[patch] Faster relation selection with Alt+click and middle-click

[joshdoe]

I've been working with relations quite a bit, and it could be easier to select the relation that a given way belongs to (exclusively multipolygons actually). There are a few methods I know of to select such a relation:

• Select the way, right-click on relation in property/membership dialog, then click Select relation
• Select the way, double-click on relation in Relation Toolbox (plugin reltoolbox)

Both of these require moving the mouse and clicking three times; it might not seem like much but it adds up. I propose cycling through relations in addition to ways and nodes, both via Alt+click (my preferred method) and middle-click. I believe this would entail changing NavigatableComponent.getAllNearest()​, or creating a modified copy (at least for middle-click, haven't found where Alt+click is handled yet). After cycling through any nearby Ways and Nodes, Relations could be next, based on whether they're parents of the nearby Ways and Nodes.

I think most people wouldn't even notice this change, and it seems like a logical method to select relations to me. Whether to restrict this just to multipolygons or to allow any relation is something I'm not sure about.

[akks]

I think it is a good idea to extend middleclick.

Alt-Click can cause some problems on Linux (Alt-mousedrag is used for window moving sometimes).

Currently there is "AreaBoundary" action in Utilsplugin2 that implement relation cycling (together with more complex boundary selection).

[skyper]

Replying to akks:

I think it is a good idea to extend middleclick.

+1

Alt-Click can cause some problems on Linux (Alt-mousedrag is used for window moving sometimes).

Yes, Alt is used by some window-managers. Alt + left click + drag currently moves the window in metacity (Gnome), xfwm (XFCE) and openbox (LXDE). Do not know about KDE. Alt+TAB and Alt + right click seem to be associated with the WM aswell.

[joshdoe]

Replying to skyper:

Replying to akks:

I think it is a good idea to extend middleclick.

+1

I've already done this, just by adding all parent relations of the already found nearest nodes and ways. It's a trivial patch which I will attach later.

Alt-Click can cause some problems on Linux (Alt-mousedrag is used for window moving sometimes).

Yes, Alt is used by some window-managers. Alt + left click + drag currently moves the window in metacity (Gnome), xfwm (XFCE) and openbox (LXDE). Do not know about KDE. Alt+TAB and Alt + right click seem to be associated with the WM aswell.

I know it's a problem for some, but this Alt+click functionality is already implemented (though not well documented, so I improved the docs here). Users that have problems with Alt+click can disable this Alt-capturing behavior in their window manager, use the AltGr key or right-hand Alt key instead, or make this selection mode the default by setting selectaction.cycles.multiple.matches to true.

[joshdoe]

adds parent relations of nearest nodes and ways

[joshdoe]

This patch and the one from #7317 fully implement this. I couldn't find other functions that used getAllNearest(), so I don't think changing this behavior should break anything.

[joshdoe]

As someone who's been working with relations quite a bit recently ("upgrading" GNIS nodes to ways/multipolygons), I have found this and #7317 very useful. Both patches are pretty trivial and should apply cleanly.

[akks]

In 5016/josm:

Patch by JoshDoe [Faster relation selection with Alt+click and middle-click], fix #7314, #7317

[akks]

You now have 6 patches in core :)
Code is very clean, I like it. Please reopen the ticket in anything goes wrong.

[joshdoe]

Replying to akks:

You now have 6 patches in core :)
Code is very clean, I like it. Please reopen the ticket in anything goes wrong.

Thanks!