" This is neither a bug nor a feature."
For me, it IS a bug. And really annoying.

"we run out of modifier keys "
The ALT key COULD (or, better, SHOULD) be still used for ring selections, though...

" the best option seems to be that we make the multi-edit behavior be default so there wouldn't be a need to hold the alt key anymore "
So we will no longer be able to select a single Vertex, Edge or Face?!
Then the cure is worse than the disease!

Best regards

Meanwhile, I dicovered that my behated trackpad can do the 3rd Mouse Button by setting an option in the settings (and using 3 fingers!).
So, I can get rid of this BADLY IMPLEMENTED 3rd Mouse Button emulation.

Thanks

Eeek, I misunderstood you, thought you were referring to the ability to make a property affect all selected objects by holding alt. I guess you're referring to loop select instead?

Anyway, for me it's working fine. I can use loop select using alt just fine because selection is right mouse button and rotating view is left mouse button. Please try using factory settings (File → Load Factory Settings).

If you think it's badly implemented we would welcome a proposal on how this could be implemented properly. Would be more helpful than just complaining about it.

Yes, I meant Loop Selection.

I'm using Left click to select, because I can NEVER get used to INVERTED selection (since world is world, you use the left button to select anything).
My proposal is... FIX it to work properly. Only you, the Blender developers can fix your software.

P.S.: I'll never load factory settings, since my configuration is highly personalized.

I don't think you understand how open source development works?

OK, but you can't pretend that everyone who uses a 3D program is also a talented developer.

There's no need for developers to find a design that fixes the issues you're describing. It is a use interface design issuee... users can work on that too.

BTW, loading factory settings is a temporary change, your settings are back after restarting Blender.

Users can BADLY work with that bug.

Therefore... If I report a REAL bug, and it becomes closed TOUT COURT, because... because... ?!
Let me AT LEAST complain.

As I said it doesn't happen to me, so it would be important to know if it's also happening with factory settings. Until you didn't do that, and until we have evidence that there's indeed something wrong we'll keep this task closed.

As I said, I found a way to BYPASS the BUG.

After all, using 3 fimgers on the behated touchpad is quite the same as using ALT+a finger to click and a finger to drag.
But then, the loop selection works, this time.

So... there will be a forever bug in Blender and some time someone else will report it.
And see it closed without any reason.

History will repeat again and again.

Other than this... I love Blender!!
I still use it, even with a broken arm!

I can't do without it.
It's like a drug, for me.

And there's still people who use Maya, 3D Studio, LighWwave, ...
... WHY?

I can still use loop select with emulate 3 button mouse enabled, so for me there's nothing that looks like a bug :)

Because you are using the WRONG button, to select... ;)

Update

1. TRIED on another laptop, SAME STORY.
2. TRIED loading factory settings (WRONG button), SAME STORY.

The Loop Selection is definetly **not working** with 3rd Mouse Button emulation.
In your case it works, because your mouse (hardware) tells the system that the 3rd button exists, therefore, the EMULATION doesn't take place.

You can reopen the bug.

Thak you.

Seems to work fine here. The user preference file would really help here, it is located at C:\Users\<USERNAME>\AppData\Roaming\Blender Foundation\Blender\<BLENDERVERSION>\config\userpref.blend

I found my file. Now, how do I upload it?
Strange that it doesn't work on 2 of the 2 laptops where I tried it.
Did you physically disconnect your mouse**?

OK, I found the icon.
Here is the file

The UPLOAD icon doesn't work.
It DOWNLOADS the file, instead...

You may also try a different web browser if it still fails.

I tried dragging a file with Firefox. The result was that the file was DOWNloaded into my dowloads folder.

OK it seems it works by dragging the file DIRECTLY, without using the CLOUD icon... ??
Good to know.

I checked the .blend in the meanwhile, but it just increased my confusion. "Emulate 3 Button Mouse" is definitely disabled in it, just as I would expect as you're using leftmouse selection (it gets automatically disabled when changing to leftmouse select). This raises the question what you precisely mean with "Emulate 3rd Mouse Button". Where exactly do you enable this?

Alt+click for loop selection works using your userpref.blend too btw, with left- and rightmouse select. So far nobody has been able to reproduce this.

I disabled the Emulate 3rd Mouse Button, since it's bugged.

As I told you, I used the trackpad.
Meanwhile, they removed my chalk cast from my right arm and now I can use the REAL mouse.

Which works just fine.

Than you

I was able to reproduce this 'bug'. Loop selection doesn't work if you activate 'Select With: Left (Mouse button)' and 'Emulate 3 Button Mouse'. Although this might not be a bug per se, It's a problem of functionality. For those people who prefer selecting with the left mouse button, and I believe there are a lot of people in the industry who prefer that, they are unable to select loops since the key combination of Alt+Left Mouse Button is assigned to rotate the view when you emulate a 3 button mouse.

Like I said before, even if this is not considered a bug, it's a functionality problem. And I believe it's an issue that HAS TO BE ADDRESSED.

One possible solution would be to assign an alternate key combination to selecting loops, or perhaps using a key other than Alt (Shift or Control) and a double click instead of a single click. You could end up with a combination such as Shift+Double Click or Ctrl+Double Click for selecting loops.

Please Blender Developers: DON'T ARCHIVE THIS ISSUE AS NOT-EXISTENT. Again, even if you don't consider this a bug, is an issue of basic functions such as navigation and polygon selection.

You can just change the key for loop select if you want alt+left click view rotate. Since Blender shouldn't randomly change keys for you it's up to you to solve any conflicts.