[Bf-committers] [13017] trunk/blender/source/blender: Toggle links tool for Node Editor

[GSR]

Hi,
bebraw at gmail.com (2007-12-28 at 1034.04 +0200):
> >In edit the analogue functionality is called Erase and uses Xkey. Just
> >in case you want to copy the workflow in a consistent way. Fkey and
> >Xkey, no toggling. ;]
> It is true it works exactly like that (f key, x key) elsewhere. The
> advantage of "toggle" is that the user doesn't have to care about
> selection status of the nodes.

You have to care about in what context you are (nodes vs the rest) and
the selection of sockets (like in edit mode with vertices). While the
point of being consistent is simplicity, reduced or zero "if"s /
"when"s. KISS.
 
> If it worked so that f sets only connection (no toggle) and x would be
> used to delete a connection, it would result in a popup menu (see
> curve edit mode). This menu would be used to determine whether to
> remove nodes or the defined connection.
> Personally I prefer the toggle functionality as it doesn't distract
> workflow as much as the menu does. Popup menu is a blocking action.

The other way to describe it is as feedback for a destructive action,
the blocking is pretty soft (it goes away with mouse shakes, clicks
or key presses).

The menu also allows things like erase a face without erasing the
edges, nodes could do similar things like erase a node and bridge the
lost connection or just keep the connection free in the air so you can
add a new node and quickly connect them or leaving floating in the air
for later (I am think long term). But if it is kept as toggle, such
behaviours are not possible... or will require yet another control
method or breaking what has become the accepted behaviour (same way
you will break the expectation if you remove the menu from edit mode).

GSR