After playing for some time with the newest PPM 1.3.2 and 1.3.3beta I have noted, that I use the new extended annotations quite frequently. The only problem is this operation currently is available only via main menu (Tools / Querry). @FEAnalyst previously suggested to add a shortcut and/or an additional icon for the Querry command. Of course, it would be nice to do it this way (I think addition the shortcut is the easiest to implement), however, the most user-friendly option is to add link to Querry command to the context or pop-up menu called by the right-click mouse operation.
Right, I was thinking about a shortcut in form of a button with an icon of e.g. “i” letter or “?” symbol for Tools —> Query but the idea of access via RMB is also nice.
Initially, I was thinking about adding a shortcut just for Query —> Point/Node (like a Probe button in Abaqus) but the other querries are also very useful.
Yes, that is something @SergioP1975 proposed a long, long time ago. The current query operations are only available through the Querry form. It needs to open in order to show the cancel button that stops the query mode of selection.
I can easily add one toolbar icon. But I thought it is not a very good solution if you want to measure a distance for example. So I thought of adding multiple icons (I was stuck creating the icons), one for each operation. The selection of this icon would open up the Query form in the appropriate mode preselected.
Using RMB would have to work a little different. Usually, RMB is used as a selection. What I mean is that you first position the cursor on an item and then brig up its other options using RMB. But only parts are selected in default mode so only the feature “Query part” makes sense. “Querry surface” could also work since they are usually large enough for the selection but other queries would be unintuitive. I think.
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Let me be more precise. RMB should be used only to open “Querry” pop-up window. After that, a user can select body/surface/node etc. commands from this window. This method is already used for annotations in some FEM programs (e.g. SOLIDWORKS Simulation).
The current method (go to main menu, select Tools/Querry) is very time consuming. According to the research made by CAD program vendors, when the main menu is used, time is lost mainly due to mouse cursor movements up (to menu bar) and down (to the selected part of the model). Due to this reason, context menus are so popular in CAD/CAE programs (Femap is another good example from CAE world).
Just now in PPM the context window is available when a model is selected by RPM. So my idea is to add a new context menu that is active at any other point of the graphics window. This context window might be populated by commands suitable for this particular window, so context menus for “Geometry”, “FE Model” and “Results” panes can be different. Of course the best solution is to give a user ability to customize this pop-up windows. Otherwise most of the “Feature request” messages will be “Add my favorite XYZ command to the context menu” 
.
In short, quick and dirty solution is to add a shortcut to the “Querry” command. More strategically important solution is to add a new context menus.
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OK, I see your point. I will try it out and see how it works. And I will add a single (I don’t have nice icons for all of them) toolbar button to open the Query form.
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