work around .qml settings issues

interface/resources/qml/hifi/Pal.qml

@@ -13,6 +13,7 @@
 
 import QtQuick 2.5
 import QtQuick.Controls 1.4
+import Qt.labs.settings 1.0
 import "../styles-uit"
 import "../controls-uit" as HifiControls
 
@@ -54,8 +55,15 @@ Rectangle {
         letterboxMessage.visible = true
         letterboxMessage.popupRadius = 0
     }
+    Settings {
+        id: settings
+        category: "pal"
+        property bool filtered: false
+        property int nearDistance: 30
+    }
     function refreshWithFilter() {
-        pal.sendToScript({method: 'refresh', params: {filter: filter.checked && {distance: 30}}})
+        // We should just be able to set settings.filtered to filter.checked, but see #3249, so send to .js for saving.
+        pal.sendToScript({method: 'refresh', params: {filter: filter.checked && {distance: settings.nearDistance}}});
     }
 
     // This is the container for the PAL
@@ -101,6 +109,7 @@ Rectangle {
         Row {
             HifiControls.CheckBox {
                 id: filter
+                checked: settings.filtered
                 text: "in view"
                 boxSize: reload.height
                 onCheckedChanged: refreshWithFilter()

scripts/system/pal.js

@@ -238,7 +238,11 @@ function fromQml(message) { // messages are {method, params}, like json-rpc. See
         break;
     case 'refresh':
         removeOverlays();
-        populateUserList(message.params.selected, message.params.filter);
+        // If filter is specified from .qml instead of through settings, update the settings.
+        if (message.params.filter !== undefined) {
+            Settings.setValue('pal/filtered', !!message.params.filter);
+        }
+        populateUserList(message.params.selected);
         UserActivityLogger.palAction("refresh", "");
         break;
     case 'updateGain':
@@ -280,13 +284,10 @@ function addAvatarNode(id) {
         color: color(selected, false, 0.0),
         ignoreRayIntersection: false}, selected, !conserveResources);
 }
-var filter = false;
 // Each open/refresh will capture a stable set of avatarsOfInterest, within the specified filter.
 var avatarsOfInterest = {};
-function populateUserList(selectData, filterRequest) {
-    if (filterRequest !== undefined) {
-        filter = filterRequest;
-    }
+function populateUserList(selectData) {
+    var filter = Settings.getValue('pal/filtered') && {distance: Settings.getValue('pal/nearDistance')};
     var data = [], avatars = AvatarList.getAvatarIdentifiers();
     avatarsOfInterest = {};
     var myPosition = filter && Camera.position,