tweaking new feature in file selection drop-down of layer manager

[cmbarton]

I originally thought this was a weird bug but it seems to be a new feature that needs to be tweaked somewhat. Apparently, a new filtering function has been added to the file selection drop down to make it easier to find files in long lists within a mapset. This is a good thing in general. But the filter is on all the time with no visual indication that it is active, leading a user to think that his/her files have disappeared when editing layer properties.

What happens is this:

When a layer is added, all files are displayed in the drop down list of maps, but typing a few letters of a file name will make the drop down only display files that begin with those letters.

But when editing a layer, the current file name is already in the selection box and the drop down only displays that file. All other files are invisible.

For filtering the display list in this way, it would be better to filter by letters followed by an asterisk rather than just the letters (abc* rather than abc). Then all files would display by default, but a filtered list could be seen using a very standard designation.

Alternatively, typing letters would automatically scroll the list to the first file with those letters (e.g., typing "abc" would automatically scroll the list to "abcfile").

I'm setting this ticket to "enhancement", but many users may initially think it is a bug.

Michael

[cmbarton]

Changing this to a bug. I found out that once a layer is displayed, you can no longer change the map that is displayed in that layer. That is, even if you delete the name of the map and pick a new one from the now visible list, the new map selected is not displayed. The new filter prevents any other map from being displayed.

This feature needs to be disabled until it is working correctly.

[cmbarton]

Bumping this up to critical. It affects all map selection, not just the layer manager. You can no longer choose a file, run a module, choose a different file and run the same module. You must close the module dialog now to choose a different file.

Michael

[cmbarton]

This filtering feature needs to be fixed in 6.5 too.

[martinl]

Replying to cmbarton:

I originally thought this was a weird bug but it seems to be a new feature that needs to be tweaked somewhat. Apparently, a new filtering function has been added to the file selection drop

Filtering map names has been implemented in r44638, besides collapsing/expending mapset by left/right arrow. It was designed as the first step to make selection widget usable for long list of maps.

down to make it easier to find files in long lists within a mapset. This is a good thing in general. But the filter is on all the time with no visual indication that it is active, leading a user to think that his/her files have disappeared when editing layer properties.

In r44715 is filtering disabled when item is found (on full match). The widget should indicate that it offers only selection of items.

Martin

[martinl]

Replying to cmbarton:

Alternatively, typing letters would automatically scroll the list to the first file with those letters (e.g., typing "abc" would automatically scroll the list to "abcfile").

done by Anna, committed as r44725. Testing welcomed.

[martinl]

Closing ticket, please reopen if needed.

[cmbarton]

The bug I reported has indeed been fixed. Thanks much. I'm not sure whether we want to keep this open as an enhancement request or not. Testing on GRASS 7 (svn trunk updated 2 January 2011), the drop down search feature works as follows on my Mac.

Click to display map list -> all maps are displayed and user can select any map

Type something while map list is displayed -> nothing happens

Type something while map list is closed, then click to display map list -> all maps are displayed and the selection indicator is located on a map that begins with the same characters as those typed (if such a map exists).

So AFAICT, there is no filtering, but there is an easy (if not obvious) way to quickly move the selection cursor to a desired map in a long list.

Is this behaving the way it is supposed to behave?

[annakrat]

Replying to cmbarton:

Type something while map list is displayed -> nothing happens

Sorry, I tried to change this behaviour but unsuccessfully, there are some problems with events. So it's necessary to close the popup to type anything.

There are some other features you haven't described, you can display popup with down arrow. Then it's possible to change selection with arrows, tab changes selection to map (starting with typed letters) in the next mapset, enter confirms the selection and closes the popup. Don't be surprised that the action is performed after releasing the key (and not pressing down), it's the same problem I mentioned before.

Anna

[martinl]

I took the liberty to reopen the ticket and to downgrade the priority. Thanks Anna.

[cmbarton]

Replying to annakrat:

Replying to cmbarton:

Type something while map list is displayed -> nothing happens

Sorry, I tried to change this behaviour but unsuccessfully, there are some problems with events. So it's necessary to close the popup to type anything. There are some other features you haven't described, you can display popup with down arrow. Then it's possible to change selection with arrows, tab changes selection to map (starting with typed letters) in the next mapset, enter confirms the selection and closes the popup. Don't be surprised that the action is performed after releasing the key (and not pressing down), it's the same problem I mentioned before. Anna

The features you mention do not work on my Mac.

The down arrow does open the popup, but arrows do not work after that. I assume that the binding for opening the popup has trapped all arrow function. Most people would probably like to have the arrows available to move up and down the map list.

The tab key just switches back and forth between the entry box and the page tabs at the top of the dialog.

Michael

[martinl]

Replying to cmbarton:

what's the current status of this bugreport?

[annakrat]

Replying to martinl:

what's the current status of this bugreport?

I've just fixed (at least I hope) the problem with not working arrows. Still there are several problems: move up and down with the arrows is working only for EVT_KEY_UP event and not EVT_KEY_DOWN (no idea why) and you can't type when the popup window is shown. I am not able to fix these issues now.

[cmbarton]

I just updated last night to r52468 for GRASS 7. I don't see any change in the map selection control. Is this fixed in a later revision?

[annakrat]

Replying to cmbarton:

I just updated last night to r52468 for GRASS 7. I don't see any change in the map selection control. Is this fixed in a later revision?

Really r52468? Try e.g. svnversion to get the revision number. The changes are done in r53320 (GRASS 7) and related backports in r53321, r53322.

[cmbarton]

Actually I have r53317. Confusion with g.version. So I'll need to update to test.

Michael

[cmbarton]

Just updated to r53330 in trunk. No change in the behavior of drop down menus for me. Too bad about the shortcuts not working, but that's OK as the selection tools work fine otherwise.

Michael