improve net navigator panel: show also selected nets alongside highlighted nets
Description
This is a feature request/proposal to improve the usefulness of the net navigator panel in the schematic editor. As the development direction of that panel is unclear (or is there a description of all planned functionality somewhere?) maybe this issue could be used for inspiration to improve the function.
The goal of this proposal is to improve the workflow and reduce switching between different hotkeys and commands.
Current mode of operation:
- highlight a net
- net navigator panel shows the complete connection graph of that net
additional proposal:
- the current behaviour remains as "main" behaviour
- additionally the net navigator shows the net graph if:
- no net highlighted, but one net is selected
- no net highlighted, but one label is selected
- not sure if the net navigator should show something if multiple nets are selected
- any highlighted net takes precedence over any selected net
reasoning/improvement for the user:
- the current "net navigator shows highlighted net" remains as main mechanism - so a net can be highlighted and shown in the net navigator panel and the user can work on different parts of the schematic
- but additionally the LMB-click to select works simply with the mouse (LMB-clicking to select something is probably the most used action), so no need to switch to the highlight hotkey
- if a selected net is shown in the net navigator this improves the cooperation with the search panel: use search panel to find some labels, LMB-click label --> this currently already selects the label --> with net navigator panel open this would automatically show the connected nets in the net navigator panel. No need to switch to the canvas, move hand to highlight hotkey and highlight (and later de-highlight) the net.
Uncertainty: I'm not sure if this will work at all, because currently a selection get's lost at switching to a different sheet. So select a net --> net navigator shows connection graph --> click on item in net navigator --> eeschema switches to corresponding (different) sheet --> selection is lost --> net navigator empty again.
I also want to mention the disadvantage: Having two mechanism to activate the net navigator could confuse the user the first time he discovers the difference n´between highlighting <--> selecting and that "highlighting" takes precedence over selection. The first this can lead to the situation that the user first highlights a net-->net navigator shows this net --> user LMB-clicks (to select) any other net (the highlighting remains) --> the net navigator doesn't updates despite the user LMB-clicks (selects) thousand different nets.
Steps to reproduce
- no steps, feature request
KiCad Version
Application: KiCad Schematic Editor x64 on x64
Version: 8.0.0-rc2-494-g6bc7bcffef, release build
Libraries:
wxWidgets 3.2.4
FreeType 2.12.1
HarfBuzz 8.3.0
FontConfig 2.14.2
Platform: Windows 10 (build 19045), 64-bit edition, 64 bit, Little endian, wxMSW
wxWidgets: 3.2.4 (wchar_t,wx containers)
Boost: 1.83.0
OCC: 7.7.1
Curl: 8.5.0-DEV
ngspice: 42
Compiler: Visual C++ 1936 without C++ ABI
Build settings: