Feature #9094: Del-key performs 'delete selected features' #1010

ahuarte47 · 2013-11-25T22:36:58Z

No description provided.

ahuarte47 · 2013-12-02T01:43:32Z

I have tried to bring together all the comments and I have updated the pull request:

Selection tools (With point, rectangle, circle...) delete selected features with 'backspace' or 'delete' key without confirmation (It is an undoable action).
Also, a new status message notify the number of features deleted.
DEL key in attribute table delete the seleted features similarly.
Node tool, or capture tool, remove a node with 'backspace' or 'delete' key.
TOC remove selected layer[s] with Ctrl+D with ask for confirmation (It is not an undoable action).
Also, a new status message notify the number of layers removed.

rduivenvoorde · 2013-12-02T13:28:55Z

@ahuarte47 I tested the PR here locally, seems to work fine!

two comments:

If I create a NEW polygon, I can/could already remove the last added node by clicking 'backspace'. BUT delete is NOT working there. It would be great if there delete would also have the same function. So if possible can delete also remove last added node there?
related to this: in the node-tool modus, after deleting a node with either delete or backspace, there is no 'current/selected node' anymore. So it is not possible to hit 3 times delete to delete the three adjacent nodes.

Does it sound logical to add these two points also?

ahuarte47 · 2013-12-02T14:54:04Z

If I create a NEW polygon,....
Oops, here when I am drawing a new polygon 'del' key remove last node as 'backspace' does.
related to this: in the node-tool modus...
Yes I understand it, you ask me that two adjacent nodes to be auto-selected, go to consecutively deleting nodes. But you think that's widely used?, I guess the user will want to delete the current before or after and not often the two. Although I can be wrong.

rduivenvoorde · 2013-12-02T15:42:05Z

@ahuarte47 you are right. 1) is working here too. Sorry for the noice

ad 2) No, what I mean is that it would work like when you create a new polygon. There if you create 5 nodes, you hit DEL the last one is deleted. When you then hit DEL again, the node before that one (current last one) is deleted etc. So hitting 5 times DEL removes the whole polygon.
When in the node-tool modus. If I select one node (it turns blue with me) and I hit DEL, then that node is deleted, but there is not another node deleted after that, so I cannot hit DEL again (I can but nothing happens).
So what I propose: is after removing the selected node, select one node next to it (not sure which one of the two neighours it should be then: the one before (looking at drawing order). But what to do then if it was the FIRST node....
Well, maybe it is just too complex. And we should start with this....

ahuarte47 · 2013-12-02T16:01:08Z

Don't worry Richard, you're bringing me great ideas.

About (2), I had already understood this, I can implement auto-select previous node, (When you rearch first, I can go to last node and so on). But the problem is what node select, previous or next.

I propose select previous, but if you agree, I can catch other keys, by example, '+' to select next node to the current node, or '-' to select previous node. Then, the user can easily select the desired node, ....

What you think ?
Best regards

rduivenvoorde · 2013-12-02T16:16:56Z

I would think no more keys. Just take the previous node.

More ideas :-) well:

if we now have clicking del/backpace removing of current selection. Do we really need the 'remove selection' button then, it is obvious to try del first I think? A word processor or inkscape does not have these anymore either?
if you are really into the edit tools now: if I select a feature, and then select 'Move feature(s)' button I can move the feature by just click/dragging wherever I want. While intuitively from other programs, I think the feature should only move when you start dragging INTO the feature (so really 'drag the feature'). And if I click somewhere else (OUT of the feature) the selection is removed.... Or when I click in another feature, the selection goes to that feature (or ctrl-clicking in a feature adds that feature to the selection).

(but maybe I should make this a new feature request :-) )

ahuarte47 · 2013-12-02T17:01:40Z

I am sorry, I think with '+' and '-' node selection can be very agile. These keys only would be active when the 'node tool' is active.

About 'remove selection' I can add a new button if you want.

About 'move features', I have tested it, (I am new in QGIS :-)) and I humbly think that it can be improved. In other app desktops, the user select the target features, then move they drawing a line (it indicates the displacement) and optionally using the "snap_to_vertex" configuration.

Best regards

ahuarte47 · 2013-12-02T17:10:03Z

Hi Richard, The user can deselect the current active node of a feature clicking in any map area where there is not other vertex. The 'remove selection' button may not be necessary.

ahuarte47 · 2013-12-03T00:15:39Z

Hi Richard, I have updated the PR with two last commits:

ahuarte47@1f1bbce
Automatically selects the adjacent vertex to last removed selected node.

ahuarte47@d548e1f
'+' and '-' select next and previous to current active node respectively. This commit is for demo proposes and shows my proposal for fast selection of nodes. If you think that it must not be pulled, I will undo it.

