Deleting multiple records
Posted: 01 Oct 2008 22:30
When multiple records are selected it should be possible to delete the records by using the menu option Edit->Delete. Instead, FH grays out and disables the Edit->Delete menu option when multiple records are selected.
It is understandable that the delete key might not work because without any undo facility the operation is very dangerous. However, there can be times when the user knows that they have to delete a number of records, say after an import or after a some inforamtion has been received that proves the opposite, or even after a mistake. Therefore the Edit->Delete menu option must never be disabled. The user is in control and if they deliberatly select Edit->Delete then they are pretty likely to want to delete a number of records, it is not the job of the programmer to say that just because something could be dangerous that they must add code to stop if from happening.
To add to the number of inconsistencies with in FH, it is possible to delete multiple records - from the query window. As to why from a query, but not in the record window, god only knows.
It would be acceptable to have a warning about multiple records being deleted if multiple records are selected. However, the warning shouldn't appear (or at least should optionally be disabled for users familiar with the s/w) when only single records are deleted. It is a well known user interface issue that when a warning is always displayed for a particular operation a user will quickly learn to skip the message, this action becoming insticitive and thereby invalidating the message (because it's ignored) and only irritating the user with the unncessary step of acknowledging the message. Read into the the Vista UAC problem for an example of how such a constantly appearing message quickly becomes irritating from it's repeated appearance and is quickly ignored.
ID:3062
It is understandable that the delete key might not work because without any undo facility the operation is very dangerous. However, there can be times when the user knows that they have to delete a number of records, say after an import or after a some inforamtion has been received that proves the opposite, or even after a mistake. Therefore the Edit->Delete menu option must never be disabled. The user is in control and if they deliberatly select Edit->Delete then they are pretty likely to want to delete a number of records, it is not the job of the programmer to say that just because something could be dangerous that they must add code to stop if from happening.
To add to the number of inconsistencies with in FH, it is possible to delete multiple records - from the query window. As to why from a query, but not in the record window, god only knows.
It would be acceptable to have a warning about multiple records being deleted if multiple records are selected. However, the warning shouldn't appear (or at least should optionally be disabled for users familiar with the s/w) when only single records are deleted. It is a well known user interface issue that when a warning is always displayed for a particular operation a user will quickly learn to skip the message, this action becoming insticitive and thereby invalidating the message (because it's ignored) and only irritating the user with the unncessary step of acknowledging the message. Read into the the Vista UAC problem for an example of how such a constantly appearing message quickly becomes irritating from it's repeated appearance and is quickly ignored.
ID:3062