Comments linked to features

traveler_hauptman

I really like where Onshape is going with comments. After using the new addition of linking comments to features, I have a couple thoughts.

1) I love that the comment icons are context sensitive, so that if I edit a feature, only the comments pertaining to the feature are shown. It would be great to extend that to the main view; perhaps only show comment icons for selected entities would be the best, or a 'hide icons' button in the comment flyout as a quick and dirty fix.

2) The first thing I tried to do after adding a comment to a model element, was to select two and add a comment both. It would be great if the comment would link to multiple items.

3) Eventually we will need to be able to edit the links in the comments. The current workflow to change a link is: edit comment, copy text, cancel edit, delete comment, select new geometry, create comment, paste text.  It's a bit tedious.

4) I know dimensions aren't model geometry, but it would be useful to be able to comment them.

Thoughts? Any other ideas?

3dcad

Without proper testing of newly added feature I would say: Sound good, let's begin with these improvements.

One thing to add: I would like to comment parts of sketch (ie. sketch entities) together with dimensions.

traveler_hauptman

@3dcad You can comment sketch entities already! Just not constraints (dimensions).

traveler_hauptman

5) Less important... The user and data line for each comment stands out too much and takes too much real estate for my taste. When I read a comment, the author of the comment and when they wrote it is either the last thing I want to know or obvious from context.

traveler_hauptman

%@#$@#! Comments stop working correctly as soon as you delete elements from the feature list. I'm so disappointed.

3dcad

traveler_hauptman said:

@3dcad You can comment sketch entities already! Just not constraints (dimensions).

Thanks for the tip, I just assumed you need to select things from feature list or 'main' workspace..

traveler_hauptman said:

%@#$@#! Comments stop working correctly as soon as you delete elements from the feature list. I'm so disappointed.

I was thinking this immediately when reading Lou's post about new features.. I kinda hoped that this would be fixed before pushed in though..

jakeramsley

traveler_hauptman said:

%@#$@#! Comments stop working correctly as soon as you delete elements from the feature list. I'm so disappointed.

Can you expand on what you are seeing?  

traveler_hauptman

@jakeramsley A demo of the problem with annotated versions is shared with support here.

If I delete a feature, the links in the comments take me to the wrong geometry or no geometry, even though the geometry of the original link still exists.

(EDIT: appears to be links to sketch geometry that are the problem.)

andrew_troup

traveler_hauptman said:

5) Less important... The user and data line for each comment stands out too much and takes too much real estate for my taste. When I read a comment, the author of the comment and when they wrote it is either the last thing I want to know or obvious from context.

Perhaps these could pop up, like tooltips, when we hover the cursor on a comment?

jonathan_stedman

Traveler,  Not quite sure what  you mean

"1) I love that the comment icons are context sensitive, so that if I edit a feature, only the comments pertaining to the feature are shown. It would be great to extend that to the main view; perhaps only show comment icons for selected entities would be the best, or a 'hide icons' button in the comment flyout as a quick and dirty fix."

I seem to get my whole list of comments from all the tabs.  

Personally I think that screen real estate is so precious, it would be better to have the comments in a separate tab, rather than as a slide out from the right .

Then the separate 'Comments' tab can be kept open in a separate browser window, and a 'Comments' TAB can be organized in a hierarchy perhaps - global comments ( about the whole doc), tab comments, studio comments, feature comments etc .  Have the comments 'tagged' and the tags listed and searchable. With a complete Tab window open, all sorts of things could be displayed.  Perhaps even a Gantt Chart style display of comments over time for each part, feature etc in the first column.

The 'Comments' could be sent to different people.  At present, are comments shared with everyone that the document is shared with.  Would prefer more control.  In www.smartsheet.com  you can share a Row of the Gantt Chart.  In this way perhaps a dialogue with individual suppliers can be made.

Could all this be organized in a separate 'Comments' Tab.

Jon

jakeramsley

jonathan_stedman said:

At present, are comments shared with everyone that the document is shared with.

Currently everyone with edit & share, edit, and view & comment permissions can see the comments.  We don't have any granularity controls on viewing individual comments.