WIP: UI: Change Behavior for Multi-Select Enums #104451

Many enums in Blender are able to have multiple items selected, but this feature isn't exposed very well.
It's not clear which enums support this, so you have to try by pressing shift when clicking on them.
And a lot of the time it's more valuable to have multiple items selected, but it's harder because of the modifier key.

A more straightforward solution is to use the multi-select behavior by default, only turning off all other items off when a modifier key is pressed.
This patch proposes this changed behavior with ctrl as the modifier key.

Many enums in Blender are able to have multiple items selected, but this feature isn't exposed very well. It's not clear which enums support this, so you have to try by pressing shift when clicking on them. And a lot of the time it's more valuable to have multiple items selected, but it's harder because of the modifier key. A more straightforward solution is to use the multi-select behavior by default, only turning off all other items off when a modifier key is pressed. This patch proposes this changed behavior with ctrl as the modifier key.

For some background, I tried this years ago: https://archive.blender.org/developer/D7883

I'm not really convinced it makes sense to just change the behavior of the snap enum without changing behavior elsewhere too. That's just adding inconsistencies. Maybe it makes sense to change it everywhere. I think that's fine, but there was no conclusion about that before.

The other option is just presenting the settings as regular checkboxes.

For some background, I tried this years ago: https://archive.blender.org/developer/D7883 I'm not really convinced it makes sense to just change the behavior of the snap enum without changing behavior elsewhere too. That's just adding inconsistencies. Maybe it makes sense to change it everywhere. I think that's fine, but there was no conclusion about that before. The other option is just presenting the settings as regular checkboxes.

Good to see interest in this.
This is a change I discussed a while ago (prior to 2.80, I don't remember if I submitted the patch).

I agree that it would be good to have consistency, but currently this consistency does not exist. See the image below:

Note that lookalike interfaces behave as they please.

A while ago there were only the options Snap To and Snap With (with other names).

The Snap To options did not allow multiple selection. It was just like the Snap With options. Only one at time. It had consistency.

But then "mixed snap" was implemented, which turned these enums into flags allowing for multiple selection with Shift.

In the meantime came the options of Affect and recently Target Selection.

Although internally it's an enum of flags, the user doesn't notice the difference, and the inconsistency looks worse inside the popover.

Good to see interest in this. This is a change I discussed a while ago (prior to 2.80, I don't remember if I submitted the patch). I agree that it would be good to have consistency, but currently this consistency does not exist. See the image below: ![image](/attachments/28041fe3-a6c9-4a56-9bb6-4386f9c801e0) Note that lookalike interfaces behave as they please. A while ago there were only the options `Snap To` and `Snap With` (with other names). The `Snap To` options did not allow multiple selection. It was just like the `Snap With` options. Only one at time. It had consistency. But then "mixed snap" was implemented, which turned these enums into flags allowing for multiple selection with `Shift`. In the meantime came the options of `Affect` and recently `Target Selection`. Although internally it's an enum of flags, the user doesn't notice the difference, and the inconsistency looks worse inside the popover.

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+1

I'm not really convinced it makes sense to just change the behavior of the snap enum without changing behavior elsewhere too. That's just adding inconsistencies. Maybe it makes sense to change it everywhere.

We should definitely make this consistent everywhere. It will make the functionality more discoverable, there are users that don't even know it's possible to select multiple snap elements.

To make this properly, I'd propose to:

Remove the need to hold Shift.
Hold Ctrl to deselect all options except the one clicked on.
Make it consistent in all multi-select enums.
Tweak the widget UI of single-select enums to make its behavior more clear.
This would be a dedicated design task, but dropping a quick mockup:

+1 > I'm not really convinced it makes sense to just change the behavior of the snap enum without changing behavior elsewhere too. That's just adding inconsistencies. Maybe it makes sense to change it everywhere. We should definitely make this consistent everywhere. It will make the functionality more discoverable, there are users that don't even know it's possible to select multiple snap elements. To make this properly, I'd propose to: * Remove the need to hold `Shift`. * Hold `Ctrl` to deselect all options except the one clicked on. * Make it consistent in all multi-select enums. * Tweak the widget UI of single-select enums to make its behavior more clear. This would be a dedicated design task, but dropping a quick mockup: ![image](/attachments/4b19cf9a-3b6b-4184-a3ce-4b6db62f0728)

image.png

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image.png

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image.png

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I applied @HooglyBoogly 's patch so the 3 points mentioned são implemented:

Remove the need to hold Shift.

