How to handle edit-mode face/edge select-modes without any face/edges. #41588

New Issue

Campbell Barton · 2014-08-26T02:07:54+02:00

Campbell Barton commented

2014-08-26 02:07:54 +02:00

Based on this report #41562,

Simple example of the problem:

Add a Circle
Enter EditMode
Select Face Mode
Select All (AKey)
Grab (Nothing happens)

If you have a mesh without faces in edit-mode and use face-select for example,
Quite a lot of tools don't work usefully.
(same for edge select-mode on a mesh containing only vertices, but for purpose of discussion - just talking about faces for now).

Lists of tools which fail when edges/vertices are selected but no faces exist.

Transform Grab/Rotate/Scale does nothing.
Extrude does nothing.
Inconsistent de-select-all verts and edges (AKey) - (but border/circle/mouse select dont work).
...Likely others exist, off hand these are the ones I can find...

There are some possible solutions.

Automatically switch out of face mode (when entering edit-mode - doesn't solve problem completely since you can remove all faces while editing)
Make tools support this configuration (need to check how to support for each tool).

Make tools report a warning when its not supported (or add support when it makes sense), otherwise - assume users know what they're doing and not attempt to second-guess their actions.

For this design issue, Id like to come to some agreement on a good way to handle this case.

Some things to consider regarding automatic select-mode switching:

Users may temporarily remove all faces, so changing select-modes automatic for the users could disrupt their workflow.
Switching modes automatically could break scripts (and generally give unpredictable behavior).
Checking if the mesh has faces isn't really reliable since you may have hidden faces which is like having no faces from the users POV.

Based on this report #41562, ---- Simple example of the problem: - Add a Circle - Enter EditMode - Select Face Mode - Select All (AKey) - Grab *(Nothing happens)* ---- If you have a mesh without faces in edit-mode and use face-select for example, Quite a lot of tools don't work usefully. *(same for edge select-mode on a mesh containing only vertices, but for purpose of discussion - just talking about faces for now).* Lists of tools which fail when edges/vertices are selected but no faces exist. - Transform Grab/Rotate/Scale does nothing. - Extrude does nothing. - Inconsistent de-select-all verts and edges (AKey) - *(but border/circle/mouse select dont work).* - *...Likely others exist, off hand these are the ones I can find...* There are some possible solutions. - Automatically switch out of face mode *(when entering edit-mode - doesn't solve problem completely since you can remove all faces while editing)* - Make tools support this configuration *(need to check how to support for each tool).* # Make tools report a warning when its not supported (or add support when it makes sense), *otherwise - assume users know what they're doing and not attempt to second-guess their actions.* For this design issue, Id like to come to some agreement on a good way to handle this case. ---- Some things to consider regarding automatic select-mode switching: - Users may temporarily remove all faces, so changing select-modes automatic for the users could disrupt their workflow. - Switching modes automatically could break scripts (and generally give unpredictable behavior). - Checking if the mesh has faces isn't really reliable since you may have hidden faces which is like having no faces from the users POV.

Campbell Barton commented

2014-08-26 02:07:54 +02:00

Changed status to: 'Open'

Daniel Salazar was assigned by Campbell Barton

2014-08-26 02:07:54 +02:00

Campbell Barton commented

2014-08-26 02:07:54 +02:00

Added subscriber: @ideasman42

Daniel Salazar was unassigned by Campbell Barton

2014-08-26 02:11:50 +02:00

Jonathan Williamson was assigned by Campbell Barton

2014-08-26 02:11:50 +02:00

Campbell Barton commented

2014-08-26 02:11:50 +02:00

Added subscribers: @zanqdo, @pablovazquez

Philipp Oeser removed the

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How to handle edit-mode face/edge select-modes without any face/edges. #41588

Make tools report a warning when its not supported (or add support when it makes sense), otherwise - assume users know what they're doing and not attempt to second-guess their actions.