Comment 20 for bug 1757446

I am hesitant to just do a hotkey to enter the highlight tool without also providing some keyboard way to clear highlight. Having used Jeff's suggested method of combining both functions into one hotkey for a bit, I think it is a way better user experience than needing to enter a special "highlight mode" before choosing a net to highlight.

Do you think there is value in having a separate highlight tool?

I could add a "highlight net" menu item to the context menu when you right click on something in addition to the hotkey. That would mean you can access the functionality either through the mouse or keyboard.

Then you would have three ways to control highlight:

1) Control+LMB on an item to highlight, or on empty space to clear highlight
2) Right-click on an item and choose "highlight net" (if the item is part of a net)
3) Press the hotkey to highlight the net of the selection, or press again to clear highlight

In that scenario, (and in my opinion) the "highlight net" toolbar button could be completely removed. The only loose end to tie up would be cross-probing: right now highlights are only cross-probed when the tool is active. We could make highlights from eeschema automatically enter highlight mode on pcbnew to solve that issue (as an option that users can disable).