A `command` software architecture

[ZacZhangzhuo]

Feature Request

Thinking deeper about issue #172, I found that a more sustainable way of developing the power of keyboard shortcuts is having a command architecture. The current way of adding code in the main class can only support a very limited number of commands and will make the code messy.

Many CAD software like AutoCAD are command-line-based, and the keyboard is just an alias for the corresponding command. Rhino even put the command line UI in front of the user, which is a successful design in my view.

Details

I would suggest the following update:

• Adding a compas_view2.commands (orcompas_view2.actions?) class where all the actions and their names (like zoom_selected, SetView_TOP are stored).
• Then, the user defines the keyboard shortcuts (alias) by modifying the settings.json .

Some additional thoughts

• Many of our users are migrated from Rhino, which exports RhinoSettings.ini file to store the settings. Maybe we can add a helper function to intake the RhinoSettings.ini and directly produce a Rhino-like user-friendly setting?
• Maybe we should add the command line UI?

@Licini

[Licini]

The controller class and config.json already do something like this, see

compas_view2/src/compas_view2/app/config.json

Line 37 in 3f58a43

{"type": "action", "text": "Front", "action": "view_front"},

where it calls a function at

compas_view2/src/compas_view2/app/controller.py

Line 192 in 3f58a43

def view_front(self):

They can be extended to achieve what you are describing

[ZacZhangzhuo]

cool, i will follow it.

maybe the event functions like the keyReleaseEvent in View should be categorized in Controller ?