Regards

nyalldawson · 2013-12-03T03:09:36Z

@ahuarte47 The +/- behaviour sounds great to me - I'd love to see it included in this pull.

rduivenvoorde · 2013-12-03T06:59:24Z

tested, working and I think looking good :-)

two small things:

if I look into 'Settings/Configure shortcuts' at 'Delete selected' I do not see 'Delete' or 'Backspace'. Not sure if there is a connection between the list there and the code, or that this is a hand crafted list. But I think it should match these (now hardcoded?) shortcuts? Or is is just not possible to change these via the Configure shortcuts anymore?
we/I should write something about this in the docs before the pull I think (otherwise these are hidden features) Somewhere around http://docs.qgis.org/testing/en/docs/user_manual/working_with_vector/editing_geometry_attributes.html Though I'm not sure, if documentation should have ALL possible combinations of shortcuts or actions written out....

and I had a strange thing ones, when I selected several nodes with the node tool (using the ctrl button) and deleted those 3 nodes via the delete button. Then the middle one was not deleted and kept selected. But I can not reproduce this anymore...

rduivenvoorde · 2013-12-03T09:10:59Z

mmm, talking to some colleagues here.

for the plus and minus keys here on my keyboard I actually have to click the 'minus' and/or the 'shift-equalssign'. While for example in inkscape you use: tab and shitftab to move to to next and previous node.
Sounds more intuitive to me? Other opinions?

Another idea (again). IF I have a node selected (in Node tool) should it not be handy if I can move this one node with the arrow-keys (say: 2 pixels for only arrow, and 5 pixels for shift-arrow). Maybe only when you have 1 node, otherwise it becomes too complex I think.
Off course it would be nice also if I could move the feature with this. (though currently you pan when you use the arrow keys)

ahuarte47 · 2013-12-03T13:04:11Z

Hi Richard, about 'Settings/Configure shortcuts': I think that this dialog only shows shortcuts for generic actions or for start tools, some of them are configured by default in related *.ui files in QGIS source code. PR 1012 that you has merged recently is an example.

The new shorcuts of node tool, and other existing keys in several tools (QgsMapToolCapture, QgsGrassMapcalc, QgsMapToolNodeTool, QgsMapToolAnnotation...) are hardcoded as private shorcuts of each tool. I don't know if documented.

ahuarte47 · 2013-12-03T13:10:32Z

About plus and minus keys, on my keyboard in windows I only need click these single keys. But if you prefer other more coherent keys, (tab and shitftab), I agree with it. If other opinions are not contrary, I gladly change.

ahuarte47 · 2013-12-03T13:29:16Z

About move the node or feature with arrow keys: I can implements this, but I don't know if it is very useful move a geometry in pixel coordinates (I say this with all due respect :-)). In my experience, the user needs to move a geometry in map coordinates using a precise offset, from keyboard or a drawing a line-displacement using optionally existing nodes as base.

If you want, we can create a new feature request for modify the current "move tool" behavior:

An initial proposal: 'move tool' works with the current selected features collection, the user move these features, not those clicked in first mousedown. It would allow that the user can draw a precise offset using existing nodes as base (snapping), and/or also create a new dialog where the user can input the specific offset.

But first I must study if other plugins contain this "move tool" (http://plugins.qgis.org/plugins/DigitizingTools, http://plugins.qgis.org/plugins/cadtools, http://plugins.qgis.org/plugins/numericalVertexEdit...) and keep everything as is.

Best regards

rduivenvoorde · 2013-12-03T15:36:48Z

let's not touch the move tool now... otherwise this PR will never be pulled....

one 'strange' behaviour I notice: if I select features via the 'Select features using an expression', then they 'look selected' == yellow, but I cannot delete them with delete/backspace.

is it possible to make the delete/backspace button also work on features selected via an expression?

nyalldawson · 2013-12-03T19:14:39Z

I personally don't think tab/shift tab are a good choice, since they have very specific use in UIs (navigating through GUI controls). How about something like [ and ]? They require no key combination, won't clash with anything else, and it's nice and clear which one is forward and which is back...

ahuarte47 · 2013-12-03T20:52:08Z

Hi Nyall, thank for your advice.
I do not want, and I can not, to impose on the decision, also I'm very influenced by windows applications :-)

Summarizing, we can use:
'+' '-'
'tab' 'shift-tab'
'[' ']'
'<' '>' ????
'Re Pag' 'Av Pag', already used in mapcanvas
'Left arrow' 'Right arrow', already used in mapcanvas
'Up arrow' 'Down arrow', already used in mapcanvas

Waiting opinions of experts in usability ;-)

ahuarte47 · 2013-12-03T21:38:28Z

Hi Richard, about:

"one 'strange' behaviour I notice: if I select features via the 'Select features using an expression', then they 'look selected' == yellow, but I cannot delete them with delete/backspace"...

