Shortest path selection, checker deselect #52445

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JA 12 · 2017-08-19T00:10:12+02:00

JA 12 commented

2017-08-19 00:10:12 +02:00

System Information
Ubuntu 14.04, Gnome 3 fallback, nvidia graphics

Blender Version
Broken: 2.79.1 ac28a4fba7, 2.78c

Short description of error
Checker deselect functionality for the shortest path selection tool is inconsistent with checker deselect in select menu. Shortest path option seems to deselect every Nth, the element it starts from changes, and actually selecting every Nth when it's other than every 2nd gets difficult because one has to change all 3 settings to get that done.

The manual says it's the same, linking to checker deselect
https://docs.blender.org/manual/en/dev/modeling/meshes/selecting/advanced.html#shortest-path
although checker deselect in the select menu doesn't do what it says in the manual either
https://docs.blender.org/manual/en/dev/modeling/meshes/selecting/advanced.html#checker-deselect
because "Using the current selection, it will deselected every nth element" is something it has never done afaik.

From left:

selection
operator values changed for shortest path selection for every 3rd, settings shown
same for select menu -> checker deselect

Exact steps for others to reproduce the error
Edge select mode, select shortest path with many edges in a straight line, adjust the operator values to do Nth selection for every 3rd. It's different from select menu -> checker deselect for every 3rd.

shortest_path_checker.blend

**System Information** Ubuntu 14.04, Gnome 3 fallback, nvidia graphics **Blender Version** Broken: 2.79.1 ac28a4fba7, 2.78c **Short description of error** Checker deselect functionality for the shortest path selection tool is inconsistent with checker deselect in select menu. Shortest path option seems to deselect every Nth, the element it starts from changes, and actually selecting every Nth when it's other than every 2nd gets difficult because one has to change all 3 settings to get that done. The manual says it's the same, linking to checker deselect https://docs.blender.org/manual/en/dev/modeling/meshes/selecting/advanced.html#shortest-path although checker deselect in the select menu doesn't do what it says in the manual either https://docs.blender.org/manual/en/dev/modeling/meshes/selecting/advanced.html#checker-deselect because "Using the current selection, it will deselected every nth element" is something it has never done afaik. ![shortest_path_checker.png](https://archive.blender.org/developer/F717806/shortest_path_checker.png) From left: - selection - operator values changed for shortest path selection for every 3rd, settings shown - same for select menu -> checker deselect **Exact steps for others to reproduce the error** Edge select mode, select shortest path with many edges in a straight line, adjust the operator values to do Nth selection for every 3rd. It's different from select menu -> checker deselect for every 3rd. [shortest_path_checker.blend](https://archive.blender.org/developer/F717812/shortest_path_checker.blend)

JA 12 commented

2017-08-19 00:10:12 +02:00

Changed status to: 'Open'

JA 12 commented

2017-08-19 00:10:12 +02:00

Added subscriber: @ja12

ronan ducluzeau commented

2017-08-22 22:02:18 +02:00

Added subscriber: @zeauro

ronan ducluzeau commented

2017-08-22 22:02:18 +02:00

It seems that manual does a too quick shortcut by linking to the checker deselect page.

Intention was to bring same options to a select tool. So, you have to understand that shortest path select have checker select option that are working the opposite to checker deselect options.
It was mentioned as is in 2.77 release logs.
https://wiki.blender.org/index.php/Dev:Ref/Release_Notes/2.77/Modeling#Selection

But it is true that manual description does not correspond to tool behaviour for a select tool.
For a checker deselect tool, everything is deselected except every Nth element where there is a selection.
For a checker select tool, everything is selected except every Nth element where there is a deselection.
There is an explanation issue, here more than a software issue.
Maybe Nth selection should be renamed Nth deselection for Shortest Path Select.

It seems that manual does a too quick shortcut by linking to the checker deselect page. Intention was to bring same options to a select tool. So, you have to understand that shortest path select have checker select option that are working the opposite to checker deselect options. It was mentioned as is in 2.77 release logs. https://wiki.blender.org/index.php/Dev:Ref/Release_Notes/2.77/Modeling#Selection But it is true that manual description does not correspond to tool behaviour for a select tool. For a checker deselect tool, everything is deselected except every Nth element where there is a selection. For a checker select tool, everything is selected except every Nth element where there is a deselection. There is an explanation issue, here more than a software issue. Maybe Nth selection should be renamed Nth deselection for Shortest Path Select.

JA 12 commented

2017-08-24 08:26:22 +02:00

Right, the behaviour is intended then and not a bug. The labels for the selection options still are wrong for shortest path selection. The manual doesn't decribe the tool correctly, link in release notes throws an error, the wording in Blender doesn't help, and there's no tooltips for the options.

Shortest path tool says "Nth selection", which is the same for checker deselect, and it says "selection" which can't mean anything other than selecting something, but it deselects. The whole word play is so unnecessary with these functions. Shortest path tool does the opposite of checker deselect, which means the functionality does the double negative of checker deselect.

If it says select, make it select. If it says deselect, have it deselect. It's pretty much self-explanatory that way, right? Checker deselect is actually a checker select tool, because it's used to select every Nth from the current selection. The opposite of what the manual and the tooltip say it does.

Because of that mess, I still don't understand why have select shortest path do the opposite of checker deselect? Was there a targeted workflow when it was made, or just to be different from another function? It could help when reducing geometry from a model, making the selections faster, and for that the same functionality as with checker deselect would suffice.

Right, the behaviour is intended then and not a bug. The labels for the selection options still are wrong for shortest path selection. The manual doesn't decribe the tool correctly, link in release notes throws an error, the wording in Blender doesn't help, and there's no tooltips for the options. Shortest path tool says "Nth selection", which is the same for checker deselect, and it says "selection" which can't mean anything other than selecting something, but it deselects. The whole word play is so unnecessary with these functions. Shortest path tool does the opposite of checker deselect, which means the functionality does the double negative of checker deselect. If it says select, make it select. If it says deselect, have it deselect. It's pretty much self-explanatory that way, right? Checker deselect is actually a checker select tool, because it's used to select every Nth from the current selection. The opposite of what the manual and the tooltip say it does. Because of that mess, I still don't understand why have select shortest path do the opposite of checker deselect? Was there a targeted workflow when it was made, or just to be different from another function? It could help when reducing geometry from a model, making the selections faster, and for that the same functionality as with checker deselect would suffice.

blender-admin commented

2018-06-03 08:44:34 +02:00

This issue was referenced by 4261

Yevgeny Makarov commented

2018-06-09 22:05:59 +02:00

Changed status from 'Open' to: 'Resolved'

Yevgeny Makarov closed this issue

2018-06-09 22:05:59 +02:00

Yevgeny Makarov self-assigned this 2018-06-09 22:05:59 +02:00

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Shortest path selection, checker deselect #52445