Persistent Object Mode

this is a suggestion to add an option that makes selecting objects also change their object mode so that object mode seems consistent across objects and only changes specifically when you want it to such as when you change workspaces or when you change it manually. after all, we don't go to the sculpting workspace to do things in object mode. it should make the flow of things feel smoother and work with the updates that have come along with 2.80

–DESCRIPTION OF THE ISSUE–

the issue is that object mode changes feel really inconsistent due to how they’re sometimes done for you when you most obviously want it and other times not done for you. leaving the times when it isn’t done for you feeling really out of place and quite annoying.

problem is caused as a result of the way workspaces automatically change object modes for your active object but no other mode change is ever automatically done for you. so you may be in sculpt mode and select a new object only to suddenly find yourself in object mode and having to change to sculpt mode for the newly selected object. this could happen a lot when using sculpting and texture painting workspaces depending on your chosen workflow.

while you had to change object modes entirely yourself in 2.79 and earlier it felt more like just part of the flow of things and only felt somewhat annoying when you were having to change a lot of modes for different objects in a short time.

we also didn’t have lock object modes before. sometimes it’s easier to make things as multiple objects before joining them into a single object if you want to make them a single object at all. “lock object modes” gets in the way of this workflow.

in 2.8 since the mode is changed automatically when you change workspaces in the instances when you do select a new object in a work specific workspace, like the sculpting or texture painting workspaces and end up suddenly back in object mode (or something else) it feels like you’ve been kicked out of your workflow needlessly.

it's as if blender has forced needless steps onto you and the sudden interruption is a bit jarring to your train of thought and can break your focus.

how this issue effects any object that isn’t the active object when you change workspaces it can at times feel like you’re having to fight against blender to do what you want rather than having it work with you.

– HOW TO RECREATE THE ISSUE –

• turn off lock object modes. it’s annoying as a default on option and has to be off to experience this.
• set up multiple objects in the layout as if you’re just creating a new base mesh for something you’re making in multiple parts.
• select your main object and change over to the sculpting workspace.
• sculpt a bit and then select your second object (use the outliner if you’re one of those left clickers, select as normal if you’re using right click select)
• realize that you’re not in sculpt mode anymore. (harder to realize if you don’t have the tool shelf visible and you’ve fullscreened the 3d viewport)

your other parts are still in object mode and didn’t get changed to sculpt mode when you changed workspaces.

• realize you’ll have to deal with this break in your flow every new object change.
• change second (and more) object’s mode to sculpt mode to finish your sculpting. without further undesired object mode interruptions.
• move back to the layout workspace or the shading workspace
• select your other object(s) and realize you’re back in sculpt mode again
• realize you have to change the modes to the needed one yet again because the other object’s mode didn’t get changed by the workspace change yet again.
• if you’re working with several parts swap them all back so you can continue on smoothly rather than having to deal with mode swaps every new object selection.

-SOLUTION-

add a option to force newly selected objects into the same object mode as the previously selected object. this way the action of selecting objects changes their object mode making it feel consistent.

i think a good name would be persistent object mode. i'd prefer to have it as a visual toggle in the viewport header but having it in the edit menu under or above "lock object modes" wouldn't be bad either.

this could potentially allow us to work without having to deal with changing object modes manually at all. meaning the only time we do deal with object modes is when we specifically mean to rather than when it’s suddenly forced on us that we have to. it would make things feel more consistent rather than appear somewhat arbitrary.
after all, ending up in object mode while in the sculpting workspace feels out of place simply because you selected a different object.