Hi all. Reading (well in github I am in read-only mode) the discussion about by PR (https://github.com/openscad/openscad/pull/6838) want to add my thoughts on the subject. Actually I realized that File|Quit (Ctrl+Q) closes all running instances of OpenSCAD reading the posts in the discussion. But such a feature actually contradicts to the "principle of least astonishment" and should not exists at all. Closing all instances from one of them is very strange behavior that looks like a crash of the application. Especially if there is no file changes and the windows close silently in background. Of course, opening new windows is OK - Happens exactly what the user explicitly requested. In addition, closing all windows creates different strange behavior issues. The window state save problems is only one of them. For example it first closes the editor windows and only then asks for saving. If you select "Cancel" it actually not cancels, because the editor window is already closed. And it not saves either. So, IMHO, the best solution for all these problems is to actually merge the functionality of File|Quit and File|Close and close only one window at a time. Best Regards John Found

Ah, yes. If you still need and want to keep the File|Quit feature in its current behavior, the right solution IMHO is to use not QApplication::quit(), but QApplication::closeAllWindows(); The patch will look like the attached file in this case. It closes the windows in correct manner, asking for save and so on. But the state of the docking windows will be saved correctly, but randomly - for the last closed main window. Regards. John Found On Tue, 26 May 2026 09:52:42 +0300 John Found via Discuss <discuss@lists.openscad.org> wrote: > Hi all. > > Reading (well in github I am in read-only mode) the discussion about > by PR (https://github.com/openscad/openscad/pull/6838) want to add my > thoughts on the subject. > > Actually I realized that File|Quit (Ctrl+Q) closes all running > instances of OpenSCAD reading the posts in the discussion. > > But such a feature actually contradicts to the "principle of > least astonishment" and should not exists at all. Closing all > instances from one of them is very strange behavior that looks like a > crash of the application. Especially if there is no file changes and > the windows close silently in background. > > Of course, opening new windows is OK - Happens exactly what the user > explicitly requested. > > In addition, closing all windows creates different strange behavior > issues. The window state save problems is only one of them. For > example it first closes the editor windows and only then asks for > saving. If you select "Cancel" it actually not cancels, because the > editor window is already closed. And it not saves either. > > So, IMHO, the best solution for all these problems is to actually > merge the functionality of File|Quit and File|Close and close only > one window at a time. > > Best Regards > John Found > _______________________________________________ > OpenSCAD mailing list > To unsubscribe send an email to discuss-leave@lists.openscad.org

That hinges on the understanding of "all running instances". On Windows & Linux (don't know Mac), you can run (ie start up) many instances. Each is a separate process. That is different to having multiple windows emanating from one process. AFAIK (usually) applications only manage the windows that are part of the one process. That is ending the process, closes all windows. But doesn't directly* affect windows of the same application running as a separate process. * things like saving options/layout could indirectly affect other processes. On that basis, File/Quit closes the managing process, and thus all windows associated. But it does NOT close windows owned by another instance of the same application in another process. That is standard behaviour. I just confirm that with Excel, I had three sheets, showing as three items on the task-bar. File/Exit closed them all. IMO there needs to be a 'I'm finished with application, close everything, I'm going to logoff', not having to click on/close individual windows the app opened. > -----Original Message----- > From: John Found via Discuss [mailto:discuss@lists.openscad.org] > Sent: Tuesday, May 26, 2026 4:53 PM > To: discuss@lists.openscad.org > Cc: John Found > Subject: [OpenSCAD] About my PR and the discussion on github. > > Hi all. > > Reading (well in github I am in read-only mode) the discussion about by > PR (https://github.com/openscad/openscad/pull/6838) want to add my > thoughts on the subject. > > Actually I realized that File|Quit (Ctrl+Q) closes all running > instances of OpenSCAD reading the posts in the discussion. > > But such a feature actually contradicts to the "principle of > least astonishment" and should not exists at all. Closing all instances > from one of them is very strange behavior that looks like a crash of > the application. Especially if there is no file changes and the > windows close silently in background. > > Of course, opening new windows is OK - Happens exactly what the user > explicitly requested. > > In addition, closing all windows creates different strange behavior > issues. The window state save problems is only one of them. For example > it first closes the editor windows and only then asks for saving. > If you select "Cancel" it actually not cancels, because the editor > window is already closed. And it not saves either. > > So, IMHO, the best solution for all these problems is to actually merge > the functionality of File|Quit and File|Close and close only one window > at a time. > > Best Regards > John Found > _______________________________________________ > OpenSCAD mailing list > To unsubscribe send an email to discuss-leave@lists.openscad.org

