Temporary path outline when selecting path

[Stratadrake]

We have the option to always show the outline for a selected path, and to temporarily flash path outlines when mousing over other paths with the Node tool. There should also be an option to temporarily flash a path outline when a path is actually selected for editing.

Flashing the outline on mouseover is convenient, but can incur a visual delay depending on path complexity, other nearby objects (etc). Always showing the outline for selected paths is useful, but sometimes annoying depending on the outline's color relative to the path's own stroke width and color.

[su_v (suv-lp)]

Did you look at the preferences for the node tool in Inkscape 0.48? Isn't
  [x] Show temporary outline for selected paths
exactly what you are asking for? ("temporarily flash a path outline when a path is actually selected")

[su_v (suv-lp)]

> when a path is actually selected for editing

Or maybe I misunderstood? Do you mean to flash the path outline when selecting a path with the select tool? This wouldn't be specifically for editing though, could as well be selected for grouping, or a transformation, changing the stack order or the color attributes…

[Stratadrake (strata-ranger)]

I don't mean showing path outlines for any tool or selection -- showing outlines only when using the Node tool is fine behavior as is. (On a semi-related note, I can't seem to change the color of path outlines, only the opacity -- a bit annoying when my paths happen to have a red fill or stroke already)

Back to the subject though. The problem appears to be that "show temporary path outline for selected paths" only works when "show temporary path outlines" is also enabled as well. This means I can have the following combinations of behavior:

1 - Show temporary path outline

Path outlines show up whenever I mouse over paths with the Node tool, with exception of currently selected path(s). This is acceptable behavior aside from the occasional latency if there are many complex paths in the given mouse region.

2 - Show temporary path outline + Show temporary outline for selected path

With both options enabled, temporary paths show up for everything, regardless of whether the path(s) are selected or not.

3 - Show temporary outline for selected path

Absolutely nothing happens -- I get no temporary outlines whatsoever. It's as if I have both options disabled.

I did already anticipate this might be the case since the tooltip hint says "show outline even when path is selected" -- "even when" instead of simply "when".

... So I guess I'm saying the last option, "show temporary outline for selected paths" should actually be made independent from "show temporary path outline" so that we can have tempotary path outlines displayed only over the currently selected path(s).

(Would that make this a bug or feature then? I don't know.)

[su_v (suv-lp)]

> Would that make this a bug or feature then?

I'll mark it as feature request for now (as far as I understand the same behavior - flash outline for selected path - existed in the old node tool of 0.47 too, but the phrasing in the preferences was in reverse: optionally disable flashing for the selected path).

[su_v (suv-lp)]

> I can't seem to change the color of path outlines

Confirmed - the color selector in the node tool preferences only defines the color used for the temporary highlighting. This should be filed separately as feature request to allow setting the color of the path outline (with a GUI in the preferences or at least as 'hidden' setting in 'preferences.xml', like for the wireframe colors (outline view mode)). It possibly would also include a setting for the color (green) used for the node-editable parameters (bend paths) of path effects.