Build 742: Some usability issues

[Vladan_Strigo]

Hi all,

Iam tackling between these, so I was wondering is it possible for some things to be improven,
this primarily relates to the work done in the project browser.

Is it possible that you implement / allow standardized keyboard / mouse functionality (mouse scrolling, deleteing objects when you press the delete key, multi select & delete (generally as well as with the delete button)...etc...)

(example of this kind of functionality can be found in VS.NET, MS SQL Enterprise Manager, etc...)

[mikewhit]

I for one am glad that I can't use the Delete key on the project browser ! Too dangerous.

However [build 738], on the element Toolbox, I do wish I could (e.g.) double-click on an element so I could add several of the same element without having to go back to the Toolbox to reselect each time.

[Vladan_Strigo]

I for one am glad that I can't use the Delete key on the project browser ! Too dangerous.

However [build 738], on the element Toolbox, I do wish I could (e.g.) double-click on an element so I could add several of the same element without having to go back to the Toolbox to reselect each time.

that's why there are MsgBox dialogs with messages like: "Are you sure that you want to delete this item(s) ?"  

[mikewhit]

Still too easy ! (Worst-case.)
Right-click, Delete. Are you sure ? is safer, and I don't mind the extra work if it stops an accident.

[Vladan_Strigo]

you see it diffrently then I do, I think it would be better to have it this way, because 1. people who are working with this are careful about what they do and smart enough to know what impacts the deletion will have on their project, 2. because with the MsgBox thing you have a standardized behavior on which people are used to, and it works very good in other big and important situations (altho Iam not saying that this is safer than the current way, it's not.. just more user friendly), and 3. you have source control which can prevent that slightest possiblity of *mistake*

[mikewhit]

We have not yet moved to 4.5, so you may well now be correct about the version control issue -  as long as all controlled packages are set up to auto-commit.

We would also need to select 'lock to edit' security mode.

Before EA had native CVS, it was difficult to use version control to manage a database repository model.

See http://www.sparxsystems.com.au/cgi-bin/yabb/YaBB.pl?board=general;action=display;num=1096995463;start=0#0

[potterm]

You can use Ctrl-Delete in the browser to delete the currently selected item (but the warning still appears).

Therefore, if you want to delete items quickly, combinations of Ctr-Del followed by Enter do the job pretty well.  Not sure if multi-select delete is supported (haven't tried that since 4.5 came out).

Martin.

[Vladan_Strigo]

hmm... nice  

it works both mutli and single file delete  

thx Martin

[benc]

A couple of side notes and clarifications :

* mouse-scrolling : vertical scroll should work with the mouse wheel for both the diagram and project view (if they have focus and contents exceed bounds).

* multi-select and delete : yes this was introduced newly into the 4.5 release

* ctrl+delete : no comment on the "safety" of this .. but you can optionally prevent the prompt to confirm deletes. See Tools | Options | General | Project Browser | Confirm Deletes

*

However [build 738], on the element Toolbox, I do wish I could (e.g.) double-click on an element so I could add several of the same element without having to go back to the Toolbox to reselect each time.

You might like these possibilities when editing diagrams:

- Ctrl+left-click on a diagram : repeat last element
- Ctrl+right-click on a diagram : choose your element/connector from the context-toolbox
- F3 hot key to repeat last conector
- In place editing : Search the help index under Edit Element, for quickly adding element features via keyboard

I'm not sure if any of these are more recent than EA 738


Regards,
Ben