[Qgis-developer] standardisation of the editing map tools: modify behaviour of press-pan-release tools

[Trevor Wiens]

I like the options of setting a preference for either GIS like operation or
CAD like operation. This does however tie into a larger issue of
configuration flexibility in QGIS.

I use QGIS when I teach GIS and new users are often overwhelmed by rows and
rows of tool bars. By default we can only set those one at a time soI wrote
the MyConfigs plugin so I could set a certain set of tools visible for when
I'm doing digitizing and a different configurations for different tasks.
Unfortunately to disable menus requires a reboot of the system. In my ideal
world the plugin I wrote would be made obsolete by the ability to define
task configurations of tool bars, menus and perhaps even tool behaviour.
This type of flexibility would be useful for teaching but also in day to
day use by keeping what you need close at hand and behaving as needed and
hiding the other stuff that can sometimes get in the way.

TSW
On Sep 26, 2014 3:28 PM, "Andrew" <amcaninch at gmail.com> wrote:

> I also would vote for option 3.  I do quite a bit of digitising/editing in
> QGIS.  I am used to the default behaviour though there are times i wish for
> the editing tools to act as Denis has proposed.  I think it makes sense for
> QGIS' default behaviour to be consistent for people coming from other GIS
> software. In my mind QGIS is foremost a GIS and should behave as such.  So
> i don't think 1 is a good option.  also, 2 sees like it could be
> confusing/frustrating.  I don't think its a matter of being afraid of
> change but rather of being consistent with the behaviour of other GIS
> software.  That being said there are times that i would appreciate having
> the editing behaviour Denis is suggesting and would be very interested in
> being able to choose.
>
> Andrew
>
> On Wed, Sep 24, 2014 at 11:27 PM, Denis Rouzaud <denis.rouzaud at gmail.com>
> wrote:
>
>>
>> On 25.09.2014 08:02, Nathan Woodrow wrote:
>>
>> Hey Denis,
>>
>>  There is a 4th option of course and that is a key modifier for override
>> to do click-click.  I was planning on doing that a while ago when I thought
>> about the same thing.
>>
>>  So adding something like shift+click to enabled click-click mode.
>>
>>  Not sure if that is better but there is not a good way to change this
>> kind of thing.
>>
>>  - Nathan
>>
>>
>> Or we use the modifier for the drag'n'drop, if people like to keep a
>> button mouse pressed, they don't mind using one more key... just joking!
>>
>> Modifiers are a pain when you use the tools a lot.
>>
>> Anyway, if we do this, this can be combined with the options (solution 3)
>> Standard mode: simple click: drag'ndrop, shift: click-click
>> CAD mode: simple click: click-clcik, shift: drag'n'drop
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>> On Thu, Sep 25, 2014 at 3:46 PM, Denis Rouzaud <denis.rouzaud at gmail.com>
>> wrote:
>>
>>>  Hi all,
>>>
>>> I'll try to summarize.
>>>
>>> *QEP*: I don't mind doing one, but I think it's a bit early since we
>>> are still discussing.
>>>
>>> *Problematic*: Drag'n'drop map tools prevent from enhancing CAD tools
>>> in QGIS. For this, it is *required *to add click-click to all map tools.
>>>
>>> *Other softwares:*
>>> CAD softwares use click-click actions while design and GIS (Mapinfo,
>>> what about ESRI?) use drag'n'drop.
>>> New users or even current users might be afraid of such a change.
>>>
>>> *Pros of methods:*
>>> Advantages of click-clik:
>>> * allow other actions to be done in the movement
>>> * allow cancelling the action (this was not pointed out yet)
>>> Advantages of drag'n'drop
>>> * More intuitive (for non-CAD users, which I believe is the majority)
>>>
>>> I see *3 (and a half) solutions* (thanks to Matthias for pointing some):
>>>
>>> 1.* Replace current* drag'n'drop to click-click
>>> + simplest solution to maintain
>>> - need time for new users to get used to this
>>>
>>> 2.* Enable both* click-clik and drag'n'drop: a short click will free
>>> the node/feature while a long click (*) will allow drag'n'drop.
>>> + both solutions are here
>>> - might be confusing for a "standard" user to make a short click and
>>> have a node moving without knowing what to do (although escape would cancel
>>> the thing)
>>>
>>> 3. Provide both behaviours and *choose which one to use in options*
>>> (e.g. enable CAD behaviour for map tools).
>>> + both solutions are here
>>> - behaviour not coherent along the different installations
>>>
>>> half solution: click-click in map tools, allow drag'n'drop in the main
>>> identify tool. Like *Microstation*.
>>> - this works only for move features (i.e. not feasible for rotate and
>>> node tools)
>>>
>>> Please comment these solutions, to see if there's a consensus.
>>> I'll start and vote for 1. ;)
>>>
>>>
>>> Cheers,
>>> Denis
>>>
>>>
>>> * The determination of what should be done is made on the distance in
>>> pixels from the press position to the release position. If it's small it is
>>> considered as a short. Time might also get into consideration: if you
>>> long-click but don't move it could be considered as cancel.
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> On 24.09.2014 10:56, Denis Rouzaud wrote:
>>>
>>> Hi all,
>>>
>>> There is somehow an inconsistency in the behaviour of the current
>>> editing map tools.
>>>
>>> Some, like add features, uses the left click to trigger the action.
>>> Others, like the node tool or move feature use press-pan-release mouse
>>> events:
>>> * mouse press to select the node/feature
>>> * mouse mouse to move it
>>> * mouse release sets the position.
>>>
>>> I would propose to standardise this and for the latter tools propose the
>>> following work flow:
>>> * left click enables the move
>>> * left click again to validate at position
>>> * or right click to cancel
>>>
>>> Why changing this?
>>>
>>> If you look at CAD software, they also use the proposed approach. And
>>> there's a reason for doing so, which is valid for QGIS too.
>>>
>>> We are looking at improving the CAD tools in QGIS. In this area, I
>>> recommend trying the fantastic CADinput plugin made by Olivier Dalang. The
>>> plugin works on top of any map tool and enables CAD tools for each of them.
>>>
>>> The problem with the press-pan-release map tools is that you can't truly
>>> interact while you are actually in the action of the map tool (holding the
>>> click):
>>> * you can't click anymore and this prevents from using intermediate
>>> points (you have to use the tool several times and repeat the operation as
>>> many times as intermediate points you need)
>>> * it is not really user friendly to have to press keys while holing the
>>> click
>>>
>>> This is why, changing the map tools behaviour is requested if we want to
>>> go further with CAD tools in QGIS.
>>>
>>> Regarding the future of CAD tools in QGIS, I am quite sure the plugin
>>> proposed by Olivier would be a good way to go for QGIS, but it still might
>>> be a bit early to integrate it in core. The idea is rather first to extend
>>> the API and propose ready to use methods, so it will be easy to implement
>>> your preferred solution in a plugin.
>>>
>>> But first, we need to standardise the map tools.
>>>
>>> So, the bottom line, any objection to changing the behaviour of:
>>> * edit node tool
>>> * move feature
>>> * rotate feature
>>> * move label
>>> * rotate label
>>> * any other press-pan-release map tool that I am not aware of
>>> ???
>>>
>>> Best wishes,
>>>
>>> Denis
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
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>>>
>>
>>
>>
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