Added activeOn 'up/down' property

src/mixins/canvas_events.mixin.js

@@ -451,15 +451,21 @@
         }
       }
       if (target) {
-        var corner = target._findTargetCorner(
-          this.getPointer(e, true),
-          fabric.util.isTouchEvent(e)
-        );
-        var control = target.controls[corner],
-            mouseUpHandler = control && control.getMouseUpHandler(e, target, control);
-        if (mouseUpHandler) {
-          var pointer = this.getPointer(e);
-          mouseUpHandler(e, transform, pointer.x, pointer.y);
+        if (target.selectable && target !== this._activeObject && target.activeOn === 'up') {
+          this.setActiveObject(target, e);
+          shouldRender = true;
+        }
+        else {
+          var corner = target._findTargetCorner(
+            this.getPointer(e, true),
+            fabric.util.isTouchEvent(e)
+          );
+          var control = target.controls[corner],
+              mouseUpHandler = control && control.getMouseUpHandler(e, target, control);
+          if (mouseUpHandler) {
+            var pointer = this.getPointer(e);
+            mouseUpHandler(e, transform, pointer.x, pointer.y);
+          }
         }
         target.isMoving = false;
       }
@@ -715,7 +721,7 @@
 
       if (target) {
         var alreadySelected = target === this._activeObject;
-        if (target.selectable) {
+        if (target.selectable && target.activeOn === 'down') {
           this.setActiveObject(target, e);
         }
         var corner = target._findTargetCorner(

src/shapes/object.class.js

@@ -571,6 +571,17 @@
      */
     paintFirst:           'fill',
 
+    /**
+     * When 'down', object is set to active on mousedown/touchstart
+     * When 'up', object is set to active on mouseup/touchend
+     * Experimental. Let's see if this breaks anything before supporting officially
+     * @private
+     * since 4.4.0
+     * @type String
+     * @default 'down'
+     */
+    activeOn:           'down',
+
     /**
      * List of properties to consider when checking if state
      * of an object is changed (fabric.Object#hasStateChanged)

test/unit/canvas_events.js

@@ -179,6 +179,21 @@
     canvas.__onMouseUp(e);
   });
 
+  QUnit.test('activeOn object selection', function(assert) {
+    var rect = new fabric.Rect({ width: 200, height: 200, activeOn: 'down' });
+    canvas.add(rect);
+    var e = { clientX: 30, clientY: 15, which: 1, target: canvas.upperCanvasEl };
+    canvas.__onMouseDown(e);
+    assert.equal(canvas._activeObject, rect, 'with activeOn of down object is selected on mouse down');
+    canvas.__onMouseUp(e);
+    canvas.discardActiveObject();
+    rect.activeOn = 'up';
+    canvas.__onMouseDown(e);
+    assert.equal(canvas._activeObject, null, 'with activeOn of up object is not selected on mouse down');
+    canvas.__onMouseUp(e);
+    assert.equal(canvas._activeObject, rect, 'with activeOn of up object is selected on mouse up');
+  });
+
   QUnit.test('specific bug #5317 for shift+click and active selection', function(assert) {
     var greenRect = new fabric.Rect({
       width: 300,