Allow select range in animation editor

This patch will add support to select all channels between active channel
and last-clicked channel without deselecting previous selection. `Shift` key is
now assigned for the range selection and `ctrl` key to extend the selection. This
changes will make multi-selection similar as outliner tree-elements. New function is
created `animchannel_select_range` to handle the range selection of channels.

Old Differential revision: https://archive.blender.org/developer/D17079

Pull Request: https://projects.blender.org/blender/blender/pulls/104565

scripts/presets/keyconfig/keymap_data/blender_default.py

@@ -3463,7 +3463,9 @@ def km_animation_channels(params):
     items.extend([
         # Click select.
         ("anim.channels_click", {"type": 'LEFTMOUSE', "value": 'PRESS'}, None),
-        ("anim.channels_click", {"type": 'LEFTMOUSE', "value": 'PRESS', "shift": True},
+        ("anim.channels_click", {"type": 'LEFTMOUSE', "value": 'CLICK', "shift": True},
+         {"properties": [("extend_range", True)]}),
+        ("anim.channels_click", {"type": 'LEFTMOUSE', "value": 'CLICK', "ctrl": True},
          {"properties": [("extend", True)]}),
         ("anim.channels_click", {"type": 'LEFTMOUSE', "value": 'PRESS', "shift": True, "ctrl": True},
          {"properties": [("children_only", True)]}),

source/blender/editors/animation/anim_channels_edit.c

@@ -313,7 +313,64 @@ void ANIM_set_active_channel(bAnimContext *ac,
   ANIM_animdata_freelist(&anim_data);
 }
 
-static void select_pchan_for_action_group(bAnimContext *ac, bActionGroup *agrp, bAnimListElem *ale)
+bool ANIM_is_active_channel(bAnimListElem *ale)
+{
+  switch (ale->type) {
+    case ANIMTYPE_FILLACTD: /* Action Expander */
+    case ANIMTYPE_DSMAT:    /* Datablock AnimData Expanders */
+    case ANIMTYPE_DSLAM:
+    case ANIMTYPE_DSCAM:
+    case ANIMTYPE_DSCACHEFILE:
+    case ANIMTYPE_DSCUR:
+    case ANIMTYPE_DSSKEY:
+    case ANIMTYPE_DSWOR:
+    case ANIMTYPE_DSPART:
+    case ANIMTYPE_DSMBALL:
+    case ANIMTYPE_DSARM:
+    case ANIMTYPE_DSMESH:
+    case ANIMTYPE_DSNTREE:
+    case ANIMTYPE_DSTEX:
+    case ANIMTYPE_DSLAT:
+    case ANIMTYPE_DSLINESTYLE:
+    case ANIMTYPE_DSSPK:
+    case ANIMTYPE_DSGPENCIL:
+    case ANIMTYPE_DSMCLIP:
+    case ANIMTYPE_DSHAIR:
+    case ANIMTYPE_DSPOINTCLOUD:
+    case ANIMTYPE_DSVOLUME:
+    case ANIMTYPE_NLAACTION:
+    case ANIMTYPE_DSSIMULATION: {
+      if (ale->adt) {
+        return ale->adt->flag & ADT_UI_ACTIVE;
+      }
+    }
+    case ANIMTYPE_GROUP: {
+      bActionGroup *argp = (bActionGroup *)ale->data;
+      return argp->flag & AGRP_ACTIVE;
+    }
+    case ANIMTYPE_FCURVE:
+    case ANIMTYPE_NLACURVE: {
+      FCurve *fcu = (FCurve *)ale->data;
+      return fcu->flag & FCURVE_ACTIVE;
+    }
+    case ANIMTYPE_GPLAYER: {
+      bGPDlayer *gpl = (bGPDlayer *)ale->data;
+      return gpl->flag & GP_LAYER_ACTIVE;
+    }
+    /* These channel types do not have active flags. */
+    case ANIMTYPE_MASKLAYER:
+    case ANIMTYPE_SHAPEKEY:
+      break;
+  }
+  return false;
+}
+
+/* change_active determines whether to change the active bone of the armature when selecting pose
+ * channels. It is false during range selection otherwise true. */
+static void select_pchan_for_action_group(bAnimContext *ac,
+                                          bActionGroup *agrp,
+                                          bAnimListElem *ale,
+                                          const bool change_active)
 {
   /* Armatures-Specific Feature:
    * See mouse_anim_channels() -> ANIMTYPE_GROUP case for more details (#38737)
@@ -329,11 +386,12 @@ static void select_pchan_for_action_group(bAnimContext *ac, bActionGroup *agrp,
          * TODO: check the first F-Curve or so to be sure...
          */
         bPoseChannel *pchan = BKE_pose_channel_find_name(ob->pose, agrp->name);
+
         if (agrp->flag & AGRP_SELECTED) {
-          ED_pose_bone_select(ob, pchan, true);
+          ED_pose_bone_select(ob, pchan, true, change_active);
         }
         else {
-          ED_pose_bone_select(ob, pchan, false);
+          ED_pose_bone_select(ob, pchan, false, change_active);
         }
       }
     }
@@ -441,10 +499,15 @@ static void anim_channels_select_set(bAnimContext *ac,
                                      eAnimChannels_SetFlag sel)
 {
   bAnimListElem *ale;
+  /* Boolean to keep active channel status during range selection. */
+  const bool change_active = (sel != ACHANNEL_SETFLAG_EXTEND_RANGE);
 
