... didn't find any, but I did notice that although "Slip strip" works on selected strip(s), the mouse-over help message in the menu states it acts on the active strip. I will file a simple bug report for this tonight.

tintwotin self-assigned this 2021-09-10 08:35:01 +02:00

tintwotin commented

2021-09-10 08:35:01 +02:00

Fix in D12441.

Fix in [D12441](https://archive.blender.org/developer/D12441).

tintwotin changed title from ~~VSE: "Swap Strip" function should act on selected strip instead of active strip~~ to VSE: "Swap Strip" function should act on selected strips instead of active strip

2021-09-10 09:02:31 +02:00

Richard Antalik commented

2021-09-10 13:59:40 +02:00

Added subscriber: @iss

Richard Antalik commented

2021-09-10 13:59:40 +02:00

This is correct behavior and most likely it is written like this on purpose.

Even without looking too much on D12441, this would introduce various issues like

What happens when you select multiple strips?
What happens when selection is randomly distributed?
What happens when you select all strips?
What if some script relied on this functionality?

This is not impossible to change, but I would propose logic like "Swap active strip, or selected if only one strip is selected". Swapping continuous blocks of strips could be done too, it sounds quite useful.

This is correct behavior and most likely it is written like this on purpose. Even without looking too much on [D12441](https://archive.blender.org/developer/D12441), this would introduce various issues like - What happens when you select multiple strips? - What happens when selection is randomly distributed? - What happens when you select all strips? - What if some script relied on this functionality? This is not impossible to change, but I would propose logic like "Swap active strip, or selected if only one strip is selected". Swapping continuous blocks of strips could be done too, it sounds quite useful.

Campbell Barton commented

2021-09-20 07:43:47 +02:00

Added subscriber: @ideasman42

Campbell Barton commented

2021-09-20 07:43:47 +02:00

Changed status from 'Confirmed' to: 'Archived'

Campbell Barton closed this issue

2021-09-20 07:43:47 +02:00

Campbell Barton commented

2021-09-20 07:43:47 +02:00

Closing since this is working as intended, supporting this is an enhancement.

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VSE: "Swap Strip" function should act on selected strips instead of active strip #91191