Hold Ctrl to deselect all options except the one clicked on.

Make it consistent in all multi-select enums.

I also checked some enums flags that might appear in the UI. (others are internal)

"snap_elements" from ToolSettings and transform operators
"status" from ClothSolverResult
"delimit" from DecimateModifier
"debug_options" from BooleanModifier
"proximity_geometry" from VertexWeightProximityModifier
"flip_axis" from MeshCacheModifier
"read_data" from MeshSequenceCacheModifier
"data_types_verts" from DataTransferModifier
"data_types_edges" from DataTransferModifier
"data_types_loops" from DataTransferModifier
"data_types_polys" from DataTransferModifier
"mode" from NodeGeometryCurveSetHandles
"mode" from NodeGeometryCurveSelectHandles
"tags" from Property
"default_flag" from EnumProperty
"pass_filter" from BakeSettings and OBJECT_OT_bake

Once accepted (again), release notes will be updated.

I applied @HooglyBoogly 's patch so the 3 points mentioned são implemented: >- Remove the need to hold Shift. >- Hold Ctrl to deselect all options except the one clicked on. >- Make it consistent in all multi-select enums. I also checked some enums flags that might appear in the UI. (others are internal) ["snap_elements"](https://docs.blender.org/api/current/bpy_types_enum_items/snap_element_items.html) from `ToolSettings` and transform operators ["status"](https://docs.blender.org/api/current/bpy.types.ClothSolverResult.html) from `ClothSolverResult` ["delimit"](https://docs.blender.org/api/current/bpy_types_enum_items/mesh_delimit_mode_items.html) from `DecimateModifier` ["debug_options"](https://docs.blender.org/api/current/bpy.types.BooleanModifier.html#bpy.types.BooleanModifier.debug_options) from `BooleanModifier` ["proximity_geometry"](https://docs.blender.org/api/current/bpy.types.VertexWeightProximityModifier.html#bpy.types.VertexWeightProximityModifier.proximity_geometry) from `VertexWeightProximityModifier` ["flip_axis"](https://docs.blender.org/api/current/bpy.types.MeshCacheModifier.html#bpy.types.MeshCacheModifier.flip_axis) from `MeshCacheModifier` ["read_data"](https://docs.blender.org/api/current/bpy.types.MeshSequenceCacheModifier.html#bpy.types.MeshSequenceCacheModifier.read_data) from `MeshSequenceCacheModifier` ["data_types_verts"](https://docs.blender.org/api/current/bpy.types.DataTransferModifier.html#bpy.types.DataTransferModifier.data_types_verts) from `DataTransferModifier` ["data_types_edges"](https://docs.blender.org/api/current/bpy.types.DataTransferModifier.html#bpy.types.DataTransferModifier.data_types_edges) from `DataTransferModifier` ["data_types_loops"](https://docs.blender.org/api/current/bpy.types.DataTransferModifier.html#bpy.types.DataTransferModifier.data_types_loops) from `DataTransferModifier` ["data_types_polys"](https://docs.blender.org/api/current/bpy.types.DataTransferModifier.html#bpy.types.DataTransferModifier.data_types_polys) from `DataTransferModifier` ["mode"](https://projects.blender.org/blender/blender/commit/0e8d1c6bcfcf232b94346af69a216bc4bc413b84#diff-45331b1daf66d5c35e47647befc3fe94c9f39368) from `NodeGeometryCurveSetHandles` "mode" from `NodeGeometryCurveSelectHandles` ["tags"](https://docs.blender.org/api/current/bpy.types.Property.html#bpy.types.Property.tags) from `Property` ["default_flag"](https://docs.blender.org/api/current/bpy.types.EnumProperty.html#bpy.types.EnumProperty.default_flag) from `EnumProperty` ["pass_filter"](https://docs.blender.org/api/current/bpy_types_enum_items/bake_pass_filter_type_items.html) from `BakeSettings` and `OBJECT_OT_bake` Once accepted (again), release notes will be updated.

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WIP: UI: Change Behavior for Multi-Select Enums #104451

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