Automatically Store Quick Favorites #64174

New Issue

William Reynish · 2019-05-05T15:34:45+02:00

William Reynish commented

2019-05-05 15:34:45 +02:00

A large number of users have reported that they have issues with the Quick Favorites feature. Currently, users have to go to Preferences and click Save Preferences to store the Quick Favorites.

The trouble is that

A: users might easily forget to do this
B: It's completely hidden and non-discoverable.

The simplest solution is probably simply to store these immediately when updating the list.

We think we will solve this by:

Automatically saving Preferences when you quit. This applies to both actual preferences, and things like Quick Favorites
We will add a button to revert to the previous Preferences state, for tinkerers

A large number of users have reported that they have issues with the Quick Favorites feature. Currently, users have to go to Preferences and click Save Preferences to store the Quick Favorites. The trouble is that - A: users might easily forget to do this - B: It's completely hidden and non-discoverable. The simplest solution is probably simply to store these immediately when updating the list. We think we will solve this by: - Automatically saving Preferences when you quit. This applies to both actual preferences, and things like Quick Favorites - We will add a button to revert to the previous Preferences state, for tinkerers

William Reynish commented

2019-05-05 15:34:45 +02:00

Added subscribers: @WilliamReynish, @ideasman42

William Reynish changed title from ~~Auto-store Quick Favorites~~ to Automatically Store Quick Favorites

2019-05-05 18:11:43 +02:00

Duarte Farrajota Ramos commented

2019-05-05 20:19:25 +02:00

Added subscriber: @DuarteRamos

Campbell Barton commented

2019-05-06 07:15:46 +02:00

Note that this is the same issue as we already have with adding shortcuts.

Most likely auto-saving user preferences resolves.

Not sure having this as a paper cut helps, it's more a design task.

Note that this is the same issue as we already have with adding shortcuts. Most likely auto-saving user preferences resolves. Not sure having this as a paper cut helps, it's more a design task.

Campbell Barton commented

2019-05-06 07:17:43 +02:00

Marking incomplete because this isn't ready for a developer to tackle.

Stanislav Ovcharov commented

2019-05-06 08:27:17 +02:00

Added subscriber: @StanislavOvcharov

Stanislav Ovcharov commented

2019-05-06 08:27:17 +02:00

Auto-saving whole preferences is not a good idea even autosave just a whole keymap, because if you set something wrong or just wanna check something you have to just restart blender now to restore preferences. If only quick favorites could be autosaved separately, that would be a good solution. If it isn't possible then better off keep it as it is.

William Reynish commented

2019-05-06 08:40:59 +02:00

Most, if not all, similar graphics apps store user preferences immediately without needing a separate confirmation step.

We could solve it by just doing that, and adding a preference for Preferences for developers who want to fiddle with Preferences without saving.

Most, if not all, similar graphics apps store user preferences immediately without needing a separate confirmation step. We could solve it by just doing that, and adding a preference for Preferences for developers who want to fiddle with Preferences without saving.

Sebastian Koenig commented

2019-05-06 09:06:32 +02:00

Added subscriber: @sebastian_k

Sebastian Koenig commented

2019-05-06 09:06:32 +02:00

I kind of agree with @StanislavOvcharov here.
If you are in User Preferences Window, there is a button to save them, very discoverable. Also, playing around with different configurations and settings is very common, and I for one would rather save those manually.
However, if I explicitly add something to the Quick Favorites (or presets, e.g.), I would expect those to be saved automatically. The Quick Favorites are less of a setting that I first have to try out in order to know what it does, like it is usually the case with the settings in User Prefs, but something that I already know how to use, which is why I add those to Quick Favs in the first place. So having those saved automatically seems logical to me.

I kind of agree with @StanislavOvcharov here. If you are in User Preferences Window, there is a button to save them, very discoverable. Also, playing around with different configurations and settings is very common, and I for one would rather save those manually. However, if I explicitly add something to the Quick Favorites (or presets, e.g.), I would expect those to be saved automatically. The Quick Favorites are less of a setting that I first have to try out in order to know what it does, like it is usually the case with the settings in User Prefs, but something that I already know how to use, which is why I add those to Quick Favs in the first place. So having those saved automatically seems logical to me.