Well, I am not a big expert in Qt, but it seems it works a little bit different. There is an object QApplication that controls all the processes of the application at once, regardless of the method you use to start the different OpenSCAD windows. So QApplication::quit() closes all windows and finishes all processes, regardless of how they were created - by File|New window or by console "openscad" command. On Tue, 26 May 2026 18:32:51 +1000 "Michael Marx (spintel) via Discuss" <discuss@lists.openscad.org> wrote: > That hinges on the understanding of "all running instances". > On Windows & Linux (don't know Mac), you can run (ie start up) many > instances. Each is a separate process. > That is different to having multiple windows emanating from one > process. > > AFAIK (usually) applications only manage the windows that are part of > the one process. That is ending the process, closes all windows. > But doesn't directly* affect windows of the same application running > as a separate process. > * things like saving options/layout could indirectly affect other > processes. > > On that basis, File/Quit closes the managing process, and thus all > windows associated. But it does NOT close windows owned by another > instance of the same application in another process. > > That is standard behaviour. > I just confirm that with Excel, I had three sheets, showing as three > items on the task-bar. File/Exit closed them all. > > IMO there needs to be a 'I'm finished with application, close > everything, I'm going to logoff', not having to click on/close > individual windows the app opened. > > > -----Original Message----- > > From: John Found via Discuss [mailto:discuss@lists.openscad.org] > > Sent: Tuesday, May 26, 2026 4:53 PM > > To: discuss@lists.openscad.org > > Cc: John Found > > Subject: [OpenSCAD] About my PR and the discussion on github. > > > > Hi all. > > > > Reading (well in github I am in read-only mode) the discussion > > about by PR (https://github.com/openscad/openscad/pull/6838) want > > to add my thoughts on the subject. > > > > Actually I realized that File|Quit (Ctrl+Q) closes all running > > instances of OpenSCAD reading the posts in the discussion. > > > > But such a feature actually contradicts to the "principle of > > least astonishment" and should not exists at all. Closing all > > instances from one of them is very strange behavior that looks like > > a crash of the application. Especially if there is no file changes > > and the windows close silently in background. > > > > Of course, opening new windows is OK - Happens exactly what the user > > explicitly requested. > > > > In addition, closing all windows creates different strange behavior > > issues. The window state save problems is only one of them. For > > example it first closes the editor windows and only then asks for > > saving. If you select "Cancel" it actually not cancels, because the > > editor window is already closed. And it not saves either. > > > > So, IMHO, the best solution for all these problems is to actually > > merge the functionality of File|Quit and File|Close and close only > > one window at a time. > > > > Best Regards > > John Found > > _______________________________________________ > > OpenSCAD mailing list > > To unsubscribe send an email to discuss-leave@lists.openscad.org > _______________________________________________ > OpenSCAD mailing list > To unsubscribe send an email to discuss-leave@lists.openscad.org

Well, no, I was wrong. It is not working this way. You can start multiple instances of the application and every one of them will have its own set of main windows. Which actually makes the behavior of File|Quit even more obscure and cryptic... Regards. On Tue, 26 May 2026 11:45:32 +0300 John Found via Discuss <discuss@lists.openscad.org> wrote: > Well, I am not a big expert in Qt, but it seems it works a little bit > different. There is an object QApplication that controls all the > processes of the application at once, regardless of the method you use > to start the different OpenSCAD windows. So QApplication::quit() > closes all windows and finishes all processes, regardless of how they > were created - by File|New window or by console "openscad" command. > > > On Tue, 26 May 2026 18:32:51 +1000 > "Michael Marx (spintel) via Discuss" <discuss@lists.openscad.org> > wrote: > > > That hinges on the understanding of "all running instances". > > On Windows & Linux (don't know Mac), you can run (ie start up) many > > instances. Each is a separate process. > > That is different to having multiple windows emanating from one > > process. > > > > AFAIK (usually) applications only manage the windows that are part > > of the one process. That is ending the process, closes all windows. > > But doesn't directly* affect windows of the same application running > > as a separate process. > > * things