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  • Published 19 Jun 2020

A simple way of making the boolean modifier easier for new users afraid of addons

I suggest adding a dropdown in the modifier options which changes the target object's display mode and a checkbox which disables it from rendering

It just doesn't make sense to have the user disable visibility manually in two separate places each time.

bool-example3.jpg

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Development Status: Open

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alexm
19 Jun 2020

7 Comments

BlenderSplendor

I'd like to add a title to the dropdown menu, so people know what bounds is referring to. Perhaps it could say "visibility" above it? And which object is the visibility menu controlling? That should be in the title too.

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slowk1d

Absolutely, great idea!

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syborg64

as handy as it would be, it makes no sense why an object could affected by a child. If A does something based on B why should B change in any way ? this kind of false relationship shouldn't happen

1
alexm Author

* @syborg64 * I'm not sure what you're trying to say. Are you saying we shouldn't let users access other objects from the menu panel of a separate object? Because the solution above is just a shortcut for the user to access target object's properties and not really a relationship between objects.

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slowk1d

* @Alex Majewski * Agreed. Boolean modifier makes you interact with other objects, and facilitating a common use like hiding the cutting mesh with an option it's a quality improvement.

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syborg64

* @Alex Majewski * * @David Vernaglione * I'm saying in blender objects can only receive from other objects. They can't command: a child/relationship is defined by the child as receiving from the parent. A constraint is always applied on the receiving end. This is how it's done in programming, you can inherit but can't explicitely change something of an other object if it isn't asking for it. Here the master/Source of the boolean has no boolean attribute to it. Where does the command to render as wireframe come from ? from an external object and that's illegal. I do see that it's only a matter of showing the source's viewport display option in the modstack however as soon as you step out of the modstack, it's not clear why the source objet's Display As setting has changed. The receiving object simply doesn't have permission to change a setting on the source object

alexm Author

* @syborg64 * Yes, well, my suggestion is more of a hack. The modifier wouldn't change anything like a parent, it would just be a place where you can access target object's properties with your cursor -- a shortcut, and only a shortcut. The modifier wouldnt behave like a parent/child, where it actively conflicts other relations, so let's say you manually changed the target object's display mode in the meantime: all the modifiers would update their dropdowns instead of fighting your change. The [x] Render Object box would switch the camera icon in the Outliner. So in other words: there's 1 global variable for the object display mode and 1 for rendering and all boolean modifier instances in the scene would respect them. A freshly added boolean modifier would show the current display mode of the target object, it wouldn't change anything until you click it.

Is it an optimal solution? Probably not, it's pretty gimmicky. But is it better than the current state? In my opinion it is. It's consistent and logical, just a little hacky, especially the Outliner idea.

1