Library: "Copy to other library" unexpectedly retains same UUID in pasted symbol about librepcb

[moshee]

Some time after posting this issue last night I wondered if that might be the case. I think it would help to improve the wording to make the dependency resolution method more clear in context.

Suggestions for the existing menu option that I used:

• Edit as copy in local library
• Copy and override in local library

The warning message can then explain in more detail how the name resolution works.

I think it would be nice to keep the existing option to do what I originally wanted, but this might be confusing for people who actually use this feature as implemented regularly. Something like Duplicate in local library might be better as it follows the existing nomenclature of Duplicate.

I understand now there is something that does this already, but most likely I have already browsed to the item that I want to copy in the read-only lib rather than starting from the library editor to start looking for a part to copy (then I would have to look up the part twice which upsets me in other software).

[ubruhin]

Keeping UUIDs is intended because the main use-case of this feature is to copy elements from a read-only library (i.e. libraries installed through the library manager) into a local library to modify them. In this case, it is desired that all other elements will reference the own copy instead of the original element.

There are also two ways to copy an element while automatically assigning new UUID (effectively making it a new element):

• Right click on an element in the library manager and choosing "Duplicate". However, this duplicates the element within a library, not across different libraries.
• In the library editor, choose "File -> New Library Element" and then select "Copy from existing element". This allows to copy an element from any library into the currently opened library.

Anyway, I agree it is not very intuitive and probably we should make the text in the message box much more descriptive.

Maybe we should also consider showing the "Copy to other library" context menu item only in read-only libraries, i.e. hiding it in writable libraries 🤔