   for (ale = anim_data.first; ale; ale = ale->next) {
     switch (ale->type) {
       case ANIMTYPE_SCENE: {
+        if (change_active) {
+          break;
+        }
         Scene *scene = (Scene *)ale->data;
 
         ACHANNEL_SET_FLAG(scene, sel, SCE_DS_SELECTED);
@@ -471,8 +534,10 @@ static void anim_channels_select_set(bAnimContext *ac,
       case ANIMTYPE_GROUP: {
         bActionGroup *agrp = (bActionGroup *)ale->data;
         ACHANNEL_SET_FLAG(agrp, sel, AGRP_SELECTED);
-        select_pchan_for_action_group(ac, agrp, ale);
+        select_pchan_for_action_group(ac, agrp, ale, change_active);
-        agrp->flag &= ~AGRP_ACTIVE;
+        if (change_active) {
+          agrp->flag &= ~AGRP_ACTIVE;
+        }
         break;
       }
       case ANIMTYPE_FCURVE:
@@ -480,7 +545,7 @@ static void anim_channels_select_set(bAnimContext *ac,
         FCurve *fcu = (FCurve *)ale->data;
 
         ACHANNEL_SET_FLAG(fcu, sel, FCURVE_SELECTED);
-        if ((fcu->flag & FCURVE_SELECTED) == 0) {
+        if (!(fcu->flag & FCURVE_SELECTED) && change_active) {
           /* Only erase the ACTIVE flag when deselecting. This ensures that "select all curves"
            * retains the currently active curve. */
           fcu->flag &= ~FCURVE_ACTIVE;
@@ -527,7 +592,9 @@ static void anim_channels_select_set(bAnimContext *ac,
         /* need to verify that this data is valid for now */
         if (ale->adt) {
           ACHANNEL_SET_FLAG(ale->adt, sel, ADT_UI_SELECTED);
-          ale->adt->flag &= ~ADT_UI_ACTIVE;
+          if (change_active) {
+            ale->adt->flag &= ~ADT_UI_ACTIVE;
+          }
         }
         break;
       }
@@ -2891,7 +2958,7 @@ static void box_select_anim_channels(bAnimContext *ac, rcti *rect, short selectm
       switch (ale->type) {
         case ANIMTYPE_GROUP: {
           bActionGroup *agrp = (bActionGroup *)ale->data;
-          select_pchan_for_action_group(ac, agrp, ale);
+          select_pchan_for_action_group(ac, agrp, ale, true);
           /* always clear active flag after doing this */
           agrp->flag &= ~AGRP_ACTIVE;
           break;
@@ -3172,6 +3239,70 @@ static int click_select_channel_scene(bAnimListElem *ale,
   return (ND_ANIMCHAN | NA_SELECTED);
 }
 
