Notes window update issue

[Paolo F Cantoni]

Has anybody experienced update probels with the Notes window recently?

I used to regularly use the Notes window [Ctrl+Shift+1] to update the notes section of the item.

Recently (I suspect since the introduction of formatted Notes), there are problems with this.  If you are not careful how you click in the window, changes you make are discarded - much to one's consternation.  I've not tracked down the exact circumstances yet.

I had just spend a good 10 minutes crafting a definition of a class - a few very well chosen (and, if I may say, elegant) paragraphs only to lose it!  I said: "Aw shucks!" (or words to that effect  )

Now I'll have to do it again!  But first to post this...

Is it just me?  Or do others see it?  If you do, I'll report it.

Paolo
BTW: anybody got the smiley on the side of the posting control to be anything but Exclaim recently?  The EAUI infection seems to be spreading...  

[«Midnight»]

 [smiley=beer.gif]

I think this could be real Paolo,

I remember thinking I'd done something wrong and lost all my notes. This happened some time ago, and I just retyped everything. I remember being careful to do a select all and copy before getting out of the notes box, so it clearly rattled me.

This was only a few diagrams, and after I reached the point where I started being careful what I did (and doing the preventative copy operation) I did not see it again. I put it down to 'finger trouble' but perhaps it was what you refer to.

Since then I've not had occasion to put notes into EA - I'm handling a lot of documentation through other means - so have not encountered the problem.

So it might be real, but I cannot tell you either way. I do not think I submitted a bug report at the time, since I did not reproduce the problem. [I did submit some other notes-related reports around then, which Sparx resolved quickly.]

David

PS: I seem to have changed the smiley. Set the drop-down to the one you want, then click (or double click) the 'ghost' icon below the drop-down.

I don't know if this is significant, but I did this before I entered any text.

I also note (as I write this using the Modify button) that the drop-down and the ghost have reverted to Exclaim (which is the top of the list, so could be a default 'empty' setting).

[Paolo F Cantoni]

More on this...

IF the item is NOT SELECTABLE, then ANY changes made in the Note Window [Ctrl+Shift+1] will not "Stick".  Even thought the window itself lets you make the changes...

This is EAUI!

Firstly, if the notes can't be changed, then there should be an indication (such as "graying out" the window).

Secondly, if the notes can't be changed, the window should not respond!

This is UI 101, for goodness sake!

We users haven't been able to get across to Sparx how much time is wasted fighting EAUI!

Please, please, support this!

If Sparx actually observed what users actually do (or are forced to do) to actually use this product, they might get some insight!

You need to make object unselectable so that they don't, accidentally, move when you select them (since there isn't a "don't move" option).

If you actually use EA to create models, you waste so much time fighting the UI!

(Reported...)
Paolo

[Paolo F Cantoni]

Even more on this...

For a change, I'm being engaged in meaningful dialogue with a Sparxian (thanks, Campbell) on the bug report I made.  During the discussion it occurred to me that it's not clear whether unlocked, but not selectable items should be editable via the auxiliary windows (such as: the Notes, Properties or Tagged Values etc).

Clearly, locked items shouldn't be - but I haven't formally shown that.  perhaps someone can confirm/deny?

But unlocked non-selectable items are "selected" by using the context-menu (in order to make them selectable!).  Consequently, the auxiliary windows are aligned to the item.  The current functionality allows SOME of the windows to make changes and other not - INCONSISTENTLY!

So I'm throwing the question open to the whole community.  What do you think?  From a utility (and consistency) point of view, I'd say yes...

Accordingly, the full context menu should still be available.  All that changes is that you can't select the item with a single click if it is non-selectable - and therefore you can't accidentally move it.

However, I'd welcome others' input.

Paolo

[«Midnight»]

Would any inappropriate (for an element that cannot be selected) options on the context menu be disabled (meaning both a visual indication and no functionality)?

[Paolo F Cantoni]

Would any inappropriate (for an element that cannot be selected) options on the context menu be disabled (meaning both a visual indication and no functionality)?

Yes David,

but my current view is that I suspect (that pretty much) everything on the context menu would be enabled if you took the view that by right clicking the user had indicated what item they were interested in.

Otherwise, if you decide that a non-selectable item is not editable (two different concepts), then all the windows need to be disabled - both visually and functionally and the ONLY operation allowed is "make selectable"  (and this included the Add-ins menu item).

Paolo