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A dialog for File->Merge - Printable Version

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RE: A dialog for File->Merge - MikeJ - 04-07-2014

My very brief testing seems to indicate that the patch works quite well. Thank you Micheus for another great add-on!

I do have a couple of questions:

Is there any way to select more than one item (but not all) in the scroll window? I tried holding down the control key and the shift key to see if I could select more than one but couldn't. Perhaps it's not possible in this little dialog box.

In the "selection options" section, "make all new selection" is a little bit vague such that I had to experiment with it to figure out what it meant. If I am not mistaken, the reason someone would check this box is to make sure that the newly-merged items are selected versus unselected which is the default behavior if this box is left unchecked. Therefore, I might name this something like "select newly-merged objects" or "merged objects selected" or something like that. What do you think?

Additionally, I might change "add to current" and "replace the current" to "add to current scene selection" and "replace current scene selection". Or perhaps "add to current selected objects" and "replace current selected objects". Something along those lines.

One final thing, I can't understand why the "keep the current" option is there. Perhaps I'm not understanding fully the operation of the "selection options" section but it seems to me like this option is superfluous. If you want the current selection kept after the merge then you simply don't check the "make all new selection" box. You wouldn't select the "make all new selection" box only to then check the "keep the current" radio button. Would you? Perhaps I'm not understanding.

As a quick illustration:

=============================
Merged object(s) selection state
-----------------
[ ] Merged object(s) selected
-----------------
( ) Add to current selected object(s)
( ) Replace current selected object(s)
=============================

Keep up the great work!

RE: A dialog for File->Merge - oort - 04-07-2014

Micheus,
Thanks, I have tested and it seems to be working perfectly. I have only done some quick testing. You have done a great job so far... Smile Do you plan to add the ability to do multiple object selections at this time or is that something you will do at a later date? You said this would be done in the future. Just wondering how soon.

Do you plan to add image merge control at this time so that unwanted images (i.e. renders) are not merged in?

Thanks!,
oort
MikeJ,
The selection can be other things than an object, I think. It could be a selection of faces or edges as well... Smile

I think you may be right about "Keep the current"...???

oort

RE: A dialog for File->Merge - micheus - 04-07-2014

MikeJ, I think you lose some posts where some questions would be answered. Wink

(04-07-2014, 04:40 AM)MikeJ Wrote: Is there any way to select more than one item (but not all) in the scroll window?
(04-07-2014, 04:51 AM)oort Wrote: Do you plan to add the ability to do multiple object selections at this time or is that something you will do at a later date? You said this would be done in the future. Just wondering how soon.
For both questions: By now, no way. There is no component that I can use that enable me do that (I wonder if so), and as dgud is changing the UI code for the next release I cannot play with it. That's why in my last post I said that "It'll become prepared to multiple selections in the future"

MikeJ Wrote:In the "selection options" section, "make all new selection" is a little bit vague such that I had to experiment with it to figure out what it meant.
The text in the information line should make it more clear.

MikeJ Wrote:Therefore, I might name this something like "select newly-merged objects" or "merged objects selected" or something like that. What do you think?

Additionally, I might change "add to current" and "replace the current" to "add to current scene selection" and "replace current scene selection". Or perhaps "add to current selected objects" and "replace current selected objects". Something along those lines.
Naming is always under construction. Thanks for the suggestions.

MikeJ Wrote:One final thing, I can't understand why the "keep the current" option is there. Perhaps I'm not understanding fully the operation of the "selection options" section but it seems to me like this option is superfluous. If you want the current selection kept after the merge then you simply don't check the "make all new selection" box. You wouldn't select the "make all new selection" box only to then check the "keep the current" radio button. Would you? Perhaps I'm not understanding.
Again, I think it was already explained before, but the main concept here is: you can have selections in the current scene and you can have selections in the scene being merged. So you would make a combination of then.
You know if you have selection in the file if the options are available (see the image - post #43)

oort Wrote:Do you plan to add image merge control at this time so that unwanted images (i.e. renders) are not merged in?
Yeah. But I think that it would be less useful than for the other elements, since we can only select one image. Maybe I could filter the "render" name!?

Unfortunately we can improve the Merge just a little bit by now, but I think it can help us more than the current one. Because of the dgud changes, we would be able to know if we'll have new controls only in the next release of Wings3d and a new update only for the other release. So, I would like to make this one the better we can and submit it soon and finish it in the future.

