The Select Hierarchy keyboard shortcut fails to select nested meshes #103723

New Issue

M. Clark · 2023-01-07T21:31:41+01:00

M. Clark commented

2023-01-07 21:31:41 +01:00

System Information
Operating system: Windows-10-10.0.19042-SP0 64 Bits
Graphics card: Quadro #2000 with Max-Q Design/PCIe/SSE2 NVIDIA Corporation 4.5.0 NVIDIA 516.94

Blender Version
Broken: version: 3.4.0, branch: blender-v3.4-release, commit date: 2022-12-06 18:46, hash: a95bf1ac01
Worked: (newest version of Blender that worked as expected)

Short description of error
In the Outliner, Select Hierarchy on the context menu works as expected. The corresponding keyboard shortcut (Shift-RightBracket) fails to select meshes that are nested in an empty.

Exact steps for others to reproduce the error

Add an empty, called "Parent empty".
In "Parent empty" add a mesh ("Mesh A") and an empty ("Nested empty")
In "Nested empty" add a mesh called "Nested mesh".
In the Outliner, right-click "Parent empty" and select Select Hierarchy. "Mesh A" and "Nested mesh" are selected, as expected.
In the Outliner, select "Parent empty". In the Viewport, press Shift-RightBracket. "Nested mesh" is not selected.

Select_Hierarchy_keyboard_shortcut.blend

**System Information** Operating system: Windows-10-10.0.19042-SP0 64 Bits Graphics card: Quadro #2000 with Max-Q Design/PCIe/SSE2 NVIDIA Corporation 4.5.0 NVIDIA 516.94 **Blender Version** Broken: version: 3.4.0, branch: blender-v3.4-release, commit date: 2022-12-06 18:46, hash: `a95bf1ac01` Worked: (newest version of Blender that worked as expected) **Short description of error** In the Outliner, Select Hierarchy on the context menu works as expected. The corresponding keyboard shortcut (Shift-RightBracket) fails to select meshes that are nested in an empty. **Exact steps for others to reproduce the error** 1. Add an empty, called "Parent empty". 2. In "Parent empty" add a mesh ("Mesh A") and an empty ("Nested empty") 3. In "Nested empty" add a mesh called "Nested mesh". 4. In the Outliner, right-click "Parent empty" and select Select Hierarchy. "Mesh A" and "Nested mesh" are selected, as expected. 5. In the Outliner, select "Parent empty". In the Viewport, press Shift-RightBracket. **"Nested mesh" is not selected.** ![selections.png](https://archive.blender.org/developer/F14131812/selections.png) [Select_Hierarchy_keyboard_shortcut.blend](https://archive.blender.org/developer/F14131818/Select_Hierarchy_keyboard_shortcut.blend)

M. Clark commented

2023-01-07 21:31:41 +01:00

Added subscriber: @EightSix

Pratik Borhade commented

2023-01-09 07:56:12 +01:00

Added subscriber: @PratikPB2123

Pratik Borhade commented

2023-01-09 07:56:12 +01:00

Changed status from 'Needs Triage' to: 'Needs Developer To Reproduce'

Pratik Borhade commented

2023-01-09 07:56:13 +01:00

Hi, thanks for the report. Nested objects can still be selected with multiple select_hierarchy call
From code side, we're not checking childern object recursively: here : select_new.extend([child for child in obj.children if child.visible_get()])
Not sure if this was done intentionally. Forwarding to devs
But this can be fixed by replacing obj.children to obj.children_recursive

index 6a130edbb38..3cd5a85eae7 100644
    - a/release/scripts/startup/bl_operators/object.py
+++ b/release/scripts/startup/bl_operators/object.py
@@ -185,7 +185,7 @@ class SelectHierarchy(Operator):

   else:
       for obj in selected_objects:

