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IDProjectCategoryView StatusLast Update
0000272OpenMPTUser Interfacepublic2012-08-06 20:07
Reporterharbinger Assigned ToSaga Musix  
PrioritynormalSeverityminorReproducibilityalways
Status resolvedResolutionfixed 
Platformx86OSWindowsOS VersionXP
Product VersionOpenMPT 1.20.02.00 (upgrade first) 
Summary0000272: Problems with new Channel Properties semi-dialog
Description

While the Channel Properties dialog is very helpful, it still has a few GUI problems.

First, the TAB order is not good. I would like to use this with strictly keypresses but the TABbing sequence means i hafta press TAB when the window opens just to get to the name field. Either the cursor should be ready in the text field or allow for an option to dictate which control has focus first.
Then clicking TAB from the name field should take to the arrow buttons so you can navigate to the next or previous channel. Alternatively, a KB shortcut would allow for Next/Previous functions so you shouldn't need to navigate to the control if you are in fact using keypresses only.

Furthermore, if i had my wish, when using the shortcut keys for navigating between channels i would keep the input focus in the same control. So, for example, if you were setting all the volumes all at once, you'd simply type in the value of the volume in its field, click the Next Channel shortcut, then type the value for the next channel, with the focus still in the volume field.

The second problem is an actual bug. When using TAB to navigate to the arrow button, and clicking Return or Space to activate the Next/Previous channel, if navigation takes you to the first or last channel, consequently disabling the appropriate Next/Previous arrow button, then the input focus gets stuck. TABbing again will not allow navigation between controls, as a matter of fact, even pressing Esc will not close the window. (Find your mouse, 'cause that's the only way you're getting anything more done.)

Another minor problem is the placement of the window. Right now it seems to center the window at the mouseclick. Often however, especially while mass-naming, i need to see what instrument i called for the channel (normally by a note i've placed in the first row) or to see what a nearby channel is named, and then i can name the channel appropriately. However, the Channel Properties window always obscures the top few rows of the PE as well as the Channel header. Since i never need any of the info in the Patterns Page header, i would opt for displaying the little window centered, but displaced upward, so that none of the dialog covers the PE or the channel headers.

There is also a general problem with activating with the middle mouse button, which this dialog needs to display it. Since i'm still in the habit of accidentally Right-clicking in the channel header to open the context menu, only to be reminded that Channel Rename has now been removed, there's no graceful way to close the c-menu and open the Channel Properties dialog. If you Left-click on the channel header (to close the c-menu), the channel is muted. If you Right-click again in the channel header, this does not solve the problem. And middle-clicking keeps the c-menu open and tries to navigate the PE. You can Left-click in the PE to close the C-menu and start over, but this is stepping beckwards in workflow.
If i had to fix this problem, i would check the middle-button trap to see if a contextual menu is open and either close the menu or ignore the Middle-click. Plus, i would add "Show Channel Properties" in the channel header contextual menu.
Also consider deleting the channel header contextual menu altogether. Many of the menu items can go into the Channel Properties window, and the rest can be put into the PE contextual menu (which can be used for multiple setting when more than one channel is selected).

The Channel Properties utility window is a great idea but just needs a few tweaks to make it as ergonomic for KB users as well as mouse users.

TagsNo tags attached.
Has the bug occurred in previous versions?No
Tested code revision (in case you know it)

Activities

Saga Musix

Saga Musix

2012-07-20 15:26

administrator   ~0000811

Last edited: 2012-07-20 18:56

<blockquote>First, the TAB order is not good. I would like to use this with strictly keypresses but the TABbing sequence means i hafta press TAB when the window opens just to get to the name field. Either the cursor should be ready in the text field or allow for an option to dictate which control has focus first.</blockquote>
As mentioned on the forums already, this has already been fixed.

<blockquote>
Another minor problem is the placement of the window.</blockquote>
The window is placed at an optimal position for minimising the mouse path. However, it might be possible to make it movable. However, I have added a keyboard shortcut which will open the quick channel settings for the current channel at a centered position.

<blockquote>There is also a general problem with activating with the middle mouse button, which this dialog needs to display it.</blockquote>
This is a bug/limitation in MFC which cannot be circumvented or fixed. I do not have access to the middle-click while the context menu is still open. You can circumvent the problem by using Ctrl-Right-click instead of middle-clicking the channel header, though, as this will close the context menu.

<blockquote>
Also consider deleting the channel header contextual menu altogether. Many of the menu items can go into the Channel Properties window, and the rest can be put into the PE contextual menu (which can be used for multiple setting when more than one channel is selected).</blockquote>
For the ease of use, this is not going to happen. The context menu is right now the quickest way to access these settings and incorporating them into the quick channel settings would make both that dialog bloated and the items harder to find, and the normal pattern context menu is already cluttered enough and won't need any more entries (as a matter of fact, the channel context menu entries were <i>also</i> available from the pattern context menu years ago, which was pretty horrible).

Saga Musix

Saga Musix

2012-07-21 00:26

administrator   ~0000812

The following improvements have been made:

  • Tab order has been fixed
  • Freely assignable keyboard shortcuts for prev/next channel and close dialog
  • Freely assignable keyboard shortcut for opening the dialog (centered on screen)
    I guess that doesn't leave any items on my to-do list?

Check out http://sagagames.de/stuff/mptrack.exe

harbinger

harbinger

2012-08-06 20:03

reporter   ~0000852

The Tab order is great, with the cursor starting in the Channel Name text field.
I would have liked the window pushed up a little, up away from the PE, but you have your reasons i'm sure.
The shortcuts work perfectly. I have set Tab/Shift-Tab to move to the next/previous channels and Return to save and close the window.

Issue History

Date Modified Username Field Change
2012-07-20 13:32 harbinger New Issue
2012-07-20 15:26 Saga Musix Note Added: 0000811
2012-07-20 18:56 Saga Musix Note Edited: 0000811
2012-07-21 00:26 Saga Musix Note Added: 0000812
2012-07-21 00:26 Saga Musix Assigned To => Saga Musix
2012-07-21 00:26 Saga Musix Status new => feedback
2012-08-06 20:03 harbinger Note Added: 0000852
2012-08-06 20:03 harbinger Status feedback => assigned
2012-08-06 20:07 Saga Musix Status assigned => resolved
2012-08-06 20:07 Saga Musix Resolution open => fixed