[Bf-committers] Bring multiple objects to edit mode

[Jeffrey]

I have experience modeling in Maya as well as blender, and I prefer the
blender way because of Maya's obnoxious automatic mode switching when
you accidentally select another object. I think blender could definitely
benefit from allowing multiple objects in edit mode, but it should only
work on selected objects, not on the whole scene. If it acts on the
whole scene, it opens up armature edit mode, curves, metaballs, etc. It
should only act on selected objects of the same type as the active
object. If a couple meshes and a metaball are selected, the metaball
will not go into edit mode if a mesh is active.

I do not think you should be allowed to add an object to edit mode if
you are already in edit mode; you would switch back to object, select
the other, then switch back to edit. This avoids automatic mode switching.

Because edit mode ultimately modifies only the base mesh, modifiers are
not an issue here. Likewise, shapekeys store vertex position on existing
vertex indices, so adding geometry is already bad form when working with
shapekeys. I'm less familiar with vcols, but I would imagine the data is
stored similarly.

Multiple object editing is no doubt beneficial, but it needs to be
improved. This is my two cents after using both. I have not used XSI or
Max for modeling, so I cannot vouch for their functionality.

On 02/18/2016 09:55 AM, Doeke Wartena wrote:
>>
>> It is actually something that is better in Blender, to only be editing one
>> object at a time, as it can cause errors in other programs where multiple
>> objects are selected.
> 
> ...
> 
> ...you can just join them together but pressing
>> Ctrl J.
> 
> 
> I never had a error with Softimage when editing multiple objects at the
> same time. For maya and max I can't remember cause it's way to long ago I
> used those programs. And I think if something is prone for error then it is
> the join thing, that doesn't work in so many cases (multiple objects being
> animated for example).
> 
> 
> I don't wan't to be rude, but saying that it's not necessary is clearly a
>> lack of production experience with blender AND other software. It is
>> absolutely necessary if blender wants to be on par or better with other
>> software.
> 
> 
> Amen!
> 
> Also, it might be a few clicks more. But those few clicks really add up
> sometimes. I had a simple task a few weeks ago that could have been done in
> like 3 minutes but it took me around 20 minutes.
> 
> Object separation and edit mode are very good design decisions, which
>> actually are keeping things SIMPLE.
> 
> 
> It is not about the separate modes. While those modes are good, they focus
> to much on the active object and not the selection.
> Blender could shine a lot in the workflow regarding multiple selections.
> Both for edit mode and object mode. In my opinion stating otherwise
> is truly a lack of vision regarding this matter.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 2016-02-18 16:03 GMT+01:00 David Fenner <d4vidfenner at gmail.com>:
> 
>> I don't wan't to be rude, but saying that it's not necessary is clearly a
>> lack of production experience with blender AND other software. It is
>> absolutely necessary if blender wants to be on par or better with other
>> software. You see, ptex isn't necessary because you have UVs, ik's aren't
>> necessary since you can do fk, sculpting isn't necessary since you can
>> paint displacement maps in photoshop, etc etc. So it's not about being
>> necessary, is about how useful it is. Multiple object editing would be very
>> useful, since basically joining stuff would kill thousands of different
>> workflows that involve modifiers, vcol, shapekeys, any type of linking,
>> animation, etc.  And having to edit objects one by one is too technical and
>> old fashioned, any "modern" 3D artist needs to be able to be able to shape
>> and work on the "whole thing" when he needs to.
>>
>> 2016-02-18 11:48 GMT-03:00 Daniel Salazar - patazstudio.com <
>> zanqdo at gmail.com>:
>>
>>> It has nothing to do with instancing. Its about sculpting/editing a
>>> compound shape without having to join it.
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-- 
Jeffrey "Italic_" Hoover