I see the problem, the features are selected, but the 'delete-backspace' keys only are executed when a selection tool is active (By point, rectangle, ....). If you has other active tool (pan, zoom, node tool...) then these keys are executed in the context of this tool and can be executed other code. For example, when 'node tool' is active 'del' key try delete selected nodes and not selected features. I managed to explain?, My English is bad :-(

You are right, the user fails to understand why they are not deleted. We can provide one solution:

Activate a selection tool after the "selection by expression" dialog is closed (It is easy in QgsExpressionSelectionDialog.cpp). But it can be not acepted by QGIS community.

Regards

rduivenvoorde · 2013-12-04T08:12:22Z

@nyalldawson though I agree that tab is used for navigating through gui/dialogs, it is in most software also used to walk through elements. Inkscape (I think that is an example of mature editing software) also uses tab and shift tab to go through the nodes of given element.
But if I'm the only one: democracy helps :-)

@ahuarte47 About the selection by expression problem. I think we should not selection silently active.
Had an IRC chat with @Matthias-Kuhn about this. And our conclusion was that the optimal solution would be that the delete/backspace key is only active when there is at least one selected feature in current layer.
Actually in the same loop as which generates the message 'current layer is not active'...
Not sure if that is doable though...

ahuarte47 · 2013-12-04T08:32:05Z

Ok, Richard, I can do your advice about 'selection by expression' problem. But I think there is a problem, if we use the 'delete' key always to delete selected features, may be that there is other active tool catching 'delete' key for other purposes ('node' tool for example) and conflict occurs.

m-kuhn · 2013-12-04T08:39:51Z

No strong opinion from my side, only proposals to heavy-users of digitizing

There are different concepts: Mapping the del-Key to a MapTool or mapping it to the selection, which is itself not connected to a tool, but a property of the layer which in turn is visible on the mapcanvas.

Use the del key by default to delete features and let a MapTool overwrite this behaviour
Always use the del key to delete features and do not allow a MapTool to overwrite this
Implement the del key in the MapTools, so its effect changes whenever the MapTool changes (The solution you propsed)

ahuarte47 · 2013-12-04T14:02:53Z

+1 first option, also there are maptools using del-backspace key.

rduivenvoorde · 2013-12-04T19:28:56Z

+1 for the first option too, I think. To be more precise: use the del key to delete features from current active layer (if in edit mode), or show message (like now) that the layer is not in edit mode...
My argument: see QGIS as a digitizing tool of which the main objects are 'geographic features' and second: QGIS should behave more or less like a vector drawing application (preferably inkscape).

and another feature request: after ctrl-D in the TOC, can it be that 'OK' is the default choice. This makes it a little more friendly for users to hit 'enter' ....

ahuarte47 · 2013-12-04T20:22:17Z

Ok, I will fix it!

ahuarte47 · 2013-12-05T16:27:14Z

Hi, last commit contains:

'<' and '>' to activate previous and next node in 'node tool', for demo proposes, I will use the keys what you want!
Assigns OK button as default in confirmation dialog to remove layer[s] in the TOC.
Use 'backspace/delete' keys as default shortcut to delete selected features in MapCanvas. Several MapTools override these keys avoiding the default behavior.

About last section, it works, but I would love some guru validate the implementation I've done.
Regards

rduivenvoorde · 2013-12-05T20:21:56Z

hi @ahuarte47
tested, and all works as you say above.
maybe sent an email to the dev and or user list to test this? Or should we pull and ask people te test in the nightlies?

ahuarte47 · 2013-12-06T14:57:11Z

Hi RIchard, I can send a message as I did above to request opinions.
it's okay for you to use '<' and '>' to activate the nodes ?

Alvaro

rduivenvoorde · 2013-12-06T15:00:23Z

yes, sure. No problem. Please do

ahuarte47 · 2013-12-06T17:00:41Z

Thank you very much Richard for your support!

ahuarte47 · 2013-12-09T21:56:17Z

Hi @rduivenvoorde, about using the backspace key in python window, I have verified that python console (plugins -> python console) already uses backspace and delete keys.

What window do you say ?

ahuarte47 · 2013-12-09T22:25:10Z

Hi Tim, I added 'Backspace' key in other tools to normalize these two keys as 'delete' action.
Thanks!