+/* Return whether active channel of given type is present. */
+static bool animchannel_has_active_of_type(bAnimContext *ac, const eAnim_ChannelType type)
+{
+  ListBase anim_data = anim_channels_for_selection(ac);
+  bool is_active_found = false;
+
+  LISTBASE_FOREACH (bAnimListElem *, ale, &anim_data) {
+    if (ale->type != type) {
+      continue;
+    }
+    is_active_found = ANIM_is_active_channel(ale);
+    if (is_active_found) {
+      break;
+    }
+  }
+
+  ANIM_animdata_freelist(&anim_data);
+  return is_active_found;
+}
+
+/* Select channels that lies between active channel and cursor_elem. */
+static void animchannel_select_range(bAnimContext *ac, bAnimListElem *cursor_elem)
+{
+  ListBase anim_data = anim_channels_for_selection(ac);
+  bool in_selection_range = false;
+
+  LISTBASE_FOREACH (bAnimListElem *, ale, &anim_data) {
+
+    /* Allow selection when active channel and `cursor_elem` are of same type. */
+    if (ale->type != cursor_elem->type) {
+      continue;
+    }
+
+    const bool is_cursor_elem = (ale->data == cursor_elem->data);
+    const bool is_active_elem = ANIM_is_active_channel(ale);
+
+    /* Restrict selection when active element is not found and group-channels are excluded from the
+     * selection. */
+    if (is_active_elem || is_cursor_elem) {
+      /* Select first and last element from the range. Reverse selection status on extremes. */
+      ANIM_channel_setting_set(ac, ale, ACHANNEL_SETTING_SELECT, ACHANNEL_SETFLAG_ADD);
+      in_selection_range = !in_selection_range;
+      if (ale->type == ANIMTYPE_GROUP) {
+        select_pchan_for_action_group(ac, (bActionGroup *)ale->data, ale, false);
+      }
+    }
+    else if (in_selection_range) {
+      /* Select elements between the range. */
+      ANIM_channel_setting_set(ac, ale, ACHANNEL_SETTING_SELECT, ACHANNEL_SETFLAG_ADD);
+      if (ale->type == ANIMTYPE_GROUP) {
+        select_pchan_for_action_group(ac, (bActionGroup *)ale->data, ale, false);
+      }
+    }
+
+    if (is_active_elem && is_cursor_elem) {
+      /* Selection range is only one element when active channel and clicked channel are same. So
+       * exit out of the loop when this condition is hit. */
+      break;
+    }
+  }
+
+  ANIM_animdata_freelist(&anim_data);
+}
+
 static int click_select_channel_object(bContext *C,
                                        bAnimContext *ac,
                                        bAnimListElem *ale,
@@ -3195,8 +3326,13 @@ static int click_select_channel_object(bContext *C,
       adt->flag ^= ADT_UI_SELECTED;
     }
   }
+  else if (selectmode == SELECT_EXTEND_RANGE) {
+    ANIM_anim_channels_select_set(ac, ACHANNEL_SETFLAG_EXTEND_RANGE);
+    animchannel_select_range(ac, ale);
+  }
   else {
     /* deselect all */
+    ANIM_anim_channels_select_set(ac, ACHANNEL_SETFLAG_CLEAR);
     BKE_view_layer_synced_ensure(scene, view_layer);
     /* TODO: should this deselect all other types of channels too? */
     LISTBASE_FOREACH (Base *, b, BKE_view_layer_object_bases_get(view_layer)) {
@@ -3219,7 +3355,8 @@ static int click_select_channel_object(bContext *C,
    * to avoid getting stuck there, see: #48747. */
   ED_object_base_activate_with_mode_exit_if_needed(C, base); /* adds notifier */
 