William Reynish commented

2019-05-06 09:10:57 +02:00

The simplest solution seems like just always storing preferences when changed. It’s what most users would expect anyway. Developers who want to ‘play around with’ various preference options could still have a way to do that.

Stanislav Ovcharov commented

2019-05-06 09:28:37 +02:00

Well, then would be great to leave a choice for user, an option for autosave preferences. Sort of - Do you want old style saving preferences? leave autosave preferences checkbox empty, otherwise check it.

Sebastian Koenig commented

2019-05-06 09:45:39 +02:00

In #64174#671611, @WilliamReynish wrote:
The simplest solution seems like just always storing preferences when changed. It’s what most users would expect anyway. Developers who want to ‘play around with’ various preference options could still have a way to do that.

I don't think it's developers who play around with preferences. Isn't it more the users who want to find out what all those settings do?
Why not simply autosave Quick Favorites and keep User Prefs as it is now?
Presets are being automatically saved already.

> In #64174#671611, @WilliamReynish wrote: > The simplest solution seems like just always storing preferences when changed. It’s what most users would expect anyway. Developers who want to ‘play around with’ various preference options could still have a way to do that. I don't think it's developers who play around with preferences. Isn't it more the users who want to find out what all those settings do? Why not simply autosave Quick Favorites and keep User Prefs as it is now? Presets are being automatically saved already.

Duarte Farrajota Ramos commented

2019-05-06 11:18:02 +02:00

If we always auto save preferences we lose the ability to temporarily change something for the current session alone. I often use it if I don't want to permanently change something, or need it just for the current file I'm working with.
Either way I don't have very strong feelings about it, most user preferences are relatively easy to undo or restore to defaults; if you want to fully reset you can easily load factory settings by erasing userpref.blend.

From this discussion I understand the problem seems to reside mostly with keymaps alone, which are complex and fiddly, and require a lot of tweaking to get right. Point being that in most situations maybe all preferences could be auto saved, except for keymaps which would require explicit saving.

They already have an export button anyway, maybe add another one next to it to save, highlight it with an alert color when there are unsaved changes.

Otherwise auto-saving only the bookmarks file seems reasonable. We already do it for the recent-files.txt on file load, which uses a very similar structure.

If we always auto save preferences we lose the ability to temporarily change something for the current session alone. I often use it if I don't want to permanently change something, or need it just for the current file I'm working with. Either way I don't have very strong feelings about it, most user preferences are relatively easy to undo or restore to defaults; if you want to fully reset you can easily load factory settings by erasing userpref.blend. From this discussion I understand the problem seems to reside mostly with keymaps alone, which are complex and fiddly, and require a lot of tweaking to get right. Point being that in most situations maybe all preferences could be auto saved, except for keymaps which would require explicit saving. They already have an export button anyway, maybe add another one next to it to save, highlight it with an alert color when there are unsaved changes. Otherwise auto-saving only the bookmarks file seems reasonable. We already do it for the recent-files.txt on file load, which uses a very similar structure.

Vyacheslav commented

2019-05-06 18:09:33 +02:00

Added subscriber: @Ghostil

Vyacheslav commented

2019-05-06 18:09:33 +02:00

By default, now in the themes of the interface?
This is desirable at least for export and import.
Ie, I created a set to save 3D max in obj and this set is selected by default. And not like now after the release I have to choose everything from the list.

By default, now in the themes of the interface? This is desirable at least for export and import. Ie, I created a set to save 3D max in obj and this set is selected by default. And not like now after the release I have to choose everything from the list.

Erick Tukuniata commented

2019-05-06 21:20:24 +02:00

Added subscriber: @ErickNyanduKabongo

Erick Tukuniata commented

2019-05-06 21:20:24 +02:00

In #64174#671597, @StanislavOvcharov wrote:
Auto-saving whole preferences is not a good idea even autosave just a whole keymap, because if you set something wrong or just wanna check something you have to just restart blender now to restore preferences. If only quick favorites could be autosaved separately, that would be a good solution. If it isn't possible then better off keep it as it is.