Automatically selects the adjacent vertex to last removed selected node

'+' and '-' select next and previous to current active node respectively. This commit is for demo proposes.

KeyPressed event of MapCanvas can be overrided in current MapTool. It enables to use 'Delete/Backspace' key as default shortcut to delete selected features, but it can be overrided in current maptool.

use

jef-n · 2013-12-19T16:17:31Z

src/gui/attributetable/qgsgenericfeatureselectionmanager.h

@@ -24,7 +24,7 @@
 * If you want to synchronize the attribute table selection with the map canvas selection, you
 * should use { @link QgsVectorLayerSelectionManager } instead.
 */
-class GUI_EXPORT QgsGenericFeatureSelectionManager : public QgsIFeatureSelectionManager
+class CORE_EXPORT QgsGenericFeatureSelectionManager : public QgsIFeatureSelectionManager


What's this about?

Sorry, it should not be here! I had to change it temporarily for some time to compile.
Can you remove it ?

Hi @jef-n, I have fixed the incorrect changes
Thank you very much

timlinux · 2013-12-30T13:50:18Z

I have merged these changes thanks! One other comment: the < > keybindings require pressing shift on my keyboard. Perhaps you could add / change them to , and . So that the mnemonic is the same but not modifier key is needed.?

ahuarte47 · 2013-12-30T21:26:29Z

Thanks @timlinux.
About ',' and '.', I can add these keys too. Do you think that they are more suitable than '<' and '>' ?

timlinux · 2013-12-31T06:43:59Z

Hi

Sent from my mobile phone
On 30 Dec 2013 11:26 PM, "Alvaro Huarte" notifications@github.com wrote:

Thanks @timlinux.
About ',' and '.', I can add these keys too. Do you think that they are
more suitable than '<' and '>' ?

Yes because (on my keyboard anyway) they do not require pressing shift. You
still have the visual queue of the <>keys to remind you which keys to use.

Regards

Tim

—
Reply to this email directly or view it on GitHub.

ahuarte47 · 2013-12-31T10:24:45Z

Hi @timlinux, done!
ahuarte47@d1ef317

timlinux · 2013-12-31T10:58:34Z

Thanks! Will / did you make a separate PR for that?

ahuarte47 · 2014-01-02T07:59:17Z

Done:
#1048

Thanks @timlinux

rduivenvoorde · 2014-01-07T19:08:58Z

@ahuarte47 hi Alvaro, do you think http://hub.qgis.org/issues/9308 is related to this?

ahuarte47 · 2014-01-07T21:55:57Z

Hi @rduivenvoorde, you are right, it is a bug generated by me in this PR
It will fix it!

Thank you very much!

ahuarte47 added 12 commits December 18, 2013 00:51

qgis#9094: Del-key perfom 'delete selected features'

6ae5942

qgis#9094: Other shortcut changes

b069aaf

qgis#9094: Add Ctrl+D and D support for remove layers

7ad1caf

qgis#9094: fix invalid file

a7e9ac2

qgis#9094: implements user/dev advices

490796c

qgis#9094: fix invalid file

eab6b5b

qgis#9094: Auto-select adjacent last-removed node

5bda2df

Automatically selects the adjacent vertex to last removed selected node

qgis#9094: '+' and '-' keys work as selector nodes

43520c5

'+' and '-' select next and previous to current active node respectively. This commit is for demo proposes.

qgis#9094: keyPressed can be overrided in MapTool

85fe938

KeyPressed event of MapCanvas can be overrided in current MapTool. It enables to use 'Delete/Backspace' key as default shortcut to delete selected features, but it can be overrided in current maptool.

qgis#9094: Show info messages about deleting features

58d2093

qgis#9094: AttributeTableDialog use del/backspace

9106659

use

qgis#9094: Use backspace in other similar code

c86c412

jef-n reviewed Dec 19, 2013
View reviewed changes

qgis#9094: fix incorrect header class

e3e01fc

ghost assigned timlinux Dec 30, 2013

timlinux merged commit e3e01fc into qgis:master Dec 30, 2013

ahuarte47 mentioned this pull request Jan 2, 2014

#9094-R: Use ',' and '.' keys similar to '<' and '>' keys in QgsMapToolNodeTool #1048

Merged

ahuarte47 mentioned this pull request Jan 7, 2014

Bug #9308: fix impossible to remove a group in the legend #1060

Merged

This was referenced May 24, 2019

Del-key should delete feature #17739

Closed

Impossible to remove a group #17916

Closed

Feature #9094: Del-key performs 'delete selected features' #1010

Feature #9094: Del-key performs 'delete selected features' #1010

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