source/blender/blenkernel/BKE_armature.h

@@ -199,6 +199,13 @@ void BKE_armature_bone_hash_free(struct bArmature *arm);
 
 bool BKE_armature_bone_flag_test_recursive(const struct Bone *bone, int flag);
 
+/**
+ * Return whether the armature supports selecting the head and tail separately
+ * from the bone itself (true) or whether the entire bone is selected as a
+ * single unit (false).
+ */
+bool BKE_armature_bone_can_select_headtail(const struct bArmature *arm);
+
 void BKE_armature_refresh_layer_used(struct Depsgraph *depsgraph, struct bArmature *arm);
 
 /**

source/blender/blenkernel/intern/armature.c

@@ -658,6 +658,12 @@ bool BKE_armature_bone_flag_test_recursive(const Bone *bone, int flag)
   return false;
 }
 
+bool BKE_armature_bone_can_select_headtail(const bArmature *arm)
+{
+  /* Only 'Spheres' mode needs to select bones entirely, as it only shows the bones' heads. */
+  return arm->drawtype != ARM_SPHERES;
+}
+
 /** \} */
 
 /* -------------------------------------------------------------------- */

source/blender/draw/engines/overlay/overlay_private.hh

@@ -223,6 +223,9 @@ typedef struct OVERLAY_ArmatureCallBuffersInner {
 
   DRWCallBuffer *wire;
 
+  DRWCallBuffer *spheres_outline;
+  DRWCallBuffer *spheres_fill;
+
   DRWShadingGroup *custom_outline;
   DRWShadingGroup *custom_fill;
   DRWShadingGroup *custom_wire;

source/blender/draw/intern/draw_cache.c

@@ -131,6 +131,8 @@ static struct DRWShapeCache {
   GPUBatch *drw_lightprobe_grid;
   GPUBatch *drw_bone_octahedral;
   GPUBatch *drw_bone_octahedral_wire;
+  GPUBatch *drw_bone_balls;
+  GPUBatch *drw_bone_balls_wire;
   GPUBatch *drw_bone_box;
   GPUBatch *drw_bone_box_wire;
   GPUBatch *drw_bone_envelope;

source/blender/editors/armature/armature_select.c

@@ -649,7 +649,8 @@ static EditBone *get_nearest_editbonepoint(
   /* find the bone after the current active bone, so as to bump up its chances in selection.
    * this way overlapping bones will cycle selection state as with objects. */
   Object *obedit_orig = vc->obedit;
-  EditBone *ebone_active_orig = ((bArmature *)obedit_orig->data)->act_edbone;
+  bArmature *armature = ((bArmature *)obedit_orig->data);
+  EditBone *ebone_active_orig = armature->act_edbone;
   if (ebone_active_orig == NULL) {
     use_cycle = false;
   }
@@ -846,16 +847,22 @@ cache_end:
     if (result->hitresult != -1) {
       *r_base = result->base;
 
-      *r_selmask = 0;
-      if (result->hitresult & BONESEL_ROOT) {
-        *r_selmask |= BONE_ROOTSEL;
+      if (BKE_armature_bone_can_select_headtail(armature)) {
+        *r_selmask = 0;
+        if (result->hitresult & BONESEL_ROOT) {
+          *r_selmask |= BONE_ROOTSEL;
+        }
+        if (result->hitresult & BONESEL_TIP) {
+          *r_selmask |= BONE_TIPSEL;
+        }
+        if (result->hitresult & BONESEL_BONE) {
+          *r_selmask |= BONE_SELECTED;
+        }
       }
-      if (result->hitresult & BONESEL_TIP) {
-        *r_selmask |= BONE_TIPSEL;
-      }
-      if (result->hitresult & BONESEL_BONE) {
-        *r_selmask |= BONE_SELECTED;
+      else {
+        *r_selmask = BONE_SELECTED;
       }
+
       MEM_freeN(bases);
       return result->ebone;
     }

source/blender/makesdna/DNA_armature_types.h

@@ -181,6 +181,7 @@ typedef enum eArmature_Drawtype {
   ARM_B_BONE = 2,
   ARM_ENVELOPE = 3,
   ARM_WIRE = 4,
+  ARM_SPHERES = 5,
 } eArmature_Drawtype;
 
 /* armature->deformflag */

source/blender/makesrna/intern/rna_armature.c

@@ -1473,6 +1473,7 @@ static void rna_def_armature(BlenderRNA *brna)
        0,
        "Wire",
        "Display bones as thin wires, showing subdivision and B-Splines"},
+      {ARM_SPHERES, "SPHERE", 0, "Sphere", "Display bones as spheres at the joints"},
       {0, NULL, 0, NULL, NULL},
   };
   static const EnumPropertyItem prop_pose_position_items[] = {