-  if ((adt) && (adt->flag & ADT_UI_SELECTED)) {
+  /* Similar to outliner, do not change active element when selecting elements in range.*/
+  if ((adt) && (adt->flag & ADT_UI_SELECTED) && (selectmode != SELECT_EXTEND_RANGE)) {
     adt->flag |= ADT_UI_ACTIVE;
   }
 
@@ -3239,14 +3376,18 @@ static int click_select_channel_dummy(bAnimContext *ac,
     /* inverse selection status of this AnimData block only */
     ale->adt->flag ^= ADT_UI_SELECTED;
   }
+  else if (selectmode == SELECT_EXTEND_RANGE) {
+    ANIM_anim_channels_select_set(ac, ACHANNEL_SETFLAG_EXTEND_RANGE);
+    animchannel_select_range(ac, ale);
+  }
   else {
     /* select AnimData block by itself */
     ANIM_anim_channels_select_set(ac, ACHANNEL_SETFLAG_CLEAR);
     ale->adt->flag |= ADT_UI_SELECTED;
   }
 
-  /* set active? */
+  /* Similar to outliner, do not change active element when selecting elements in range. */
-  if (ale->adt->flag & ADT_UI_SELECTED) {
+  if ((ale->adt->flag & ADT_UI_SELECTED) && (selectmode != SELECT_EXTEND_RANGE)) {
     ale->adt->flag |= ADT_UI_ACTIVE;
   }
 
@@ -3292,6 +3433,10 @@ static int click_select_channel_group(bAnimContext *ac,
     /* inverse selection status of this group only */
     agrp->flag ^= AGRP_SELECTED;
   }
+  else if (selectmode == SELECT_EXTEND_RANGE) {
+    ANIM_anim_channels_select_set(ac, ACHANNEL_SETFLAG_EXTEND_RANGE);
+    animchannel_select_range(ac, ale);
+  }
   else if (selectmode == -1) {
     /* select all in group (and deselect everything else) */
     FCurve *fcu;
@@ -3318,17 +3463,22 @@ static int click_select_channel_group(bAnimContext *ac,
     agrp->flag |= AGRP_SELECTED;
   }
 
-  /* if group is selected now, make group the 'active' one in the visible list */
+  /* if group is selected now, make group the 'active' one in the visible list.
+   * Similar to outliner, do not change active element when selecting elements in range. */
   if (agrp->flag & AGRP_SELECTED) {
-    ANIM_set_active_channel(ac, ac->data, ac->datatype, filter, agrp, ANIMTYPE_GROUP);
+    if (selectmode != SELECT_EXTEND_RANGE) {
-    if (pchan) {
+      ANIM_set_active_channel(ac, ac->data, ac->datatype, filter, agrp, ANIMTYPE_GROUP);
-      ED_pose_bone_select(ob, pchan, true);
+      if (pchan) {
+        ED_pose_bone_select(ob, pchan, true, true);
+      }
     }
   }
   else {
-    ANIM_set_active_channel(ac, ac->data, ac->datatype, filter, NULL, ANIMTYPE_GROUP);
+    if (selectmode != SELECT_EXTEND_RANGE) {
-    if (pchan) {
+      ANIM_set_active_channel(ac, ac->data, ac->datatype, filter, NULL, ANIMTYPE_GROUP);
-      ED_pose_bone_select(ob, pchan, false);
+      if (pchan) {
+        ED_pose_bone_select(ob, pchan, false, true);
+      }
     }
   }
 
@@ -3347,14 +3497,19 @@ static int click_select_channel_fcurve(bAnimContext *ac,
     /* inverse selection status of this F-Curve only */
     fcu->flag ^= FCURVE_SELECTED;
   }
+  else if (selectmode == SELECT_EXTEND_RANGE) {
+    ANIM_anim_channels_select_set(ac, ACHANNEL_SETFLAG_EXTEND_RANGE);
+    animchannel_select_range(ac, ale);
+  }
   else {
     /* select F-Curve by itself */
     ANIM_anim_channels_select_set(ac, ACHANNEL_SETFLAG_CLEAR);
     fcu->flag |= FCURVE_SELECTED;
   }
 
