Submitted by Tom on 2010/02/10 05:58
25_Pre-release version #18
 
On opening a file, as soon as I click on an item, OR as soon as I pass the cursor over a link,
the cursor shows a little box below it (which signifies that it's doing a drag-drop operation)
 
Happens every time with my default setup, so far no repurcussions though (i.e. seems to be only a display bug)
The clipboard simply has last copied text
 
Anyone else experiencing the same?
 
 

Comments

>Anyone else experiencing the same?
 
Hi Tom. The cursor adds the box at positions where a click will select the entire item. It returns to its regular form where a click will enter Edit Mode on a particular field. I don't think it's a bug.

Jerome

Tom

2010/02/10 08:56

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[quote=JJSlote]
Hi Tom. The cursor adds the box at positions where a click will select the entire item. It returns to its regular form where a click will enter Edit Mode on a particular field. I don't think it's a bug.
[/quote]
 
ahhhhh, that makes sense Jerome (and a good idea) but ... it actually seems to be the opposite here !!
 
The box is not shown at positions where a click will select the entire item, and is shown in all other positions
 
Probably not related  but I have expand on single-click selected in options
 
 

Tom

2010/02/10 08:58

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[quote=Tom]
[quote=JJSlote]
Hi Tom. The cursor adds the box at positions where a click will select the entire item. It returns to its regular form where a click will enter Edit Mode on a particular field. I don't think it's a bug.
[/quote]
 
ahhhhh, that makes sense Jerome (and a good idea) but ... it actually seems to be the opposite here !!
 
The box is not shown at positions where a click will select the entire item, and is shown in all other positions
 
Probably not related  but I have expand on single-click selected in options
[/quote]
 
think I'm still wrong there !!
 
the box is not shown where you can select the item by click & drag (i.e. over the text)
so the setting "expand on single-click" may well be relevant

Tom

2010/02/10 09:46

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I think I've tied myself up in knots here in last two posts
 
> The cursor adds the box at positions where a click will select the entire item
no,  the box shows everywhere except:
> [mouse arrow] returns to its regular form where a click will enter Edit Mode on a particular field
yes, that's correct
 
maybe Pierre can clarify

JJSlote

2010/02/10 11:08

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[quote=Tom]
no,  the box shows everywhere except:
> [mouse arrow] returns to its regular form where a click will enter Edit Mode on a particular field
[/quote]
 
Not quite everywhere. The cursor reverts to arrow over the "#" field, which is a read-only select. And it's a hand gesture over links. I agree the box and arrow confusingly imply that something's being dragged, but cursor indications on hover are helpful, so this is a good direction.

How about browser style cursors: a regular arrow for select, a stick cursor for edit, a hand gesture for link. And, as suggested elsewhere, pliers or similar for drag and/or expand.

Jerome

The new mouse cursor changes feels extremely weird to me. The cursor constantly flickers and, strangely, adversely effects IQ's CPU consumption (IQ jumps to 10-15% just by hovering my mouse over items...).
 
Personnally, I have no needs for extra indicators. I liked how it was before : the new drag/drop indicators worked well, And the Drag/drop conventions are just a matter of getting used to them. If it's going to be by clicking on the bullet, I'm fine with that. But all these cursor changes are a bit weird -- haven't similar cursor changes in any outliner or even program.
 
IQ's CPU consumption related problem is of course the main problem at the moment. The second one being the constant flicker.

JJSlote

2010/02/10 15:37

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[quote=Armando]
Personnally, I have no needs for extra indicators. I liked how it was before : the new drag/drop indicators worked well, And the Drag/drop conventions are just a matter of getting used to them. If it's going to be by clicking on the bullet, I'm fine with that. But all these cursor changes are a bit weird -- haven't similar cursor changes in any outliner or even program.
[/quote]

Sure, but remember, you're Armando -- the most expert IQ end-user on the planet! Myself, I tend to some false clicks when trying to drag. There are at least five things that can happen when you click within an item: select, edit, link, drag, expand. I'm hoping there will be one more at some point: toggle single/multiline. I think hovering cursor indicators are helpful in managing this functional richness. They might even make the bullet on each item unnecessary, by making it easier to find the traditional drag points.
 
Jerome

Armando

2010/02/10 16:15

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[quote=JJSlote]
[quote=Armando]
Personnally, I have no needs for extra indicators. I liked how it was before : the new drag/drop indicators worked well, And the Drag/drop conventions are just a matter of getting used to them. If it's going to be by clicking on the bullet, I'm fine with that. But all these cursor changes are a bit weird -- haven't similar cursor changes in any outliner or even program.
[/quote]

Sure, but remember, you're Armando -- the most expert IQ end-user on the planet! Myself, I tend to some false clicks when trying to drag. There are at least five things that can happen when you click within an item: select, edit, link, drag, expand. I'm hoping there will be one more at some point: toggle single/multiline. I think hovering cursor indicators are helpful in managing this functional richness. They might even make the bullet on each item unnecessary, by making it easier to find the traditional drag points.
 
Jerome
[/quote]
 
I hear you, Jerome. Yes, I'm an experienced user, and it's true that there are several possible actions within IQ. But so are there in Outlook or Explorer, for example.
 
The model should just be similar to Windows Explorer or Mac's Finder, I think (and explorer has only a few cursor changes) :
 
1- select - same as explorer --> click on text or icon and drag.
2- edit - Same as explorer --> first click selects, second + release click allows editing
3- link - ctrl drag drop : there is already some visual feed back in IQ.
4- drag - same as explorer, click and drag, or click to select, and hold second click to drag
5- expand - double click on icon or text.
 
These are much more standard than Ecco IMO. Simple satistics...
If all these actions/procedures work... Why change them ?
 
In any case, if users and Pierre think that it's better to have cursor changes for all possible actions, fine. But not to the expense of performance or fluidity (flashing cursor as I move it around...)
 
(Also, note that Explorer, while not being the most user friendly, is also not the worst piece of software in terms of usability and user friendliness)
 

Tom

2010/02/11 03:59

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The possibilities within the grid are complex e.g.
 
How to select an item -
How to select an item if you want to drag/drop -
How to edit text in a field -
How to select a cell -
How to select many cells -
 
and these can vary according to the settings you choose
 
I wonder would it be possible to have a beginner mode with tooltips giving the options e.g. {click here to select full item} ?
I'm sure it could be complex considering the variable settings - but just throwing the idea out there . .
 

Armando

2010/02/11 10:59

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[quote=Tom]
The possibilities within the grid are complex e.g.
 
How to select an item -
How to select an item if you want to drag/drop -
How to edit text in a field -
How to select a cell -
How to select many cells -
 
and these can vary according to the settings you choose
 
I wonder would it be possible to have a beginner mode with tooltips giving the options e.g. {click here to select full item} ?
I'm sure it could be complex considering the variable settings - but just throwing the idea out there . .
 
[/quote]
 
Yes, it is complex. However, it's important to remember that mouse actions are not much complex than within Windows explorer, Outlook, Word, etc.
 
IQ used to be harder to get. Now I find mouse actions pretty straight forward and comparable to Windows Explorer which is a standard.