like saving options/layout could indirectly affect other > > processes. > > > > On that basis, File/Quit closes the managing process, and thus all > > windows associated. But it does NOT close windows owned by another > > instance of the same application in another process. > > > > That is standard behaviour. > > I just confirm that with Excel, I had three sheets, showing as three > > items on the task-bar. File/Exit closed them all. > > > > IMO there needs to be a 'I'm finished with application, close > > everything, I'm going to logoff', not having to click on/close > > individual windows the app opened. > > > > > -----Original Message----- > > > From: John Found via Discuss [mailto:discuss@lists.openscad.org] > > > Sent: Tuesday, May 26, 2026 4:53 PM > > > To: discuss@lists.openscad.org > > > Cc: John Found > > > Subject: [OpenSCAD] About my PR and the discussion on github. > > > > > > Hi all. > > > > > > Reading (well in github I am in read-only mode) the discussion > > > about by PR (https://github.com/openscad/openscad/pull/6838) want > > > to add my thoughts on the subject. > > > > > > Actually I realized that File|Quit (Ctrl+Q) closes all running > > > instances of OpenSCAD reading the posts in the discussion. > > > > > > But such a feature actually contradicts to the "principle of > > > least astonishment" and should not exists at all. Closing all > > > instances from one of them is very strange behavior that looks > > > like a crash of the application. Especially if there is no file > > > changes and the windows close silently in background. > > > > > > Of course, opening new windows is OK - Happens exactly what the > > > user explicitly requested. > > > > > > In addition, closing all windows creates different strange > > > behavior issues. The window state save problems is only one of > > > them. For example it first closes the editor windows and only > > > then asks for saving. If you select "Cancel" it actually not > > > cancels, because the editor window is already closed. And it not > > > saves either. > > > > > > So, IMHO, the best solution for all these problems is to actually > > > merge the functionality of File|Quit and File|Close and close only > > > one window at a time. > > > > > > Best Regards > > > John Found > > > _______________________________________________ > > > OpenSCAD mailing list > > > To unsubscribe send an email to discuss-leave@lists.openscad.org > > _______________________________________________ > > OpenSCAD mailing list > > To unsubscribe send an email to discuss-leave@lists.openscad.org > _______________________________________________ > OpenSCAD mailing list > To unsubscribe send an email to discuss-leave@lists.openscad.org

John, the vast majority of application behave the way I described. Try exploring them. File/quit(/exit) is NOT obscure or cryptic. It has been THE normal way for decades. (please someone correct me if I'm out dated - NO I don't' count android etc.) I'm not saying that the current behaviour of recent OpenSCAD versions, re how it handles windows, is 'normal', there are irregularities introduced recently, that is being worked on. Particularly how it saves the state when it quits. > -----Original Message----- > From: John Found via Discuss [mailto:discuss@lists.openscad.org] > Sent: Tuesday, May 26, 2026 6:56 PM > To: discuss@lists.openscad.org > Cc: John Found > Subject: [OpenSCAD] Re: About my PR and the discussion on github. > > Well, no, I was wrong. > > It is not working this way. You can start multiple instances of the > application and every one of them will have its own set of main > windows. > > Which actually makes the behavior of File|Quit even more obscure and > cryptic... > > Regards. > > On Tue, 26 May 2026 11:45:32 +0300 > John Found via Discuss <discuss@lists.openscad.org> wrote: > > > Well, I am not a big expert in Qt, but it seems it works a little bit > > different. There is an object QApplication that controls all the > > processes of the application at once, regardless of the method you use > > to start the different OpenSCAD windows. So QApplication::quit() > > closes all windows and finishes all processes, regardless of how they > > were created - by File|New window or by console "openscad" command. > > > > > > On Tue, 26 May 2026 18:32:51 +1000 > > "Michael Marx (spintel) via Discuss" <discuss@lists.openscad.org> > > wrote: > > > > > That hinges on the understanding of "all running instances". > > > On Windows & Linux (don't know Mac), you can run (ie start up) many > > > instances. Each is a separate process. > > > That is different to having multiple windows emanating from one > > > process. > > > > > > AFAIK (usually) applications only manage the windows that are part > > > of the one process. That is ending the process, closes all windows. > > > But doesn't directly* affect windows of the same application running > > > as a separate process. > > > * things like saving options/layout could indirectly affect other > > > processes. > > > > > > On that basis, File/Quit closes the managing process, and thus all > > > windows associated. But it does NOT close windows owned by another > > > instance of the same application in another process. > > > > > > That is standard behaviour. > > > I just confirm that with Excel, I had three sheets, showing as three > > > items