-  /* if F-Curve is selected now, make F-Curve the 'active' one in the visible list */
+  /* if F-Curve is selected now, make F-Curve the 'active' one in the visible list.
-  if (fcu->flag & FCURVE_SELECTED) {
+   * Similar to outliner, do not change active element when selecting elements in range. */
+  if ((fcu->flag & FCURVE_SELECTED) && (selectmode != SELECT_EXTEND_RANGE)) {
     ANIM_set_active_channel(ac, ac->data, ac->datatype, filter, fcu, ale->type);
   }
 
@@ -3422,14 +3577,19 @@ static int click_select_channel_gplayer(bContext *C,
     /* invert selection status of this layer only */
     gpl->flag ^= GP_LAYER_SELECT;
   }
+  else if (selectmode == SELECT_EXTEND_RANGE) {
+    ANIM_anim_channels_select_set(ac, ACHANNEL_SETFLAG_EXTEND_RANGE);
+    animchannel_select_range(ac, ale);
+  }
   else {
     /* select layer by itself */
     ANIM_anim_channels_select_set(ac, ACHANNEL_SETFLAG_CLEAR);
     gpl->flag |= GP_LAYER_SELECT;
   }
 
-  /* change active layer, if this is selected (since we must always have an active layer) */
+  /* change active layer, if this is selected (since we must always have an active layer).
-  if (gpl->flag & GP_LAYER_SELECT) {
+   * Similar to outliner, do not change active element when selecting elements in range. */
+  if ((gpl->flag & GP_LAYER_SELECT) && (selectmode != SELECT_EXTEND_RANGE)) {
     ANIM_set_active_channel(ac, ac->data, ac->datatype, filter, gpl, ANIMTYPE_GPLAYER);
     /* update other layer status */
     BKE_gpencil_layer_active_set(gpd, gpl);
@@ -3478,7 +3638,7 @@ static int click_select_channel_masklayer(bAnimContext *ac,
 static int mouse_anim_channels(bContext *C,
                                bAnimContext *ac,
                                const int channel_index,
-                               const short /* eEditKeyframes_Select or -1 */ selectmode)
+                               short /* eEditKeyframes_Select or -1 */ selectmode)
 {
   ListBase anim_data = {NULL, NULL};
   bAnimListElem *ale;
@@ -3516,6 +3676,11 @@ static int mouse_anim_channels(bContext *C,
     return 0;
   }
 
+  /* Change selection mode to single when no active element is found. */
+  if ((selectmode == SELECT_EXTEND_RANGE) && !animchannel_has_active_of_type(ac, ale->type)) {
+    selectmode = SELECT_INVERT;
+  }
+
   /* action to take depends on what channel we've got */
   /* WARNING: must keep this in sync with the equivalent function in nla_channels.c */
   switch (ale->type) {
@@ -3619,6 +3784,9 @@ static int animchannels_mouseclick_invoke(bContext *C, wmOperator *op, const wmE
   if (RNA_boolean_get(op->ptr, "extend")) {
     selectmode = SELECT_INVERT;
   }
+  else if (RNA_boolean_get(op->ptr, "extend_range")) {
+    selectmode = SELECT_EXTEND_RANGE;
+  }
   else if (RNA_boolean_get(op->ptr, "children_only")) {
     /* this is a bit of a special case for ActionGroups only...
      * should it be removed or extended to all instead? */
@@ -3672,6 +3840,13 @@ static void ANIM_OT_channels_click(wmOperatorType *ot)
   prop = RNA_def_boolean(ot->srna, "extend", false, "Extend Select", "");
   RNA_def_property_flag(prop, PROP_SKIP_SAVE);
 
