Viewing/disable mode for Active Component Visibility

[Anonymous]

Hi, it would be amazing if creating such a script might actually be possible.  Was curious to ask.  I posted this concept in the Ideastation:

http://forums.autodesk.com/t5/ideastation-request-a-feature-or/viewing-disable-mode-for-active-compo...

"Having Active Component Visibility enabled in Preferences is super helpful for insuring proper the component is activated -- only the active component is not ghosted, and therefore naturally new features generated from what one is working on will be sent into proper component folder in the Browser tree.  However, often one would like to see all or multiple components together/not ghosted at once, to get a sense for things.  The only efficient way to do this now is to activate the root component.  But I've found this often leads to forgetting to then activate a lower component again, which can cause all kinds of problems of features going into wrong root component and then once later realizing this requiring trying to restructure/move them into proper components, which causes considerable trouble for such things as Paste New later on. 

Sometimes you can visibility tell that root component is activated by noticing nothing is ghosted.  But if more zoomed in to an area, often no other component is even in sight to be ghosted or not. 

Ideally, it would not be possible to create new features while this temporary preview mode is active, such that again don't forget to turn it off and potentially result in features going into wrong components due to the ghosting being disabled.  I also don't know where exactly such a preview mode would be located, perhaps under the Inspect tab.  But I do know it would be super helpful!"

So as seen in the above Ideastation post, might it be at all possible to create a script that allows a new tool (similar to Check Sketch, which is great because it's even accessible from the Toolbox from pressing 's') which when used disables Active Component Visibility (ACV)?  Then when used again, reactivates ACV?  If so, since it's likely not possible via a script to disable new feature generation while this tool is turned on (i.e. ACV turned off), might it be possible for some highly visible flag to be present while the tool is turned on, to warn not to create new features? (since fair likelihood correct component will not be activated)

Thanks for any insight!

Jesse

[marshaltu]

Hello,

I got what you wanted. Unfortunately there was no API to disable ACV. It was right way to log your request in our Ideastation. 

I am thinking a workaround for you. Please watch the video I shared in http://a360.co/1N5WwEp and let me know if it can match your requirement or not. The script is also shared in http://a360.co/1LY5sYk.

Thanks,

Marshal

[Anonymous]

Hi Marshal, thanks so much for this script!  It really seems to work great, doing just what I wanted of going back to ACV when trying to create something. 

This will be a life saver.

Take care,

Jesse

[daniel_lyall]

@Anonymous told ya @marshaltu is a cleaver bugger

[Anonymous]

I don't think Marshal is a "bugger", but his solution was definitely very clever!  Thanks Daniel for suggesting to post the question here. 🙂

Jesse

[daniel_lyall]

cleaver bugger is slang for a very cleaver person

[Anonymous]

Must be Kiwi slang.

[daniel_lyall]

yep over here bugger is not a bad word used in the correct content

[Anonymous]

I don't think it's a bad word here (America) either, I just don't know what it actually means. 

[daniel_lyall]

will keep it that way

[Anonymous]

Hi Marshal, just wanted to say your script does indeed work really great.  The only thing is when dealing with snapshots, such as editing or moving one.  Then it becomes necessary to activate the root component, and hence risking quite easily forgetting the root is activated (because no ACV) and going on one's merry way creating stuff that wrongly goes in it.  Oh well, great besides that though.

Thanks again,

Jesse

[marshaltu]

Hello,

Thank you for the feedback.

I got what you were wanting. Unfortunately I cannot figure out an easy way to help on snapshot editing/moving workflow with APIs what we had. I would like to recommend you create a new idea in our ideastation so that others can vote it.

Thanks,

Marshal

[Anonymous]

Thanks for investigating Marshal, I've found it's really not a big deal as I just am more careful with snapshots and instead of editing or moving one can just make another. But will consider making another ideastation post.

Thanks again,

Jesse