2010/2/8 LucaDC <dicappello@...2144...>:
This can easily be achieved simply by converting all short segments to curves (only one drag-select and convert-button-click operation); now you can remove the unwanted nodes.
The problem is not what can be achieved, but whether it's consistent and logical for new users. Previously Del would sometimes fit a Bezier and sometimes not, and if it didn't there was no way to convince it otherwise. Now Del always fits a Bezier, and Ctrl+Del always places a linear segment. We're just asking you to be explicit and say whether you want to fit a Bezier to the removed nodes or not. By the way, deleting multiple linear segments and obtaining a Bezier approximation of them was completely impossible before.
Your problem boils down to Ctrl+Del being inconvenient on some keyboards. What about adding the keybindings of both delete actions to keys.xml? You could then assign them to any keys you like. We could also try to find a better default shortcut.
We can also add another checkbox: "invert fit behavior for linear segments", but I would like to avoid this if possible.
On the other hand, when you work with segments you need exactly the opposite, that is segments that stay segments. It's a completely different scenario.
Your perspective is that Bezier segments are very different from linear segments. However, other features of the tool don't suggest this: dragging out handles, retracting them, changing node types, etc. all change the type of the segment.
And also, the approximated curve probably comes from an external application: I don't think someone would draw a huge amount of small segments to eventually convert them to a curve.
My friend works like this all the time. He manually traces photos by zooming in and drawing polylines using the pen tool. The "delete with fit" behavior for linear segments would allow him to smooth out the drawing with more precision than the Simplify action (important when the traced object has distinct cusps).
Did you ask for the automagical rename when deleting? Did you need it? Did you _want_ it?
I see no connection between this example and the Delete key behavior. A better example that illustrates the old behavior would be responding to deleting files by moving a file to trash when it's in your home folder but deleting it when it's outside it (like on external drives or in system folders). The new behavior is like always moving files to trash with Del, and always removing files completely with Shift+Del. (BTW changing from Ctrl+Del to Shift+Del might make sense, because of this OS-related association.)
Regards, Krzysztof