SVN - Version: user preferences

General Forums Blender and CG Discussions
1

The default behaviour of inserting objects has changed twice in the svn version.

At first objects stay in object mode and are aligned to the world coordinates, now this behaviour is reverted back (objects change to edit mode and are aligned to view).

Is this intended? I’m already trying to write documentation for 2.46, so it would be nice to know what will come in the next official release.

P.S.: I personally think objects should stay in object mode and should be aligned to view, because

  1. you always work in view coordinates if you don’t choose something else.
  2. a cube inserted in edit mode is aligned to view.
  3. It is easy to clear the rotation of the object with Alt-R.
  4. Inserting an object should not change anything exept that the newly inserted object is selected. The command is not called “Add a new object and change to edit mode” but simply “Add”.

Just my 2 cents.

2

As you may know, we now have a CTO (custom transform orientation) in SVN.

My opinion is to have the new created object oriented to the Transform Orientation we have selected at the time of creation. This way, we can start using the TO’s right form the beginning, according to the object we are going to create.

3

…but is there any sense in making objects aligned to the view, if the user has to press Alt-R for 9 out of 10 times? :wink:

4

I believe Ton changed the default back to old behavior, but if you’d like those features, they’re still there. But his log was kind of confusing:

Fix for change in default behaviour of adding objects: (commit oct 2007)

  • The new default remains to add not aligned, not in editmode.
    But, this is only for new users (in .B.blend default)

  • It’s nicer we don’t change this for everyone automatic.

    Means: people who like the new options have to set the buttons in user
    menu and save .B.blend.

5

Thanks egan, I’ve read the commit log but obviously didn’t get it. :spin:

6

YES. Having them aligned to view is very very natural and useful. adding an object is similar to extruding a shape. you are adding geometry exactly where you are looking at. imagin if extrude followed world coordinates. :confused:

It comes down to the model. If you are doing architectural, you want it almost always aligned to world, if you are doing organic, you probably want it to the view. so the option will be nice. its no secret that blenderheads do much more organic than architectural.

7

Yes. Adding an object aligned to view is consistent, expectable and rational.

Everything else would be arbitrarily, dependend on other settings and/or inconsitent.
Arbitrarily: what makes world coordinates special? You would have a hard time working on an inclined plane in world coordinates. The natural way to do things is in view orientation.

Depend on other settings: if you would insert things aligned to a custom transform orientation (CTO) you would have to worry about other settings, that you may or may not have changed deliberately or undeliberately. Maybe you have changed the CTO for another purpose a while ago. Since you can apply the CTO to an object after insertion, there is no need for a special command (“Add object aligned to CTO”).

Inconsistent: you always work aligned to view, you have to choose another coordinate space if you want to work in that space.

8

Inserting objects is 0.001% of the work time. Why it so important?

9

Because if you write a beginners tutorial it is very important.

10

I’ve been doing organic for years, but I always use world aligned objects.

I guess it depends on how you model things. I do understand it could be easier to have them aligned to screen space when you’re adding details, though…

11

I committed the changes to adding objects in October last year. There’s a detailed rationale for it in the commit log, which you can read here:

http://lists.blender.org/pipermail/bf-blender-cvs/2007-October/date.html

Although it’s quite helpful for new users, Ton didn’t like that this option took effect for people who already had .B.blend setups saved. So his recent commit means that:

  • Aligning to world space, and not entering edit mode is default for new setups, after a default installation of Blender
  • Setups for which a .B.blend already exists, remain with the same old behaviour as 2.45, however you can still change the user preference to enable the non-aligned/non-edit functionality.
12

So it seems it doesn’t work that way with the current SVN (#14415). It has changed back to the old behaviour two days ago or so.

Should I file a bug report?

13

It seems ok here. Try doing File -> Load factory settings to see what it should look like with a brand new installation. It should have the ‘switch to edit mode’ and ‘aligned to view’ preferences off.

14

Cool, good to hear. and it was definitely handy for new users. It took 1.5 pages out of my book which were used to explain getting out of edit mode and aligning to the 3D world.

So great feature.

Having said that i also agree with Ton, For an experienced user its really handy to be able to align to the view.

Alltaken

15

No, even on loading factory settings are “switch to edit mode” and “aligned to view” turned on.

SVN #14412, Linux.

It worked as described until a few days before.

With kind regards

16

It’s an odd one, I love having it aligned to world and not entering editr world, and that’s what my config was, updated SVN and it changed it to view aligned and entering edit mode…

Would have thoughyt it’d respect my preference…

no biggie as I can reconfigure it to how I like, but will it switch everytime I update SVN?