SubD Toggle, one is enough (TAB)

Serengeti (Rhino WIP)
1

Is it necessary to have both F4 and TAB to toggle SubD Display? I think it would be enough to have just one and my vote is for TAB. That would free F4 for something else, for a example Gumball orientation toggle

2

You can customize function keys in Rhino Options > Keyboard
Just the TAB key seems to be hard-coded.

3

I know I can customize. But that’s not the point.

I think it would be cleaner to have just one of the two options and my request goes even further as I think the whole F… shortcuts should be cleaned up. How many people use '_DigClick? Thta would free up another shortcut.

4

Yeah, that’s probably a good idea.

5

https://mcneel.myjetbrains.com/youtrack/issue/RH-53220#focus=streamItem-74-274863.0-0
This comment explains the reason to use F4 for SubDDisplayToggle.

RH-57526 is added for removing SubDDisplayToggle from F4 if it is possible.

Thanks.

6

Hi @KelvinC,

What happened to this comment by @dalelear:

The TAB key is a precious Rhino-wide key. As a “hot-key” it might be more valuable in other contexts that every user encounters or it might be better to be configurable like the function keys. In any case, this bug is about the commands themselves. Hot-key acceleration issues will be addressed in a different bug.

I could not agree more, Tab is a super handy key that will be a waste hardcoded just for SubD toggle, especially for users that don’t use it much or at all. Could RMA consider making it configurable? Default can be SubD toggle, but let us change it freely. I’d personally use it a Gumball toggle…
Hope this can be reconsidered.

thank you,

–jarek

7

Thanks for the reply and reference, I’m now convinced that a function key is better for SubD toggle.

I do still question half of the function keys. At least in my work I hardly ever need F1, F2 and F3. I set F4 or F5 to toggle the Gumball on and off and I will most probably get rid of F12 / digitize soon and just set all function keys the way it suits me.

1 Like
8
  1. When a command asks for a point and direction, pressing Tab enables direction constraint.
  2. In the BoxEdit panel, press Tab key to go through the value boxes.
  3. In the Layer panel, when you editing a layer name, pressing Tab finishes the rename and add a new layer with the name highlighted for renaming.
  4. Ctrl+Tab makes the next viewport active.

So far, the actions above do not conflict with toggling SubD appearance. I’m not sure if the Tab key is used in some other places where conflict would happen.

The Tab key is selected to toggle SubD appearance because other SubD modeling apps use it. Making the Tab key configurable was invaginated in RH-55227, but ended up not implemented.

1 Like
9

I think changing the key assignments that have been existing for a very long time might cause problems for some groups of users.

1 Like
10

Thanks Kelvin for the links. I’m not too worried about the conflicts as this can be always ironed out.

Too bad, sorry but seems to me like a poor decision to hardcode it. I realize you are now all excited about the new SubD workflow which is a huge effort to implement, but making Tab configurable would be very valuable for non-SubD users. Nothing wrong with making Tab a default SubD toggle if that’s other software standard, but allow us to change it. I always liked the flexibility of Rhino UI and ability to configure and customize the way we work. Maybe not too late for V7 and Tab to keep this trend?

1 Like
11

Making the Tab key configurable is still on the wish list. (RH-3534)
Commented by @wim a few days ago for this post. I can’t say when it will happen.

1 Like
12

Have a look at this post and perhaps contribute your ideas there…

1 Like
13

100% agree here!
No hard coded SubD toggle to Tab-key!

1 Like
14

I get that, but at some point it might be necessary

1 Like
15

https://mcneel.myjetbrains.com/youtrack/issue/RH-57537
I added this Youtrack issue to find out the hotkeys that have never or rarely been used by Rhino users. Not sure if it makes sense.

1 Like
16

@martinsiegrist
Rhino 7 WIP compiled after April 13, 2020, will have the SubDDisplayToggle command removed from F4.

@Jarek
Based some internal discussion, we’re trying to make the Tab key configurable. RH-57554
Direction lock toggle would still work as usual and would not be configurable.

1 Like
17

Perfect! thank you for listening. Tab-direction is indispensable, but otherwise customizing it will be very helpful.

3 Likes
18

RH-57526 is fixed in the latest WIP

19

I have just tested the customized Tab key in WIP; works well (both as default subD toggle, and trying something else, like Gumball Toggle).

The only problem so far is that in Rendered mode, it kicks in the Toon shading display that is a kind of hidden feature, but now it stays “Tooned” until next view change. @Jeff, @mikko - not sure how many users know of the toon shading or use it, but perhaps it could be implemented as a general display toggle command, and not hooked to Tab key anymore ?

best,

–jarek

20

It’s been removed.

-J