- select_new.extend([child for child in obj.children if child.visible_get()])
+                select_new.extend([child for child in obj.children_recursive if child.visible_get()])

       if select_new:
           select_new.sort(key=lambda obj_iter: obj_iter.name)```

Hi, thanks for the report. Nested objects can still be selected with multiple `select_hierarchy` call From code side, we're not checking childern object recursively: [here ](https://developer.blender.org/diffusion/B/browse/master/release/scripts/startup/bl_operators/object.py$188): `select_new.extend([child for child in obj.children if child.visible_get()])` Not sure if this was done intentionally. Forwarding to devs But this can be fixed by replacing `obj.children` to `obj.children_recursive` ```diff --git a/release/scripts/startup/bl_operators/object.py b/release/scripts/startup/bl_operators/object.py index 6a130edbb38..3cd5a85eae7 100644 - a/release/scripts/startup/bl_operators/object.py +++ b/release/scripts/startup/bl_operators/object.py @@ -185,7 +185,7 @@ class SelectHierarchy(Operator): ``` else: for obj in selected_objects: ``` - select_new.extend([child for child in obj.children if child.visible_get()]) + select_new.extend([child for child in obj.children_recursive if child.visible_get()]) ``` if select_new: select_new.sort(key=lambda obj_iter: obj_iter.name)```

M. Clark commented

2023-01-09 18:57:17 +01:00

Hi @pratik-2,

Thank you for that solution—it worked beautifully!

Right before I saw your message I discovered that I can press Shift ] multiple times in a row to extend the selection down into the hierarchy. That's good news insofar as there is a way. But in addition to my concern that its behavior is inconsistent with the command of the same name in the Outliner:

One don't always know how deep the hierarchy is, and therefore how many times to press Shift ] to get everything.
One could watch the selection grow in the Outliner, but using a Viewport shortcut is to save time by not interacting with the Outliner at all. But you have to, you may as well use its Select Hierarchy command, which begs the question of why the shortcut?

There may be a very valid use case for the shortcut behaving differently, but if that's the case, then I'd propose to the devs:

The current shortcut be renamed in the keymap to something like Select Hierarchy Level(s).
Create a new shortcut called Select Hierarchy that is bound to Alt ] or Ctrl ] that selects the entire hierarchy.

Hi @pratik-2, Thank you for that solution—it worked beautifully! Right before I saw your message I discovered that I can press **Shift ]** multiple times in a row to extend the selection down into the hierarchy. That's good news insofar as there *is* a way. But in addition to my concern that its behavior is inconsistent with the command of the same name in the Outliner: - One don't always know how deep the hierarchy is, and therefore how many times to press **Shift ]** to get everything. - One could watch the selection grow in the Outliner, but using a Viewport shortcut is to save time by not interacting with the Outliner at all. But you have to, you may as well use its Select Hierarchy command, which begs the question of why the shortcut? There may be a very valid use case for the shortcut behaving differently, but if that's the case, then I'd propose to the devs: - The current shortcut be renamed in the keymap to something like Select Hierarchy Level(s). - Create a new shortcut called Select Hierarchy that is bound to **Alt ]** or **Ctrl ]** that selects the entire hierarchy.

M. Clark commented

2023-01-10 06:53:29 +01:00

Added subscriber: @pratik-2

Pratik Borhade commented

2023-01-10 07:23:24 +01:00

Removed subscriber: @pratik-2

Pratik Borhade commented

2023-01-10 07:23:30 +01:00

Hi, which function you're calling in new shortcut? I'm not able to select entire hierarchy by doing so.
Of course we could either rename the keymap or commit the proposed solution from above

Hi, which function you're calling in new shortcut? I'm not able to select entire hierarchy by doing so. Of course we could either rename the keymap or commit the proposed solution from above

M. Clark commented

2023-01-10 17:03:32 +01:00

I changed obj.children to obj.children_recursive in object.py and Shift ] is grabbing what I need. Here's a screenshot of it working in the blend file attached to this report.