RE: A dialog for File->Merge - oort - 04-07-2014

Yes, "keep current" is needed for when you have a selection in the current scene and merge in a file with a selection that you want to ignore. There are so many possible situations it is hard to think them all through without doing them... Smile

For image merge control would it be possible to have three options?

All (default)
Only if Used by Material (or other description)
None

If not possible or a good idea, it is not a problem. What you have done is a huge improvement to what merge was before... Smile

Thanks,
oort

RE: A dialog for File->Merge - micheus - 04-07-2014

(04-07-2014, 03:32 PM)oort Wrote: For image merge control would it be possible to have three options?

All (default)
Only if Used by Material (or other description)
None
I thought about that too - for materials related to objects. Smile
But also I thought that it increase the possibilities that may confuse the user.

RE: A dialog for File->Merge - oort - 04-07-2014

Would only adding "Merge all" and "None" be ok??? I tend to have a bad habit of leaving lots of renders in my files. Deleting them one by one can be a pain... Smile Sad

oort

RE: A dialog for File->Merge - MikeJ - 04-07-2014

(04-07-2014, 01:43 PM)micheus Wrote: Again, I think it was already explained before, but the main concept here is: you can have selections in the current scene and you can have selections in the scene being merged. So you would make a combination of then.

(04-07-2014, 03:32 PM)oort Wrote: Yes, "keep current" is needed for when you have a selection in the current scene and merge in a file with a selection that you want to ignore.

These two statements seem to be in contradiction with one another. The first one seems to indicate that the selections in the merged file will be combined with the selections in the current file; where as the second one seems to indicate that the selections in the merged file will be ignored. So I'm still confused as to what it does. All I can say is that I hope the info line has a very long and clear explanation for what each one of these options does, otherwise it will be up to the user to practice many experiments with the merge function before actually doing what they need. :-)

RE: A dialog for File->Merge - micheus - 04-07-2014

(04-07-2014, 07:46 PM)MikeJ Wrote: These two statements seem to be in contradiction with one another.
I disagree, but I don't want spend time making a detailed description about that. Sorry, you'll need to play with it and understand by your self.

RE: A dialog for File->Merge - oort - 04-08-2014

MikeJ,
There are multiple situations to consider and each one requires coding.

1) The "new file" has a selection and the "merged file" has a selection.
2) The "new file" has a selection, the "merged file" has no selection.
3) The "new file" has a selection, auto-select the "merged file".

4) The "new file" has no selection, the "merged file" has a selection.
5) The "new file" has no selection, the "merged file" has no selection.
6) The "new file" has no selection, auto-select" the "merged file"

I think it would break down as follows...

A) New File has a selection
1) Merge file has a selection
a) "keep current" selection and ignore Merge file selection. (No change)
b) "add" Merge file selection to current selection. (Increase selection)
c) "replace" current selection with Merge file selection. (New selection)
2) Merge File has No selection (No change to selection)
3) Merge File has No selection (Make all new Selection enabled (auto-select))
a) "keep current" selection and no auto-select . (No change)
b) "add" Merge file object auto-selected. (Increase selection)
c) "replace" current selection with Merge file object auto-selected. (New selection)

B) New file has No selection
1) Merge File has a selection
a) "keep current" selection and ignore Merge file selection. (No change)
b) "add" Merge file selection to current selection. (New selection)
c) "replace" current selection with Merge file selection. (New selection)
2) Merge File has No selection (No change to selection)
3) Merge File has No selection (Make all new Selection enabled (autoselect))
a) "keep current" selection and no auto-select. (No change)
b) "add" Merge file object auto-selected. (New selection)
c) "replace" current selection with Merge file object auto-selected. (New selection)

If I am not mistaken, auto-selecting the merged in file is the complicating factor... Sad

I think the way Micheus has the menu is the simplest way to capture all the possibilities... At least I cannot think of a better way... Smile

oort

RE: A dialog for File->Merge - micheus - 04-08-2014

oort, thanks for this effort.
Maybe "Ignore" would be a better word to replace "Keep Current" - even it meaning the same thing for me.

For the items 3) a) they are going to be more smart - by selecting "Keep Current" the new selection checkbox is unchecked since I cannot disable only that option.

What the "meaning" of that "auto-selecting"?