"Object Modes" is misleading #104572

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Loïc DAUTRY · 2023-09-30T20:59:23+02:00

Loïc DAUTRY commented

2023-09-30 20:59:23 +02:00

Modes allow editing different aspects of objects. While Object Mode allows you to position/rotate/scale them, Edit Mode allows changing their geometry, Pose Mode allows posing them, and so on.

Several issues I find with that "object modes" term:

easily confused with "Object Mode" in any discussion
Several inconsistencies: 3D Viewport's header calls them "modes". its menu tooltip calls it "object interaction mode":

Worse is the keymap showing four different names between just two shortcuts:

There might be other inconsistencies elsewhere...
The name could imply it's about objects, but it's actually about ways to interact with objects and their data, a more generic and neutral term could be used and its description in manual formulated this way instead of "editing different aspects of objects".

How about calling it "Interaction Mode"? It avoids all of the above issues. It's self-explanatory, cannot be confused with objects, and less likely to be named differently across the UI (just one S difference for singular or plural, but always Interaction Mode).

From [Object Modes](https://docs.blender.org/manual/en/latest/editors/3dview/modes.html#object-mode-list): > Modes allow editing different aspects of objects. While Object Mode allows you to position/rotate/scale them, Edit Mode allows changing their geometry, Pose Mode allows posing them, and so on. Several issues I find with that "object modes" term: - easily confused with "Object Mode" in any discussion - Several inconsistencies: [3D Viewport's header](https://docs.blender.org/manual/en/latest/editors/3dview/introduction.html#header-region) calls them "modes". its menu tooltip calls it "object interaction mode": ![image](/attachments/a26496f5-d795-4204-b6a2-d96ce63925a1) Worse is the keymap showing four different names between just two shortcuts: ![image](/attachments/41b7a452-cf93-43c7-90e2-8b3349c4ab85) There might be other inconsistencies elsewhere... - The name could imply it's about objects, but it's actually about ways to **interact** with **objects and their data**, a more generic and neutral term could be used and its description in manual formulated this way instead of "editing different aspects of objects". How about calling it "Interaction Mode"? It avoids all of the above issues. It's self-explanatory, cannot be confused with objects, and less likely to be named differently across the UI (just one S difference for singular or plural, but always Interaction Mode).

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Aaron Carlisle commented

2024-04-02 06:13:28 +02:00

This is a topic that should be handled via the developer forum, see https://devtalk.blender.org/tag/user-interface

Aaron Carlisle closed this issue

2024-04-02 06:13:28 +02:00

Blender Bot added the

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Archived

label 2024-04-02 06:13:29 +02:00

Loïc DAUTRY commented

2024-04-03 17:53:26 +02:00

I made a new post there: "Object Modes" is a misleading terminology and inconsistently used - Documentation - Developer Forum

I made a new post there: ["Object Modes" is a misleading terminology and inconsistently used - Documentation - Developer Forum](https://devtalk.blender.org/t/object-modes-is-a-misleading-terminology-and-inconsistently-used/34099)

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"Object Modes" is misleading #104572