I may have mis-worded my last message. I was suggesting either:

Implement only your solution of using obj.children_recursive
or
Implement your solution of using obj.children_recursive AND
Create a new shortcut for the obj.children version called Select Hierarchy Level(s) in order to preserve the current behavior, just in case there are users that depend on it. I can't think of why anybody would want this, so maybe the simple fix is fine. But there are a lot of users out there doing things that I can barely begin to imagine, so maybe I'm not a good judge of such things :-)

I changed obj.children to **obj.children_recursive** in object.py and **Shift ]** is grabbing what I need. Here's a screenshot of it working in the blend file attached to this report. ![add _recursive.png](https://archive.blender.org/developer/F14137779/add__recursive.png) I may have mis-worded my last message. I was suggesting either: - Implement *only* your solution of using obj.children_recursive or - Implement your solution of using obj.children_recursive AND - Create a new shortcut for the obj.children version called **Select Hierarchy Level(s)** in order to preserve the current behavior, just in case there are users that depend on it. I can't think of why anybody would want this, so maybe the simple fix is fine. But there are a lot of users out there doing things that I can barely begin to imagine, so maybe I'm not a good judge of such things :-)

Paul Kotelevets commented

2023-01-11 03:45:38 +01:00

Added subscriber: @1D_Inc

Paul Kotelevets commented

2023-01-11 03:45:38 +01:00

A tiny bit if context.
I think such a behaviour was made to provide correspondance to viewport action - for example it is useful for navigating bones.
I think it is reasonable to add a recursive method to the both viewport and outliner parenting hierarchies as ctrl+] or ctrl+shift+] and also keep them corresponding with viewport actions.
(For example, Shift part stands for "expanding" and ctrl part stands for "recursive")
Alt hotkey usually mean "antiaction" (for example, alt+G, atl+R resets objects transform), it is better to keep use it in that way (this is not the case for using Alt).

In mesh modeling L hotkey allow to select the entire mesh chunk/island on mouse hover, but as far as I remembel there is no such an action available for parenting hierarchies in object mode while is demanded.

Quite similar behaviour can be found in nodes handling as well, so linear hierarchies handling behaviour is supposed to be unified across the program.

Also, a side note, autoselecting the entire hierarchy by picking some its part is a behaviour of a common groups paradigm, which was requested is not presented in Blender yet because of cumulativity of a collections (the ability to store the same object in multiple collections) which is not compatible with linear hierarchies.

A tiny bit if context. I think such a behaviour was made to provide correspondance to viewport action - for example it is useful for navigating bones. I think it is reasonable to add a recursive method to the both viewport and outliner parenting hierarchies as ctrl+] or ctrl+shift+] and also keep them corresponding with viewport actions. (For example, Shift part stands for "expanding" and ctrl part stands for "recursive") Alt hotkey usually mean "antiaction" (for example, alt+G, atl+R resets objects transform), it is better to keep use it in that way (this is not the case for using Alt). In mesh modeling L hotkey allow to select the entire mesh chunk/island on mouse hover, but as far as I remembel there is no such an action available for parenting hierarchies in object mode while is demanded. Quite similar behaviour can be found in nodes handling as well, so linear hierarchies handling behaviour is supposed to be unified across the program. Also, a side note, autoselecting the entire hierarchy by picking some its part is a behaviour of a **common groups** paradigm, which was requested is not presented in Blender yet because of cumulativity of a collections (the ability to store the same object in multiple collections) which is not compatible with linear hierarchies.

Pratik Borhade commented

2023-01-11 11:47:50 +01:00

I think it is reasonable to add a recursive method to the both viewport and outliner parenting hierarchies as ctrl+] or ctrl+shift+] and also keep them corresponding with viewport actions.

This suggestion looks perfect. Lets wait for module devs answer as there is now clear indication how select hierarchy should behave.

> I think it is reasonable to add a recursive method to the both viewport and outliner parenting hierarchies as ctrl+] or ctrl+shift+] and also keep them corresponding with viewport actions. This suggestion looks perfect. Lets wait for module devs answer as there is now clear indication how `select hierarchy` should behave.

Philipp Oeser removed the

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The Select Hierarchy keyboard shortcut fails to select nested meshes #103723