Usability bug: move items on page browses to page instead

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Herbert123
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Registriert: Sa 12 Mai 2012 21:38

Usability bug: move items on page browses to page instead

Beitrag von Herbert123 »

This is an unwanted behaviour that I keep running into:

1) I have a document with multiple pages. Let's say 3 pages.
2) I select a layer in the second page. The layer tool is selected and I reposition that layer's content.
3) because I have to compare the position with content on the first page, I switch to the first page using the Pages panel.
4) after checking that content, I switch back to page 2. The previous selected layer is still selected (but inactive).
5) I then use the cursor keys to continue repositioning the layer.

Result: instead of moving that layer, PhotoLine navigates to either page 1 or page 3 (depending on the cursor key pressed).

What I would like it to do is allow me to continue working without having to click that layer (or ruler) in the main view or layers panel first. It's super annoying behaviour, and forces mistakes on my part, because with many layers in a page, I often mis-click that layer's content, and I inadvertently select another layer.

And using the layers list to select the correct layer slows down the workflow as well - in particular with many layers that have duplicate content, again forcing user errors. And it takes too much time (3 seconds or so) to keep selecting the inactive selected layers again. and again... and again... and again.....

In a nutshell: it adds hundreds of unnecessary clicks while I work on documents in PhotoLine.

Proposed solution:
- ALWAYS in all contexts use the page up and page down keys to browse pages - which includes the Pages panel.

- when the user selects a page in the Pages list panel, and the Layer tool is active or activated, assume that the user wants to continue to use that tool to reposition layers when switching between pages.

- avoid changing the behaviour of the page up and page down keys: when the user selects a page in the Pages list panel, suddenly these keys change behaviour: the page selection seemingly is based on visible range of pages and these keys alternated between the top visible and bottom visible page thumbnails in the Pages list panel.

Basically what I am asking for is the same behaviour as the Layers list. (I am aware that there is a preference option to navigate layers with the cursor keys; I don't think any user would need this for the pages, since we already have page up and page down keys for this).
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System: Win10 64bit - i7 920@3.6Ghz, p6t Deluxe v1, 48gb (6x8gb RipjawsX), Nvidia GTX1080 8GB, Revodrive X2 240gb, e-mu 1820, 2XSamsung SA850 (2560*1440) and 1XHP2408H 1920*1200 portrait
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Herbert123
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Registriert: Sa 12 Mai 2012 21:38

Re: Usability bug: move items on page browses to page instead

Beitrag von Herbert123 »

I am beginning to understand one of these issues better: when unlocked guides are present on the page and the mouse cursor happens to hover over one of these guides, and the object tool is active with a layer selected, PhotoLine will not move the layer using the cursor keys but instead scrolls the page!

Which means the user must be careful to move the cursor away from a guide before moving objects.

This is counter-intuitive, and is frustrating when working with layouts that have many guides - but locking layers is not an option because new guides need to be added and removed while designing the layout.

My request would be that this behaviour is avoided and it does not matter whether the mouse cursor touches a guide. It should not prevent the user from using the cursor keys to move layers when the mouse cursor happens to hover over an (unlocked) guide.

PS this also seems to happen even when the guides are hidden!
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System: Win10 64bit - i7 920@3.6Ghz, p6t Deluxe v1, 48gb (6x8gb RipjawsX), Nvidia GTX1080 8GB, Revodrive X2 240gb, e-mu 1820, 2XSamsung SA850 (2560*1440) and 1XHP2408H 1920*1200 portrait
Martin Huber
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Registriert: Di 19 Nov 2002 15:49

Re: Usability bug: move items on page browses to page instead

Beitrag von Martin Huber »

This is all due to the input focus of the keyboard. By clicking on a control, this control gets the input focus. You can see this by the fact that the selection of the control is colored, while the handles in the document become gray.
In such a case, if you want to quickly change the input focus to the document, you just have to press ESC.

I'm thinking about extending the layer list option of not getting input focus to all controls, but I don't know all the implications yet.