on the task-bar. File/Exit closed them all. > > > > > > IMO there needs to be a 'I'm finished with application, close > > > everything, I'm going to logoff', not having to click on/close > > > individual windows the app opened. > > > > > > > -----Original Message----- > > > > From: John Found via Discuss [mailto:discuss@lists.openscad.org] > > > > Sent: Tuesday, May 26, 2026 4:53 PM > > > > To: discuss@lists.openscad.org > > > > Cc: John Found > > > > Subject: [OpenSCAD] About my PR and the discussion on github. > > > > > > > > Hi all. > > > > > > > > Reading (well in github I am in read-only mode) the discussion > > > > about by PR (https://github.com/openscad/openscad/pull/6838) want > > > > to add my thoughts on the subject. > > > > > > > > Actually I realized that File|Quit (Ctrl+Q) closes all running > > > > instances of OpenSCAD reading the posts in the discussion. > > > > > > > > But such a feature actually contradicts to the "principle of > > > > least astonishment" and should not exists at all. Closing all > > > > instances from one of them is very strange behavior that looks > > > > like a crash of the application. Especially if there is no file > > > > changes and the windows close silently in background. > > > > > > > > Of course, opening new windows is OK - Happens exactly what the > > > > user explicitly requested. > > > > > > > > In addition, closing all windows creates different strange > > > > behavior issues. The window state save problems is only one of > > > > them. For example it first closes the editor windows and only > > > > then asks for saving. If you select "Cancel" it actually not > > > > cancels, because the editor window is already closed. And it not > > > > saves either. > > > > > > > > So, IMHO, the best solution for all these problems is to actually > > > > merge the functionality of File|Quit and File|Close and close only > > > > one window at a time. > > > > > > > > Best Regards > > > > John Found > > > > _______________________________________________ > > > > OpenSCAD mailing list > > > > To unsubscribe send an email to discuss-leave@lists.openscad.org > > > _______________________________________________ > > > OpenSCAD mailing list > > > To unsubscribe send an email to discuss-leave@lists.openscad.org > > _______________________________________________ > > OpenSCAD mailing list > > To unsubscribe send an email to discuss-leave@lists.openscad.org > _______________________________________________ > OpenSCAD mailing list > To unsubscribe send an email to discuss-leave@lists.openscad.org

Well, I am not sure we are talking about the same subject. :) Will give a little example: We are starting OpenSCAD "from the console" and from the menu "File|Open in new window" open 3 files. We have one instance of the application with 3 main windows. Then we open another OpenSCAD instance "from the console" and another three files as main windows. Now we actually have two instances of the QApplication with each having 3 main windows. But for the user, all 6 main windows look the same - as 6 instances of OpenSCAD possibly with multiple files open in tabs inside. When the user press Ctrl+Q inside any of these windows, the half of the working OpenSCAD windows will be closed. The other half will remain active. Which other 2 windows besides the windows where the user presses Ctrl+Q will be closed is unknown - for the user it looks absolutely random. From the UX point of view "Closing random part of the open windows" is IMHO strange and cryptic function. On Tue, 26 May 2026 23:54:59 +1000 "Michael Marx (spintel) via Discuss" <discuss@lists.openscad.org> wrote: > John, the vast majority of application behave the way I described. > Try exploring them. File/quit(/exit) is NOT obscure or cryptic. It > has been THE normal way for decades. (please someone correct me if > I'm out dated - NO I don't' count android etc.) > > I'm not saying that the current behaviour of recent OpenSCAD > versions, re how it handles windows, is 'normal', there are > irregularities introduced recently, that is being worked on. > Particularly how it saves the state when it quits. > > > -----Original Message----- > > From: John Found via Discuss [mailto:discuss@lists.openscad.org] > > Sent: Tuesday, May 26, 2026 6:56 PM > > To: discuss@lists.openscad.org > > Cc: John Found > > Subject: [OpenSCAD] Re: About my PR and the discussion on github. > > > > Well, no, I was wrong. > > > > It is not working this way. You can start multiple instances of the > > application and every one of them will have its own set of main > > windows. > > > > Which actually makes the behavior of File|Quit even more obscure and > > cryptic... > > > > Regards. > > > > On Tue, 26 May 2026 11:45:32 +0300 > > John Found via Discuss <discuss@lists.openscad.org> wrote: > > > > > Well, I am not a big expert in Qt, but it seems it works a little > > > bit different. There is an object QApplication that controls all > > > the processes of the application at once, regardless of the > > > method you use to start the different OpenSCAD windows. So > > > QApplication::quit() closes all windows and finishes all > > > processes, regardless of how they were created - by File|New > > > window or by console "openscad" command. > > > > > > > > > On Tue, 26 May 2026 18:32:51 +1000 > > > "Michael Marx (spintel) via Discuss" <discuss@lists.openscad.org> > > > wrote: > > > > > > > That hinges on the understanding of "all running instances". > > > > On Windows & Linux (don't know Mac), you can run (ie start up) > > > > many instances. Each is a separate process. > > > > That is different to having multiple windows emanating from one > > > > process. > > > > > > > > AFAIK (usually) applications only manage the windows that are > > > > part of the one process. That is ending the process, closes all > > > > windows. But doesn't directly* affect windows of the same > > > > application running as a separate process. > > > > * things like saving options/layout could indirectly affect > > > > other processes. > > > > > > > > On that basis, File/Quit closes the managing process, and thus > > > > all windows associated. But it does NOT close windows owned by > > > > another instance of the same application in another process. > > > > > > > > That is standard behaviour. > > > > I just confirm that with Excel, I had three sheets, showing as > > > > three items on the task-bar. File/Exit closed them all. > > > > > > > > IMO there needs to be a 'I'm finished with application, close > > > > everything, I'm going to logoff', not having to click on/close > > > > individual windows the app opened. > > > > > > > > > -----Original Message----- > > > > > From: John Found via Discuss > > > > > [mailto:discuss@lists.openscad.org] Sent: Tuesday, May 26, > > > > > 2026 4:53 PM To: discuss@lists.openscad.org > > > > > Cc: John Found > > > > > Subject: [OpenSCAD] About my PR and the discussion on github. > > > > > > > > > > Hi all. > > > > > > > > > > Reading (well in github I am in read-only mode) the discussion > > > > > about by PR (https://github.com/openscad/openscad/pull/6838) > > > > > want to add my thoughts on the subject. > > > > > > > > > > Actually I realized that File|Quit (Ctrl+Q) closes all running > > > > > instances of OpenSCAD reading the posts in the discussion. > > > > > > > > > > But such a feature actually contradicts to the "principle of > > > > > least astonishment" and should not exists at all. Closing all > > > > > instances from one of them is very strange behavior that looks > > > > > like a crash of the application. Especially if there is no > > > > > file changes and the windows close silently in background. > > > > > > > > > > Of course, opening new windows is OK - Happens exactly what > > > > > the user explicitly requested. > > > > > > > > > > In addition, closing all windows creates different strange > > > > > behavior issues. The window state save problems is only one of > > > > > them. For example it first closes the editor windows and only > > > > > then asks for saving. If you select "Cancel" it actually not > > > > > cancels, because the editor window is already closed. And it > > > > > not saves either. > > > > > > > > > > So, IMHO, the best solution for all these problems is to > > > > > actually merge the functionality of File|Quit and File|Close > > > > > and close only one window at a time. > > > > > > > > > > Best Regards > > > > > John Found > > > > > _______________________________________________ > > > > > OpenSCAD mailing list > > > > > To unsubscribe send an email to > > > > > discuss-leave@lists.openscad.org > > > > _______________________________________________ > > > > OpenSCAD mailing list > > > > To unsubscribe send an email to discuss-leave@lists.openscad.org > > > _______________________________________________ > > > OpenSCAD mailing list > > > To unsubscribe send an email to discuss-leave@lists.openscad.org > > _______________________________________________ > > OpenSCAD mailing list > > To unsubscribe send an email to discuss-leave@lists.openscad.org > _______________________________________________ > OpenSCAD mailing list > To unsubscribe send an email to discuss-leave@lists.openscad.org

On 5/26/2026 7:54 AM, Michael Marx (spintel) via Discuss wrote: > John, the vast majority of application behave the way I described. Try exploring them. > File/quit(/exit) is NOT obscure or cryptic. It has been THE normal way for decades. > (please someone correct me if I'm out dated - NO I don't' count android etc.) Yep. Check any major browser; they all have a Quit/Exit that closes all windows. I expect that for any application that has a Quit/Exit, that's what it does. If you only want to close one window, use a "Close" operation instead. Not all applications have a Quit/Exit; current Office (365) tools do not. And yes, it's a little confusing that there's no way to tell which windows are associated with which processes, so if you have multiple instances and they each have multiple windows, you can't readily tell which set of windows will close when you File/Quit. I suggest that users not do that; either run multiple processes or have multiple windows from one process, not both. (Or don't use Quit.) Perhaps we should have an option (option!) to behave as the browsers and Office do: when asked to start a second instance, instead tell the first instance to open a new window. Or perhaps we should have an option that, when you ask OpenSCAD to open a new window, would start a new process. There are advantages and disadvantages to both. Any unconditional change here will break somebody's workflow <https://xkcd.com/1172/>.

Roger.

