Complete Workbench :(

[PrzemoF]

+1, possibly with renaming to "Complete [OBSLOETE]" or something along that line.

[NormandC]

+1 to PrzemoF's addition to wmayer's proposal. The "Complete" workbench remains available to those who really want it, but stays hidden to new users (out of sight, out of mind ).

[triplus]

And for how long do we plan to keep hiding it swept under the rug?

P.S. That is before we decide to drop it altogether or instead start doing something useful with it?

[kkremitzki]

Originally I had thought it would be a good idea to move it into the disabled workbenches list (so it could be re-enabled via Tools > Customize > Workbenches) for 0.17 and then once 0.18 rolls around, disabling it altogether.

[triplus]

OK from under the rug to disabled by default in two release cycles.

As for having a way to contribute quality standalone commands not related to any of the existing workbenches. Are we interested in having placeholder for such efforts or not?

[triplus]

What about if i investigate this over the weekend and try to create a pull request where only standard global toolbars stay. Everything else gets removed. It stays enabled in FreeCAD 0.17 and lets see if anybody claims it? Users using it for customization purposes or developers using it to add quality standalone commands to it. This way it at least stands a fighting chance before being hidden under the rug and silently EOLed.

Any objections?

[NormandC]

The purpose you propose would be useful, but then the "Complete" name would make even less sense than it does now. Why not rename it while you're at it?

[kkremitzki]

OK from under the rug to disabled by default in two release cycles.

As for having a way to contribute quality standalone commands not related to any of the existing workbenches. Are we interested in having placeholder for such efforts or not?

To me that need should be satisfied by making macros which are made available for installation via the Add-ons Manager.

[triplus]

The purpose you propose would be useful, but then the "Complete" name would make even less sense than it does now. Why not rename it while you're at it?

If it would be used for developers to add quality standalone commands to it the name makes sense. As this is in line with what Complete workbench was used for in the past. If users would use it to create custom workbench experience. By adding commands from other workbenches to it. Icon is suitable and as for the name. Complete could make sense. We can't know up front if one or another or something else will happen. We just know Complete workbench isn't used for what it was made for anymore. And users into customizing usually resolve in creating new workbench as they don't see Complete workbench in its current form as a viable option.

I agree it could still be confusing to some. But then again the question is will it be less confusing and/or will it be more useful? If it will turn out to be less confusing and more useful. Good. If not we can still EOL it after or try something else. If quality standalone commands would start to emerge and users after custom workbench experience would start to complain (wanting empty workbench by default) new workbench for such users could start to make sense.

To me that need should be satisfied by making macros which are made available for installation via the Add-ons Manager.

The problem with this approach is we don't stimulate quality and long term upstream contributions. That is we don't provide a natural transition from macro to quality upstream FreeCAD command. Developer being involved in FreeCAD community for a few years that has written a few macros/workbenches likely is capable of producing an upstream FreeCAD command that makes sense. Having a workbench to add such command to it therefore becomes necessity. Around 100 commands should i guess happen first in the following years. After likely things should be evaluated further.

[triplus]

Done:

https://github.com/FreeCAD/FreeCAD/pull/784