Just compiled and tested this PR.
Yeah. Sketcher just got a new queen. This tool is in my opinion insanely powerful, even more than polyline. Absolutely wonderful job here
paddle!
So far it
almost totally replaces; radius, horizontal length, vertical height, distance, coincident, point-on-object, angle, equal, perpendicular, parallel and lock. In ONE TOOL! And it is really intuitive to use.
Using shift to toggle between polyline is also really nice, easier to find than M and very easy to get used to. Using Shift to also cycle between constraint type is very intuitive.
I will finish a small project using this tool this week, but for now i have some small ideas and feedback:
- It would be nice if you could just press enter without having to type '0' first, since '0.00' is the default in tool settings.
- When you click a first point, the tool defaults to lock (X and Y lengths). I rarely use lock, and this clutters the mouse pointer and makes it hard to select the second point. How about the default is no constraint, and you can cycle using shift, just as it works now, to lock, x and y?
- This tool is so powerful it could be a bit difficult to learn all the features by testing. It would be cool with a hint somewhere, perhaps above the numbers in Tool settings. For example, you click two lines, and get asked to input angle. Then the hint could say "Input 0 ° for parallel, or 90 ° for perpendicular constraint". Or even better, if you could press shift so cycle between angle, parallel, perpendicular and tangent..?
- Is there a need to accept letters in the number box? It already displays the default document units. Because of this keyboard shortcuts does not work when creating geometry, and i often like to switch between normal and construction geometry using a shortcut when sketching. This way those preferring M for polyline would not have an issue.
- Could double clicking be used? Say i want to constrain two points witch coincident. Now i click the first, then the second, input 0, then enter. It would be nice to click the first, then doubleclick the second to apply coincident. Also if i press a line, and would like to make it equal to another line, i could doubleclick the second line, sort of like if i was clicking on three lines. And you could create coincident constraint on multiple points this way, by clicking on many points and doubleclicking the last point.
- When creating geometry, if 0mm x or y is input, it is probably better to use coincident or point-on-object instead of 0mm distance. Either coincident to origin if both is 0, or point on object to one axis if one is zero.
- After constraining, you must verify by left clicking, and right clicking disregards the last constraints and the tool. It is a bit weird at first, but now i kind of like it.
- The name and icon could definitely be better. I know "Smart constraint" it perhaps a bit disliked by some, but maybe something similar? It would at least be fitting for this tool. "Contextual Constraint" would tell me absolutely nothing if i didn't know about it beforehand. Super constrain? Multi constrain? Genius constrain? Any other ideas?
- Creating a new settings block in Preferences -> Sketcher is probably needed. When people begin to use this i guess many will have their own preferences between tool cycling, default settings e.g. And even if i think the auto radius/diameter should be default for curves, it would be nice to have it as an option in settings for those who disagree.
These are only suggestions, not criticism
I just have to repeat myself: even in this alpha state, this tool is incredible. No more click - search toolbar - click - search toolbar. Just select the tool and constrain away. 2022 just got a lot better