Custom Bone shape problems #25405

%%%Default scene.
Create a single bone armature.
Select the default cube as the custom shape for the bone.
Delete the cube
Add a plane
Select The Cube data for the plane in the data tab.
Edit the Plane (with cube data).
Stuff that happens: The bone shape doesn't change. Only If you select the Plane for the custom shape at this point, it changes to the edited cube, though both the "Cube" object and "Plane" object used the exact same data. The "Cube" selection from the custom shapes does not disappear, it's thinking that an object "Cube" still exists (until you save and reopen blender). Not sure how much of this is purely "Bug" material, but it sure doesn't feel right. Sometimes, rarely, it crashes after selecting/moving the armature, coming back in and out of the plane edit mode. Can't reproduce it precisely. But it crashed every time in r33893.

Version last tested: r33931
Windows 7 64 bit

My suggestions (you don't have to agree):
Instead of selecting objects for custom shapes, select Vertex Data! Few reasons:

There is no point in having an option to select any other kind of Object but Mesh object, because other kinds of objects (like curves, cameras, lamps) result in a blank bone appearance. only mesh objects work.
Making it select vertex data instead of objects will make it cleaner and will fix the "Non existing Cube object, which is in the list" and "Edit the plane (with cube vertex data), but the bone appearance doesn't change".

Same thing could be done for custom particle shapes too. Currently they don't even have this "Select object as shape, delete object" thing.

Extra question:
Why must I select a shape for the bone in Object/Pose modes and not edit mode? Makes absolutely no sense, you should be able to change the single bone appearance in Edit mode, and edit mode only. Object mode is for transforming the whole armature skeleton, not selecting custom shapes for single bones that you last selected in edit mode. Pose mode is for posing, not changing the appearance. Edit mode is where you do the editing.

Thank you for your patience. And thank you for blender.
Paulius.
%%%

%%%Default scene. Create a single bone armature. Select the default cube as the custom shape for the bone. Delete the cube Add a plane Select The Cube data for the plane in the data tab. Edit the Plane (with cube data). Stuff that happens: The bone shape doesn't change. Only If you select the Plane for the custom shape at this point, it changes to the edited cube, though both the "Cube" object and "Plane" object used the exact same data. The "Cube" selection from the custom shapes does not disappear, it's thinking that an object "Cube" still exists (until you save and reopen blender). Not sure how much of this is purely "Bug" material, but it sure doesn't feel right. Sometimes, rarely, it crashes after selecting/moving the armature, coming back in and out of the plane edit mode. Can't reproduce it precisely. But it crashed every time in r33893. Version last tested: r33931 Windows 7 64 bit My suggestions (you don't have to agree): Instead of selecting objects for custom shapes, select Vertex Data! Few reasons: 1) There is no point in having an option to select any other kind of Object but Mesh object, because other kinds of objects (like curves, cameras, lamps) result in a blank bone appearance. only mesh objects work. 2) Making it select vertex data instead of objects will make it cleaner and will fix the "Non existing Cube object, which is in the list" and "Edit the plane (with cube vertex data), but the bone appearance doesn't change". Same thing could be done for custom particle shapes too. Currently they don't even have this "Select object as shape, delete object" thing. Extra question: Why must I select a shape for the bone in Object/Pose modes and not edit mode? Makes absolutely no sense, you should be able to change the single bone appearance in Edit mode, and edit mode only. Object mode is for transforming the whole armature skeleton, not selecting custom shapes for single bones that you last selected in edit mode. Pose mode is for posing, not changing the appearance. Edit mode is where you do the editing. Thank you for your patience. And thank you for blender. Paulius. %%%

Changed status to: 'Open'

%%%Custom bone objects now are counted as users, which means that a deletion only unlinks it from scene. you can drag it back from the outliner btw.
This change was made on user request, they got annoyed by having to store objects for custom bones somewhere, or accidentally deleting them.

The decision to use objects as references is an old convention, it could be possible to use other object types for display later too. Or use specific properties from objects.
Linking a mesh directly was possible too though, just a matter of choices ;)

The pose-bone is a different thing than the editbone (different data). In editmode armature you only see the real bones by default. The custom drawtype is a property of pose-bones.%%%

Changed status from 'Open' to: 'Archived'

%%%Thank you for your response. I respect your choice of implementing this feature.

I'd just add a few more points to this topic:
Every time you delete an object in the scene, it deletes the Object, but not the Mesh Data. The data is later deleted if it has no users (A bone could be a user). It is way easier for a user to find how to edit this data instead of getting the object back and edit it. Takes a few clicks. Actually, i couldn't figure out how to "drag the Cube back into the scene in the outliner". I did find it in the DataBlock list (outliner), but i don't know what to do with it to put it back into the scene. Over-complicating isn't good. The simpler it is for the user, the better. Imho.

The Bone Shape is basically displayed as the Mesh, because the object is displayed as the mesh. What other Object specific properties, but the mesh, does the custom bone shape need?
I'm happy to see that in the future other types will work too, I see no point in ever choosing the camera or the lamp as the custom shape though, curves would be useful.

Hows about, sometime in the future do it like this:
Make it possible to select Mesh data OR objects OR Curve Data in this list menu. Separate the types by a separators and give the freedom the the user.
Just my 2c.

Good luck.%%%

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Custom Bone shape problems #25405