If in any program like openoffice, kicad, eagle, you have multiple windows open and you do file->quit all the windows close. If you do control-w or "close window" from a menu, then the current window will close. This is normal behaviour. Standard across many, many graphical applications. I personally have one openscad instance per file, so when I do "quit" only one window goes away. I did not know that one openscad instance could open multiple projects. Even then, I would suggest to conform to what all other programs do: When you do close window, the window closes, and when you do quit, all windows from that application go away. If you are NOT like me and open many openscad windows in one instance, if you want to quit the whole openscad tangle, "file->quit" is what you want and what sould remain working. If you open three windows in one instance and then three in the next, that's a complication that you've created for yourself, and you need to deal with the consequences. Sorry. As I've never use the multiple windows per instance, I'm not an expert, but I do hear that there is room for improvement. On file->quit, the program SHOULD one-by-one raise the windows with unsaved changes, popup the "do you want to save your changes" dialog and if the users clicks "Cancel" abort the whole exiting sequence. Only when there are no more unsaved changes (or user has confirmed: Don't save), should the windows be torn down. Another improvement would be to add the "close window" to one of the menus. If it already exists: I couldn't find it. A better place would be just above the "quit" in the file menu. The functionality should already exist: I take it that the "close window" from the window manager would already work. Libreoffice detects a running instance and will become a "remote trigger" for that instance to open the file you give on the commandline. I dislike that behavior but I'm too lazy to go and argue my case or implement a patch (and those in charge are probably convinced that the current behavior is the only good way. I won't be able to convince them otherwise). Roger. On Tue, May 26, 2026 at 05:09:36PM +0300, John Found via Discuss wrote: > Well, I am not sure we are talking about the same subject. :) > > Will give a little example: > > We are starting OpenSCAD "from the console" and from the menu "File|Open > in new window" open 3 files. We have one instance of the application > with 3 main windows. > > Then we open another OpenSCAD instance "from the console" and another > three files as main windows. > > Now we actually have two instances of the QApplication with each having > 3 main windows. > > But for the user, all 6 main windows look the same - as 6 instances of > OpenSCAD possibly with multiple files open in tabs inside. > > When the user press Ctrl+Q inside any of these windows, the half of the > working OpenSCAD windows will be closed. The other half will remain > active. Which other 2 windows besides the windows where the user > presses Ctrl+Q will be closed is unknown - for the user it looks > absolutely random. > > From the UX point of view "Closing random part of the open windows" is > IMHO strange and cryptic function. > > > > On Tue, 26 May 2026 23:54:59 +1000 > "Michael Marx (spintel) via Discuss" <discuss@lists.openscad.org> wrote: > > > John, the vast majority of application behave the way I described. > > Try exploring them. File/quit(/exit) is NOT obscure or cryptic. It > > has been THE normal way for decades. (please someone correct me if > > I'm out dated - NO I don't' count android etc.) > > > > I'm not saying that the current behaviour of recent OpenSCAD > > versions, re how it handles windows, is 'normal', there are > > irregularities introduced recently, that is being worked on. > > Particularly how it saves the state when it quits. > > > > > -----Original Message----- > > > From: John Found via Discuss [mailto:discuss@lists.openscad.org] > > > Sent: Tuesday, May 26, 2026 6:56 PM > > > To: discuss@lists.openscad.org > > > Cc: John Found > > > Subject: [OpenSCAD] Re: About my PR and the discussion on github. > > > > > > Well, no, I was wrong. > > > > > > It is not working this way. You can start multiple instances of the > > > application and every one of them will have its own set of main > > > windows. > > > > > > Which actually makes the behavior of File|Quit even more obscure and > > > cryptic... > > > > > > Regards. > > > > > > On Tue, 26 May 2026 11:45:32 +0300 > > > John Found via Discuss <discuss@lists.openscad.org> wrote: > > > > > > > Well, I am not a big expert in Qt, but it seems it works a little > > > > bit different. There is an object QApplication that controls all > > > > the processes of the application at once, regardless of the > > > > method you use to start the different OpenSCAD windows. So > > > > QApplication::quit() closes all windows and finishes all > > > > processes, regardless of how they were created - by File|New > > > > window or by console "openscad" command. > > > > > > > > > > > > On Tue, 26 May 2026 18:32:51 +1000 > > > > "Michael Marx (spintel) via Discuss" <discuss@lists.openscad.org> > > > > wrote: > > > > > > > > > That hinges on the understanding of "all running instances". > > > > > On Windows & Linux (don't know Mac), you can run (ie start up) > > > > > many instances. Each is a separate process. > > > > > That is different to having multiple windows emanating from one > > > > > process. > > > > > > > > > > AFAIK (usually) applications only manage the windows that are > > > > > part of the one process. That is ending the process, closes all > > > > > windows. But doesn't