Double-clicking in a text box usually selects the word you clicked on, except in the FH property box where there is an extended entry box to pop-up (e.g. dates, places, etc). The double-click mouse shortcut is unnecessary since the button is available immediately beside the text, and for keyboard use, the Return key could reasonably be used to press the button (which should then of course have the 'default button' style).
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* Conventional Word Selection in Text Boxes
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ChrisBowyer
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Jane
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Conventional Word Selection in Text Boxes
Out of interest you can open the dialogues from the keyboard using CTRL-Space (which is the same as used in PSPad).
Jane
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AdrianBruce
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Conventional Word Selection in Text Boxes
Ouch - no, I wouldn't like that at all.
While it's true to say that 'button is available immediately beside the text' when you're in the text already, if you're not then the button is invisible in v4 (reveals a bit more text).
Thus, if my focus is outside the window and I want the extended entry to appear, currently I can move cursor to text box, then double click.
Under the proposal, I'd need to move cursor to text box, click to get the button up, move cursor to button, click and only now does it come up. Two steps or four? (I count a double click as one step, it's so engrained in my fingers).
While it's true to say that 'button is available immediately beside the text' when you're in the text already, if you're not then the button is invisible in v4 (reveals a bit more text).
Thus, if my focus is outside the window and I want the extended entry to appear, currently I can move cursor to text box, then double click.
Under the proposal, I'd need to move cursor to text box, click to get the button up, move cursor to button, click and only now does it come up. Two steps or four? (I count a double click as one step, it's so engrained in my fingers).
Adrian
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ChrisBowyer
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Conventional Word Selection in Text Boxes
Fair enough... that means it has to be a configurable option somewhere (but I would still argue that the conventional effect of double clicking in text should be the default). But it's almost the same operation... If you move the mouse to the right hand end of one of these boxes and double click (actually interpreted as two single clicks) it does exactly what you want. But if you move it over a word in the text and double click, every other application, and most other places in FH, select the word.
Conventional Word Selection in Text Boxes
I would argue that bringing up the extended entry window with a extra mouse clicks is OK as it is already a long winded and slow method of entering a date/place. So I would argue that double-clicking in the text box to bring up the window to be removed.
Keying in a date or place (with auto-complete) is way faster than bringing up a new window in which you then have to do further mouse moves and clicks and key presses to enter the date/place. The times when the full extended entry window is required should be infrequent and when you don't know the full syntax for a date or don't know the correct spelling of a place and auto-complete doesn't work.
Another argument against it is that it is not a Windows standard to do this. Double-clicking in a text field (or box which is multi-line) is always taken to mean select the word clicked on. I do not like trying to be clever, I want FH to use standard windows methods and procedures so that I do not have to remember new methods and procedures just for it. Following standard Windows methods and procedures also makes it easier for new users of FH to get to grips with the package. Being different to all other Window programs doesn't help anyone and actually makes life more difficult to the typical user of the software.
In my view, the removing of the '...' button at the end of date and places fields was a retrograde step in V4.
Keying in a date or place (with auto-complete) is way faster than bringing up a new window in which you then have to do further mouse moves and clicks and key presses to enter the date/place. The times when the full extended entry window is required should be infrequent and when you don't know the full syntax for a date or don't know the correct spelling of a place and auto-complete doesn't work.
Another argument against it is that it is not a Windows standard to do this. Double-clicking in a text field (or box which is multi-line) is always taken to mean select the word clicked on. I do not like trying to be clever, I want FH to use standard windows methods and procedures so that I do not have to remember new methods and procedures just for it. Following standard Windows methods and procedures also makes it easier for new users of FH to get to grips with the package. Being different to all other Window programs doesn't help anyone and actually makes life more difficult to the typical user of the software.
In my view, the removing of the '...' button at the end of date and places fields was a retrograde step in V4.
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AdrianBruce
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Conventional Word Selection in Text Boxes
Jon - rigorous and thought provoking as usual!
I think you have hit it with the comment on the removal of the '...' button. If that is reinstated, it would give me fast access to the extended entry window, allowing double-click to go to the Windows standard of selecting the single word.
I certainly want fast access to the extended entry window - I'll avoid it if I can remember the format but I find I have a blind sport over whether it's 'BEF YYYY' or 'TO YYYY'.
Also, I have places like 'Crewe, Cheshire', 'Crewe reg. district, Cheshire', 'Crewe reg. subdistrict, Cheshire' - except I can never remember whether I put 'reg. district' in brackets or not, so the auto-complete doesn't help unless I guess correctly. Hence I use the '...' button.
Double clicking to bring up the extended entry has never worried me at all - it's like Visio where a double click brings up the entry for the text (and all the alternatives take SO much longer to get to text editting). HOWEVER the one place where it DOES annoy me is when I'm working on a Note box - I get something wrong, want to select the word, double click it and - no it doesn't select the word, it brings up the full size text entry window, so I'm no further forward! Altering double-click to select the word in question would be much nicer.
Therefore, I suggest:
- reinstate the permanently visible '...' button (advantage: I'm sure some people don't think it's there any more; fast access to extended entry. Minor disadvantage of loss of width)
- alter double-click to select the word in question (Windows standard; allows fast access when selecting words for deletion in text boxes for notes)
I think you have hit it with the comment on the removal of the '...' button. If that is reinstated, it would give me fast access to the extended entry window, allowing double-click to go to the Windows standard of selecting the single word.
I certainly want fast access to the extended entry window - I'll avoid it if I can remember the format but I find I have a blind sport over whether it's 'BEF YYYY' or 'TO YYYY'.
Also, I have places like 'Crewe, Cheshire', 'Crewe reg. district, Cheshire', 'Crewe reg. subdistrict, Cheshire' - except I can never remember whether I put 'reg. district' in brackets or not, so the auto-complete doesn't help unless I guess correctly. Hence I use the '...' button.
Double clicking to bring up the extended entry has never worried me at all - it's like Visio where a double click brings up the entry for the text (and all the alternatives take SO much longer to get to text editting). HOWEVER the one place where it DOES annoy me is when I'm working on a Note box - I get something wrong, want to select the word, double click it and - no it doesn't select the word, it brings up the full size text entry window, so I'm no further forward! Altering double-click to select the word in question would be much nicer.
Therefore, I suggest:
- reinstate the permanently visible '...' button (advantage: I'm sure some people don't think it's there any more; fast access to extended entry. Minor disadvantage of loss of width)
- alter double-click to select the word in question (Windows standard; allows fast access when selecting words for deletion in text boxes for notes)
Adrian