persistant build tools [trunk as of r14902]

[planetmaker]

Meanwhile this patch extended into a patch which makes all build tools persistant.
In order to enable persistant build tools, you need to enable (in the GUI section of the settings) "keep build tool active after usage".

Diff file for trunk revision: r14400.

==== Old post ===
Hi,
the intention of this patch is to make building a larger number of bridges easier or faster.

So far for every bridge built, one has to select the build bridge tool anew. This patch introduces a new setting "keep bridgebuilding". When active, the bridge building tool stays active after usage, thus allowing to build immediately another bridge, behaving much the same like any track building tool.

[Zhall]

Is it really THAT difficult to open another viewport and spam B on your keyboard and drag 1/2" between the main view and the viewport?

[XeryusTC]

It is better than pressing B 10 times in a row to build some bridges, especially when you want to find out which bridge looks the best in a certain situation.

[Timitry]

I definetely will use this option when merged to trunk. The only disadvantage i can see is that you'd need to close the bridge building window (which should be possible with b) if you want to click on a station or so. I'd like the same behaviour also for tunnels. We already have that feature for non-standard stations, where it is really helpful. I think if you're saying "is it so hard to spam b all the time?", the same would go for stations, where you'd had to press 9 all the time...

Imho a very useful feature, thanks!

[planetmaker]

I definetely will use this option when merged to trunk. The only disadvantage i can see is that you'd need to close the bridge building window (which should be possible with b) if you want to click on a station or so. I'd like the same behaviour also for tunnels. We already have that feature for non-standard stations, where it is really helpful. I think if you're saying "is it so hard to spam b all the time?", the same would go for stations, where you'd had to press 9 all the time...

Imho a very useful feature, thanks!

The same for tunnels should be quite easy and indeed is one of the extentions which I plan to add next. Probably I should add the same for road and water bridges, too .

[Timitry]

Yes, that sounds good.
Maybe even add it for Road Stops, as you often want to build a lot of drive-through bus or lorry stops next to each other, which involves a lot of klicking or hotkey-pressing, too

[Eddi]

i agree (on a general level), the handling of windows should be more consistent.

e.g. the station build window (with newstations) stays open, but the roadstop build window closes (very annoying, when you want to build multistop stations)

i'd vote for keep all windows open, unless explicitely closed (e.g. with ESC), or a different window is opened

on a side note: it should be easier to distinguish if you are currently building a road or rail bridge/tunnel, you confuse those too easily, especially while building in cities, where you switch between transportation types often.

[planetmaker]

i agree (on a general level), the handling of windows should be more consistent.

e.g. the station build window (with newstations) stays open, but the roadstop build window closes (very annoying, when you want to build multistop stations)

i'd vote for keep all windows open, unless explicitely closed (e.g. with ESC), or a different window is opened

Sounds like a "make all tools persistant"-patch

on a side note: it should be easier to distinguish if you are currently building a road or rail bridge/tunnel, you confuse those too easily, especially while building in cities, where you switch between transportation types often.

Hm, indeed. Happend to me also quite often. But currently I'm lacking a good idea on how to distinguish - except a different mouse cursor or something along those lines. But that's a job for an artist

[SirkoZ]

Sounds like a "make all tools persistant"-patch

That would probably be the best - like the road tool or rail tool that doesn't close (like in TTOrig. ) it would be quite useful if also tunnel (like in TTOrig. ) and bridge and also station tools were persistent - so to speak.

[planetmaker]

Here now I got every build tool behave persistant - thanks to sulai's 'fewer clicks' patch, I now figured out how and where to look. Persistant build tool behaviour is controlled by the "keep building tools active after usage" settings in the GUI part of the settings. If switched off the gui behaviour isn't changed at all wrt current trunk behaviour.

Comments and criticism welcome. Especially: should I make this patch without the patch setting?

EDIT: grammar+spelling

[DaleStan]

sulai's 'less klicks' patch

The word is still "fewer", even if sulai can't figure that out, but even he can spell "clicks". The spell-checker is your friend. When it's unhappy, it's usually correct.

should I make this patch without the patch setting?

You should tie it to the pushpin, not any global option.

[planetmaker]

An update to r14856 with unmodified behaviour. Currently I think having an option for every single tools to switch on persistancy is a bit over doing it. Thoughts by other people?

[DJ Nekkid]

I think _most_ of us agree, tools beeing active when first opened is a good thing.

[Torben DH]

really nice fature cant wait for it to be part of trunk...

[Timitry]

It just hit trunk


frosch [Wed, 07 Jan 2009 17:40:17 +0000] rev 10611
(svn r14902) -Feature: Advanced setting to keep various building tools active, which are usually closed after placing an object. (planetmaker)


So i guess it should be in tonight's nightly

Thanks for this great addition to the game!

[CommanderZ]

Gr8

Good to see a good patch be trunked.