+  prop = RNA_def_boolean(ot->srna,
+                         "extend_range",
+                         false,
+                         "Extend Range",
+                         "Selection of active channel to clicked channel");
+  RNA_def_property_flag(prop, PROP_SKIP_SAVE);
+
   /* Key-map: Enable with `Ctrl-Shift`. */
   prop = RNA_def_boolean(ot->srna, "children_only", false, "Select Children Only", "");
   RNA_def_property_flag(prop, PROP_SKIP_SAVE);

source/blender/editors/armature/pose_select.c

@@ -92,7 +92,7 @@ void ED_pose_bone_select_tag_update(Object *ob)
   DEG_id_tag_update(&arm->id, ID_RECALC_SELECT);
 }
 
-void ED_pose_bone_select(Object *ob, bPoseChannel *pchan, bool select)
+void ED_pose_bone_select(Object *ob, bPoseChannel *pchan, bool select, bool change_active)
 {
   bArmature *arm;
 
@@ -109,11 +109,15 @@ void ED_pose_bone_select(Object *ob, bPoseChannel *pchan, bool select)
     /* change selection state - activate too if selected */
     if (select) {
       pchan->bone->flag |= BONE_SELECTED;
-      arm->act_bone = pchan->bone;
+      if (change_active) {
+        arm->act_bone = pchan->bone;
+      }
     }
     else {
       pchan->bone->flag &= ~BONE_SELECTED;
-      arm->act_bone = NULL;
+      if (change_active) {
+        arm->act_bone = NULL;
+      }
     }
 
     /* TODO: select and activate corresponding vgroup? */

source/blender/editors/include/ED_anim_api.h

@@ -530,6 +530,8 @@ typedef enum eAnimChannels_SetFlag {
   ACHANNEL_SETFLAG_INVERT = 2,
   /** some on -> all off / all on */
   ACHANNEL_SETFLAG_TOGGLE = 3,
+  /** turn off, keep active flag **/
+  ACHANNEL_SETFLAG_EXTEND_RANGE = 4,
 } eAnimChannels_SetFlag;
 
 /* types of settings for AnimChannels */
@@ -698,6 +700,11 @@ void ANIM_set_active_channel(bAnimContext *ac,
                              void *channel_data,
                              eAnim_ChannelType channel_type);
 
+/**
+ * Return whether channel is active.
+ */
+bool ANIM_is_active_channel(bAnimListElem *ale);
+
 /**
  * Delete the F-Curve from the given AnimData block (if possible),
  * as appropriate according to animation context.

source/blender/editors/include/ED_armature.h

@@ -356,8 +356,13 @@ bool ED_pose_deselect_all(struct Object *ob, int select_mode, bool ignore_visibi
 void ED_pose_bone_select_tag_update(struct Object *ob);
 /**
  * Utility method for changing the selection status of a bone.
+ * change_active determines whether to change the active bone of the armature when selecting pose
+ * channels. It is false during range selection otherwise true.
  */
-void ED_pose_bone_select(struct Object *ob, struct bPoseChannel *pchan, bool select);
+void ED_pose_bone_select(struct Object *ob,
+                         struct bPoseChannel *pchan,
+                         bool select,
+                         bool change_active);
 
 /* meshlaplacian.cc */
 

source/blender/editors/include/ED_keyframes_edit.h

@@ -58,6 +58,7 @@ typedef enum eEditKeyframes_Select {
   SELECT_SUBTRACT = (1 << 2),
   /* flip ok status of keyframes based on key status */
   SELECT_INVERT = (1 << 3),
+  SELECT_EXTEND_RANGE = (1 << 4),
 } eEditKeyframes_Select;
 
 /* "selection map" building modes */

source/blender/editors/object/object_select.c

@@ -345,7 +345,7 @@ bool ED_object_jump_to_bone(bContext *C,
 
       /* Select it. */
       ED_pose_deselect_all(ob, SEL_DESELECT, true);
-      ED_pose_bone_select(ob, pchan, true);
+      ED_pose_bone_select(ob, pchan, true, true);
 
       arm->act_bone = pchan->bone;