directly* affect windows of the same > > > > > application running as a separate process. > > > > > * things like saving options/layout could indirectly affect > > > > > other processes. > > > > > > > > > > On that basis, File/Quit closes the managing process, and thus > > > > > all windows associated. But it does NOT close windows owned by > > > > > another instance of the same application in another process. > > > > > > > > > > That is standard behaviour. > > > > > I just confirm that with Excel, I had three sheets, showing as > > > > > three items on the task-bar. File/Exit closed them all. > > > > > > > > > > IMO there needs to be a 'I'm finished with application, close > > > > > everything, I'm going to logoff', not having to click on/close > > > > > individual windows the app opened. > > > > > > > > > > > -----Original Message----- > > > > > > From: John Found via Discuss > > > > > > [mailto:discuss@lists.openscad.org] Sent: Tuesday, May 26, > > > > > > 2026 4:53 PM To: discuss@lists.openscad.org > > > > > > Cc: John Found > > > > > > Subject: [OpenSCAD] About my PR and the discussion on github. > > > > > > > > > > > > Hi all. > > > > > > > > > > > > Reading (well in github I am in read-only mode) the discussion > > > > > > about by PR (https://github.com/openscad/openscad/pull/6838) > > > > > > want to add my thoughts on the subject. > > > > > > > > > > > > Actually I realized that File|Quit (Ctrl+Q) closes all running > > > > > > instances of OpenSCAD reading the posts in the discussion. > > > > > > > > > > > > But such a feature actually contradicts to the "principle of > > > > > > least astonishment" and should not exists at all. Closing all > > > > > > instances from one of them is very strange behavior that looks > > > > > > like a crash of the application. Especially if there is no > > > > > > file changes and the windows close silently in background. > > > > > > > > > > > > Of course, opening new windows is OK - Happens exactly what > > > > > > the user explicitly requested. > > > > > > > > > > > > In addition, closing all windows creates different strange > > > > > > behavior issues. The window state save problems is only one of > > > > > > them. For example it first closes the editor windows and only > > > > > > then asks for saving. If you select "Cancel" it actually not > > > > > > cancels, because the editor window is already closed. And it > > > > > > not saves either. > > > > > > > > > > > > So, IMHO, the best solution for all these problems is to > > > > > > actually merge the functionality of File|Quit and File|Close > > > > > > and close only one window at a time. > > > > > > > > > > > > Best Regards > > > > > > John Found > > > > > > _______________________________________________ > > > > > > OpenSCAD mailing list > > > > > > To unsubscribe send an email to > > > > > > discuss-leave@lists.openscad.org > > > > > _______________________________________________ > > > > > OpenSCAD mailing list > > > > > To unsubscribe send an email to discuss-leave@lists.openscad.org > > > > _______________________________________________ > > > > OpenSCAD mailing list > > > > To unsubscribe send an email to discuss-leave@lists.openscad.org > > > _______________________________________________ > > > OpenSCAD mailing list > > > To unsubscribe send an email to discuss-leave@lists.openscad.org > > _______________________________________________ > > OpenSCAD mailing list > > To unsubscribe send an email to discuss-leave@lists.openscad.org > _______________________________________________ > OpenSCAD mailing list > To unsubscribe send an email to discuss-leave@lists.openscad.org -- ** R.E.Wolff@BitWizard.nl ** https://www.BitWizard.nl/ ** +31-15-2049110 ** ** Verl. Spiegelmakerstraat 37 2645 LZ Delfgauw, The Netherlands. ** KVK: 27239233 ** f equals m times a. When your f is steady, and your m is going down your a** is going up. -- Chris Hadfield about flying up the space shuttle. ** 'a' for accelleration.

I never use Quit.  I exit out of each tab carefully, to make sure that I have saved everything, and then exit out of the final file using the X icon on the upper right (in Windows).  This issue probably will not affect me. On 5/26/2026 10:09 AM, John Found via Discuss wrote: > Well, I am not sure we are talking about the same subject. :) > > Will give a little example: > > We are starting OpenSCAD "from the console" and from the menu "File|Open > in new window" open 3 files. We have one instance of the application > with 3 main windows. > > Then we open another OpenSCAD instance "from the console" and another > three files as main windows. > > Now we actually have two instances of the QApplication with each having > 3 main windows. > > But for the user, all 6 main windows look the same - as 6 instances of > OpenSCAD possibly with multiple files open in tabs inside. > > When the user press Ctrl+Q inside any of these windows, the half of the > working OpenSCAD windows will be closed. The other half will remain > active. Which other 2 windows besides the windows where the user > presses Ctrl+Q will be closed is unknown - for the user it looks > absolutely random. > > From the UX point of view "Closing random part of the open windows" is > IMHO strange and cryptic function. > > > > On Tue, 26 May 2026 23:54:59 +1000 > "Michael Marx (spintel) via Discuss" <discuss@lists.openscad.org> wrote: > >> John, the vast majority of application behave the way I described. >> Try exploring them. File/quit(/exit) is NOT obscure or cryptic. It >> has been THE normal way for decades. (please someone correct me if >> I'm out dated - NO I don't' count android