Bug report #14677

Differences in duplicating a layer using ctrl+D&D and "duplicate layer"

Added by Fausto Bugatti Isolan over 8 years ago. Updated over 5 years ago.

Status:Closed
Priority:Normal
Assignee:-
Category:Map Legend
Affected QGIS version:2.18.10 Regression?:No
Operating System: Easy fix?:No
Pull Request or Patch supplied:No Resolution:end of life
Crashes QGIS or corrupts data:No Copied to github as #:22641

Description

I noticed in QGIS 2.14 I can hold Ctrl key and drag to duplicate a layer. But this seems to create a copy linked from source layer. Unlike if I use "Duplicate" in context menu this procedure reflects any modification (or rename) on both layers.

Does anyone know more about this feature? Or some way to identify a duplicated or linked layer.

History

#1 Updated by Giovanni Manghi over 8 years ago

  • Category set to Map Legend
  • Target version deleted (Version 2.14)
  • Operating System deleted (Windows)
  • OS version deleted (10)
  • Affected QGIS version changed from 2.14.1 to master
  • Status changed from Open to Feedback

Both ways just duplicate the layer in the layer list, as the datasource is the same. Unless I'm missing something I would say that eventually duplicating with ctrl just misses to add the "copy" to the duplicate layer name.

#2 Updated by Fausto Bugatti Isolan over 8 years ago

Thanks Giovanni!
Let me try to explain.
When I use Ctrl key a duplicate layer is created without "copy" addition in layer name. Then (p. ex.) if I change symbology or even layer name in this duplicated layer it reflects in the source layer this same changes. This does no happen when I do it in a layer created using "Duplicate" in the context menu.
I don't know if this is a bug in QGIS or something that I don't understand the purpose/difference.
The use of Ctrl key is a nice improve in this version but I think it has some issues to be solved.

Giovanni Manghi wrote:

Both ways just duplicate the layer in the layer list, as the datasource is the same. Unless I'm missing something I would say that eventually duplicating with ctrl just misses to add the "copy" to the duplicate layer name.

#3 Updated by Giovanni Manghi over 8 years ago

  • Priority changed from Normal to Low
  • Subject changed from Duplicate layer using Control button on keyboard to Differences in duplicating a layer using ctrl+D&D and "duplicate layer"
  • Status changed from Feedback to Open

I see the differences, not sure is by design or not. Not even sure how much harm this can do (little in my opinion).

#4 Updated by Giovanni Manghi over 7 years ago

  • Regression? set to No
  • Easy fix? set to No

#5 Updated by Corey Burger over 7 years ago

This is a fairly major issue - as you can easily wipe out work with this. It is also a Regression from prior releases

#6 Updated by Giovanni Manghi over 7 years ago

  • Description updated (diff)
  • Priority changed from Low to Normal
  • Affected QGIS version changed from master to 2.18.10

Corey Burger wrote:

This is a fairly major issue - as you can easily wipe out work with this.

asking genuinely, how?

It is also a Regression from prior releases

there was no "duplicate layer" feature in the past, so not exactly a regression. If this is what you mean.

#7 Updated by Corey Burger over 7 years ago

Easy to wipe out work:
1. Create a layer and all its styles
2. Copy with the Ctrl+Drag option
3. Start styling that layer and save your changes
4. Notice you have wiped out your styling in the first layer

I love the idea of linking layers, but it needs to be done explicitly (with the new key command) and it must be shown to the user visually some how

#8 Updated by Corey Burger over 7 years ago

I would also note that I would be hardpressed to find an application where duplication links styles by default. Inkscape & Illustrator certainly don't do it, nor does ArcGIS.

#9 Updated by Rodrigo Izurieta almost 7 years ago

Corey Burger wrote:

This is a fairly major issue - as you can easily wipe out work with this. It is also a Regression from prior releases

Well, this is exactly what happened to me. I find this "feature" of duplicating layers absurd. Why in the world would I duplicate a layer if all changes to the duplicated layer will be saved on the original. I'd simply work on the original!

This is definitely a bug.

#10 Updated by Giovanni Manghi over 5 years ago

  • Status changed from Open to Closed
  • Resolution set to end of life

End of life notice: QGIS 2.18 LTR

Source:
http://blog.qgis.org/2019/03/09/end-of-life-notice-qgis-2-18-ltr/

QGIS 3.4 has recently become our new Long Term Release (LTR) version. This is a major step in our history – a long term release version based on the massive updates, library upgrades and improvements that we carried out in the course of the 2.x to 3x upgrade cycle.

We strongly encourage all users who are currently using QGIS 2.18 LTR as their preferred QGIS release to migrate to QGIS 3.4. This new LTR version will receive regular bugfixes for at least one year. It also includes hundreds of new functions, usability improvements, bugfixes, and other goodies. See the relevant changelogs for a good sampling of all the new features that have gone into version 3.4

Most plugins have been either migrated or incorporated into the core QGIS code base.

We strongly discourage the continued use of QGIS 2.18 LTR as it is now officially unsupported, which means we’ll not provide any bug fix releases for it.

You should also note that we intend to close all bug tickets referring to the now obsolete LTR version. Original reporters will receive a notification of the ticket closure and are encouraged to check whether the issue persists in the new LTR, in which case they should reopen the ticket.

If you would like to better understand the QGIS release roadmap, check out our roadmap page! It outlines the schedule for upcoming releases and will help you plan your deployment of QGIS into an operational environment.

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