I share the same POV with @StanislavOvcharov sometimes when retopoing if the high res model has the same color as my default edges color i will change the edge color for this session only. Next time when i open the Blender i still have my default edges color. Let the user decide what to same and what not :)

> In #64174#671597, @StanislavOvcharov wrote: > Auto-saving whole preferences is not a good idea even autosave just a whole keymap, because if you set something wrong or just wanna check something you have to just restart blender now to restore preferences. If only quick favorites could be autosaved separately, that would be a good solution. If it isn't possible then better off keep it as it is. I share the same POV with @StanislavOvcharov sometimes when retopoing if the high res model has the same color as my default edges color i will change the edge color for this session only. Next time when i open the Blender i still have my default edges color. Let the user decide what to same and what not :)

Vyacheslav commented

2019-05-06 22:37:34 +02:00

That's what I meant, I created a preset and I have to select it every time to use it. Why not add a button to use the default so that it always remains for this export? If it is not necessary there is a reset by default. If I want to use it always I have to change the settings in the code. It is not comfortable.

![8.png](https://archive.blender.org/developer/F7010743/8.png) That's what I meant, I created a preset and I have to select it every time to use it. Why not add a button to use the default so that it always remains for this export? If it is not necessary there is a reset by default. If I want to use it always I have to change the settings in the code. It is not comfortable.

William Reynish commented

2019-05-08 20:09:57 +02:00

Discussed in UI meeting:

Conclusion is to save Preferences when quitting, and to add a button to revert to the previous state, for preference tinkerers.

Discussed in UI meeting: Conclusion is to save Preferences when quitting, and to add a button to revert to the previous state, for preference tinkerers.

Regnas commented

2019-05-08 20:33:39 +02:00

Added subscriber: @Regnas

Regnas commented

2019-05-08 20:33:39 +02:00

In #64174#674123, @WilliamReynish wrote:
Conclusion is to save Preferences when quitting, and to add a button to revert to the previous state, for preference tinkerers.

Will there be an option in the preferences to disable that behavior?
People like me are constantly tweaking the preferences/keymap/addons/themes etc, and most of the time we don't want it to be saved, and that option to return to the previous state only is not efficient enough, it's very easy to forget and mess things up.
So if possible make it optional.

> In #64174#674123, @WilliamReynish wrote: > Conclusion is to save Preferences when quitting, and to add a button to revert to the previous state, for preference tinkerers. Will there be an option in the preferences to disable that behavior? People like me are constantly tweaking the preferences/keymap/addons/themes etc, and most of the time we don't want it to be saved, and that option to return to the previous state only is not efficient enough, it's very easy to forget and mess things up. So if possible make it optional.

Campbell Barton commented

2019-05-08 23:21:22 +02:00

@Regnas we'll try and do this in a way that makes it easy to restore, ultimately if not saving is useful - it can be an option.

William Reynish commented

2019-05-10 11:24:57 +02:00

Changed status from 'Open' to: 'Resolved'

William Reynish closed this issue

2019-05-10 11:24:57 +02:00

William Reynish self-assigned this 2019-05-10 11:24:57 +02:00

Campbell Barton commented

2019-05-13 09:23:08 +02:00

Resolved 741f29d499

Resolved 741f29d499

VLC commented

2021-03-13 15:53:20 +01:00

Added subscriber: @VLC

VLC commented

2021-03-13 15:53:20 +01:00

I think it's a good idea if we could save files with preferences, with the ability to save them anywhere we want.
In this way it allows us to save multiple sets of preferences and use them in another version of blender.

Save Preferences
Save Preferences As
Load Preferences
Load Factory Preferences

I think it's a good idea if we could save files with preferences, with the ability to save them anywhere we want. In this way it allows us to save multiple sets of preferences and use them in another version of blender. Save Preferences Save Preferences As Load Preferences Load Factory Preferences

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Automatically Store Quick Favorites #64174