[Suggesiton] UNDO function

Hi all,

I think many of the flexsim user would be pleased for such a function: UNDO

Hi Kelvin,

Could you be a bit more specific about the undo. Because if you are writing code there already is an undo (ctrl + z).

So what do you refer to? Deleting objects, deleting port connections, moving of objects?

Steven

Second that on an undo function. If anyone is familar with Autocad an undo function like that would be great. So yes to an undo function for deleting objects, deleting port connections, moving of objects, etc... would be useful.

Thanks,

Ron

Yeah. We are all familiar with what undo is, not to mention AutoCAD but also Microsoft Word and Excel. Undo is to undo the previous operations, especially when we are building a model. That is a big issue. It seems Flexsim old version has some UNDO functions but for some reasons it is taken out for the newer version. And as far as I know, the UNDO is on Flexsim's development list but I am not sure on what version we will see it.

Undo is one of our big goals for version 5, which we plan for sometime in 2009. We had an undo feature in previous versions, but it was very memory intensive and didn't work half the time, so we took it out. As Steven said, the code editor already has a pretty good undo feature.

Flexsim's previous Undo functionality was basically saving the entire model tree every time there was any activity (e.g. mouse click, key press). The problem was not only the inefficiency of saving the entire model tree, even though only one little part of it was changed, but it was inefficient because not every mouse click and key press actually changes something in the model.

Anthony, I know you have an approach in mind for how to make an elegant undo function, but as you've stated, it will be a big undertaking. I wonder if our users would appreciate a clunky implementation in the mean time (that they could turn on/off as a global setting)? I think it would be useful (even if it takes up more memory and slows down the responsiveness of the application during model building) to re-implement the previous method for undo-ing with the following changes:

1. Allow users to turn it on/off (default would be off, so that when they turn it on they will receive a warning message about the effects).
2. Allow users to specify the maximum number of model states will be saved.
3. Make it less sensitive to when it saves the model state. For instance, I think it should only save the state after one of the following list of changes are made:
   1. Object created
   2. Object moved
   3. Port connection created
   4. Port connection deleted
   5. The Apply/OK button are pressed on a GUI

Since we have a solution we could implement immediately (v4.5), and because it is and always will be a hot issue, and because it definitely makes the tool more friendly for first time users (they wouldn't be as worried about trying things because they know they can undo them), I propose we put it in! I know you don't like putting something into Flexsim when you know there is a better way to do it if you only had the time, but I'm interested to know what our users think on this one.

Hi all,

I think Cliff's suggestion on the undo function would serve most of the user need and I'm looking for it.

Kelvin

Let me give you an example:

I set up a selection group of a hundred +objects which I selected them one by one to make a group, when I want to select this group, I accidentally pressed the "Set" button which is just 1 few pixels above the "Select" button in the side bar....

For future reference, Kelvin:
You can make selections in the tree as well as in the orthographic view, so you can easily select 100+ objects one-by-one or in groups at a time very quickly.

Cliff's suggestion here wouldn't fix this problem. A much more complicated Undo functionality would be needed to remember buttons pushed on the sidebar and how to undo their actions.

I do agree with Kelvin at the last example he gave. I on a number of occasions wanted to press the "deselect all" (which I use a lot) and pressed the "delete" instead which is just above the "deselect all". Not a big deal, but quite annoying. It does not ask you if you really want to delete the objects. They're gone.

Martijn

Guys,

I created a good portion of the tools in the side bar. Not as a developer but as a user that wanted the software to be more automated in some areas. Anthony saw what I had done and then took it and made it better so that it would be more suitable for the software.

Some of the suggestions you have made are things that you can do yourself. If you do make them and they are useful you can post them on the forum for others. If they get a good response then they will get added to the software (A LOT sooner than they will otherwise).

This isn't a reqirement but you will get what you want now instead of having to wait for another release... or two... or three.

Brandon