etc.) >> >> I'm not saying that the current behaviour of recent OpenSCAD >> versions, re how it handles windows, is 'normal', there are >> irregularities introduced recently, that is being worked on. >> Particularly how it saves the state when it quits. >> >>> -----Original Message----- >>> From: John Found via Discuss [mailto:discuss@lists.openscad.org] >>> Sent: Tuesday, May 26, 2026 6:56 PM >>> To: discuss@lists.openscad.org >>> Cc: John Found >>> Subject: [OpenSCAD] Re: About my PR and the discussion on github. >>> >>> Well, no, I was wrong. >>> >>> It is not working this way. You can start multiple instances of the >>> application and every one of them will have its own set of main >>> windows. >>> >>> Which actually makes the behavior of File|Quit even more obscure and >>> cryptic... >>> >>> Regards. >>> >>> On Tue, 26 May 2026 11:45:32 +0300 >>> John Found via Discuss <discuss@lists.openscad.org> wrote: >>> >>>> Well, I am not a big expert in Qt, but it seems it works a little >>>> bit different. There is an object QApplication that controls all >>>> the processes of the application at once, regardless of the >>>> method you use to start the different OpenSCAD windows. So >>>> QApplication::quit() closes all windows and finishes all >>>> processes, regardless of how they were created - by File|New >>>> window or by console "openscad" command. >>>> >>>> >>>> On Tue, 26 May 2026 18:32:51 +1000 >>>> "Michael Marx (spintel) via Discuss" <discuss@lists.openscad.org> >>>> wrote: >>>> >>>>> That hinges on the understanding of "all running instances". >>>>> On Windows & Linux (don't know Mac), you can run (ie start up) >>>>> many instances. Each is a separate process. >>>>> That is different to having multiple windows emanating from one >>>>> process. >>>>> >>>>> AFAIK (usually) applications only manage the windows that are >>>>> part of the one process. That is ending the process, closes all >>>>> windows. But doesn't directly* affect windows of the same >>>>> application running as a separate process. >>>>> * things like saving options/layout could indirectly affect >>>>> other processes. >>>>> >>>>> On that basis, File/Quit closes the managing process, and thus >>>>> all windows associated. But it does NOT close windows owned by >>>>> another instance of the same application in another process. >>>>> >>>>> That is standard behaviour. >>>>> I just confirm that with Excel, I had three sheets, showing as >>>>> three items on the task-bar. File/Exit closed them all. >>>>> >>>>> IMO there needs to be a 'I'm finished with application, close >>>>> everything, I'm going to logoff', not having to click on/close >>>>> individual windows the app opened. >>>>> >>>>>> -----Original Message----- >>>>>> From: John Found via Discuss >>>>>> [mailto:discuss@lists.openscad.org] Sent: Tuesday, May 26, >>>>>> 2026 4:53 PM To: discuss@lists.openscad.org >>>>>> Cc: John Found >>>>>> Subject: [OpenSCAD] About my PR and the discussion on github. >>>>>> >>>>>> Hi all. >>>>>> >>>>>> Reading (well in github I am in read-only mode) the discussion >>>>>> about by PR (https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=https-3A__github.com_openscad_openscad_pull_6838&d=DwICAg&c=euGZstcaTDllvimEN8b7jXrwqOf-v5A_CdpgnVfiiMM&r=AsrE-c7ZR7B2Kyr3qgfvvppkCEBVsNmwEMndcrRSuOI&m=u232QXZqC2IRTB7SWS8r2iyxPkoQAl8vbheWjt1rkOUgGzJDj5LWb33HCvpjYDwf&s=d7Cub4cDXluY5pzgU-Yo0cnAAFYbD4v6xVHfUscb9Vc&e=) >>>>>> want to add my thoughts on the subject. >>>>>> >>>>>> Actually I realized that File|Quit (Ctrl+Q) closes all running >>>>>> instances of OpenSCAD reading the posts in the discussion. >>>>>> >>>>>> But such a feature actually contradicts to the "principle of >>>>>> least astonishment" and should not exists at all. Closing all >>>>>> instances from one of them is very strange behavior that looks >>>>>> like a crash of the application. Especially if there is no >>>>>> file changes and the windows close silently in background. >>>>>> >>>>>> Of course, opening new windows is OK - Happens exactly what >>>>>> the user explicitly requested. >>>>>> >>>>>> In addition, closing all windows creates different strange >>>>>> behavior issues. The window state save problems is only one of >>>>>> them. For example it first closes the editor windows and only >>>>>> then asks for saving. If you select "Cancel" it actually not >>>>>> cancels, because the editor window is already closed. And it >>>>>> not saves either. >>>>>> >>>>>> So, IMHO, the best solution for all these problems is to >>>>>> actually merge the functionality of File|Quit and File|Close >>>>>> and close only one window at a time. >>>>>> >>>>>> Best Regards >>>>>> John Found >>>>>> _______________________________________________ >>>>>> OpenSCAD mailing list >>>>>> To unsubscribe send an email to >>>>>> discuss-leave@lists.openscad.org >>>>> _______________________________________________ >>>>> OpenSCAD mailing list >>>>> To unsubscribe send an email to discuss-leave@lists.openscad.org >>>> _______________________________________________ >>>> OpenSCAD mailing list >>>> To unsubscribe send an email to discuss-leave@lists.openscad.org >>> _______________________________________________ >>> OpenSCAD mailing list >>> To unsubscribe send an email to discuss-leave@lists.openscad.org >> _______________________________________________ >> OpenSCAD mailing list >> To unsubscribe send an email to discuss-leave@lists.openscad.org > _______________________________________________ > OpenSCAD mailing list > To unsubscribe send an email to discuss-leave@lists.openscad.org -- This email has been checked for viruses by AVG antivirus software. www.avg.com