PartDesign Gui (Editing Revolve and Helix selection logic)

[freedman]

It appears to be a mouse focus issue in the combo view. I attached a file but the issue is in any Revolve (no time to test others). Double click a Revolve in the tree and the combo view dialog opens to edit the revolve. The mouse focus is now on selecting the Axis in the revolve dialog. That's a problem because if you click on any other item in the tree/3D it sets the Axis.

This might be a valid work flow but this is not right, the focus should not default to the Axis setting on a simple parameter view. What happens; if you open the revolve to look at the settings and you click on just about anything your model will break.

Please verify.


OS: Windows 10 (10.0)
Word size of FreeCAD: 64-bit
Version: 0.20.24910 (Git)
Build type: Release
Branch: master
Hash: 089b2ae47824232f649eb74ce1f97673cf77b78c
Python version: 3.8.10
Qt version: 5.12.9
Coin version: 4.0.0
OCC version: 7.5.2
Locale: English/United States (en_US)

[Bance]

Can't verify on an older version:-

OS: Linux Mint 20.1 (XFCE/xfce)
Word size of OS: 64-bit
Word size of FreeCAD: 64-bit
Version: 0.19.
Build type: Release
Branch: unknown
Hash: e8566f22bbeb0b7204e3c45519d0963e8881100b
Python version: 3.8.5
Qt version: 5.12.8
Coin version: 4.0.0
OCC version: 7.5.1
Locale: English/United Kingdom (en_GB)

[chrisb]

I can confirm here. However, It is quite usual that the focus is on the first editable element. I never realized this issue, because there is no reason why I would click into 3D view at all while editing the panel.

The procedure to reproduce is:
- double click on Revolution
- click on the top face of the big cylinder
-> The axis switches to Pad:Face3.

OS: macOS 10.16
Word size of FreeCAD: 64-bit
Version: 0.20.25311 (Git)
Build type: Release
Branch: master
Hash: c5524bb58a7126fa2242d6137eb82ee9d54e82d4
Python version: 3.9.6
Qt version: 5.12.9
Coin version: 4.0.0
OCC version: 7.5.2
Locale: C/Default (C)

[freedman]

I really don't know what to think. I agree, there is no reason to click on anything else but once a revolve combo view is opened, it's a loaded gun. If you switch the Combo panel to Model view (and aren't paying attention) your next click will change the axis. I think this requires some attention and discussion.

There should probably be an Axis edit button or a "change selection" button like other features.

Same issue on my 18.2 and 19.2.
My guess is, it has always been like that....

chrisb » wrote
I never realized this issue, because there is no reason why I would click into 3D view at all while editing the panel.

It's not just the 3D, it's anything in the tree also.

[freedman]

Pad, Pocket, Loft and Sweep are locked down but it looks like Revolve, Helix, Primitives all have some kind of possible changing parameter.

[TheMarkster]

The problem is it's in select reference mode even though a reference is shown as having already been selected. If something is already selected as the axis, then that reference gets placed in the combo view, and you get out of select reference mode. For some reason double clicking puts you back in select reference mode.

OS: Windows 10 Version 2009
Word size of FreeCAD: 64-bit
Version: 0.20.25306 (Git)
Build type: Release
Branch: master
Hash: 5f5b3d9b67136edda1f6738f1a83154990f7839d
Python version: 3.8.6+
Qt version: 5.15.2
Coin version: 4.0.1
OCC version: 7.5.0
Locale: English/United States (en_US)

Edit: https://github.com/FreeCAD/FreeCAD/pull/4944

This PR addresses the case of the revolution, but not the others mentioned. I couldn't reproduce the issue with the additive helix and IMO it's okay with the primitives because you are clearly in selection mode whereas with the revolution that was not clearly the case.

[freedman]

I'm going to change the Subject title to make a better target.

I think I found a simple solution.

It looks like this has been targeted in the past but it needs some logic to work correctly , notice when the Revolve and Helix task panels are opened, down at the bottom is an option "Update view". If this is unchecked then the bad behavior is avoided. This issue is in both Additive and Subtractive features.

To fix this I recommend:
1) When creating a Revolve or Helix, "Update view" should be checked by default.

2) When editing a Revolve or Helix, "Update view" should be unchecked by default.

This should be fairly easy to implement.

[chrisb]

Are you sure that this will fix the issue? I'm afraid the tests work only because you change the focus.

[freedman]

I'm afraid the tests work only because you change the focus.

Good point! It sure looks like it works, once the update is unchecked I don't see any activity in Axis change even if I refocus the Axis.
And with update unchecked you can change the Axis manually and Save, it seems to work exactly like what I would ask for if I had a wish list. I don't have much time right now, do you think to test this we need a macro that changes update without clicking in the panel? I could do that in the next week. I would bet some other user here could code that in just a couple minutes. Thanks if someone could. We would want a macro that unchecks "Update view" in the current open Task panel.
Thanks

[freedman]

This issue is also in the Primitives, they would need an additional field "Update view". I don't use Primitives and it seems like that is a large change compared to the Revolve and Helix fix. I intend to write a bug report and let the devs figure it out.