Re: [Usability] Shortcut keys for EOG

[Calum Benson <Calum Benson Sun COM>]

On Sat, 2005-12-17 at 20:00 +0100, Jaap Haitsma wrote:

> User test
> ---------
> I did a test with two users who are only familiar with Windows and not 
> computer savvy. I used a patched version of EOG where I disabled all the 
> shortcut keys. The thing they had to do is to go to the next image.

(Nice idea for a simple user test, btw, although by not using people
more familiar with GNOME keyboard shortcuts, you always run the risk of
results that might misleadingly conflict a bit with the rest of GNOME.)

> Both users never thought of using Ctrl+PageDown and always tried to use 
> the arrow keys.

I'd certainly agree that Ctrl+PgUp/Dn is a poor choice for next/previous
image.

> 
> Proposed new behaviour
> ----------------------
> So the main thing my patch does is when the complete image is visible it 
> binds the arrow keys to previous and next slide. When the image is not 
> completely visible the arrow keys scroll the image.
> 
> The goal of the patch is also to do the same as evince is currently doing
> 
> In more detail
> 
> Shortcuts that always work
>    Prev Image
>      Ctrl+Left (new)

EOG being a browser-type app, the HIG would actually recommend Alt-Left
(and Alt-Right for 'next') here, for consistency with epiphany, nautilus
browser mode etc.  Likewise, I'd probably expect Alt+Home to take me to
the first image, and Alt+End to to take me to the last.

No reason you can't have Ctrl+Left/Right etc. work too, but the Alt
shortcuts are the ones I'd prefer to see listed on the menus, I think,
for consistency's sake.

>      PageUp (new)

Think this is the one I'm most undecided about :)

When there are scrollbars, I think I have a slight preference for
reserving PageUp and PageDown for scrolling by the height of the view
(rather than just "a little bit more than up arrow scrolls", which is
what it seems to do in the latest version of EOG that I have.)  When
there are no scrollbars, PageUp/PageDn could be used for previous and
next image, which has the advantage of making their usage consistent
with what you're proposing for up/down arrows.

If you do use PgUp/PgDn for scrolling in this way, the HIG suggests that
you should also implement Ctrl+PgUp/Dn for scrolling left/right by one
view width.

That said, I can see Gabriel's point of view about having PageUp/PageDn
always select the previous/next image, too... which would be consistent
with things like OpenOffice Impress.  I think in general that's more
useful when the zoom level/position remains constant as you're moving
through the pages/images/slides though, when it's handy for comparison
or editing purposes.  That's more applicable to things like presentation
apps and PDF readers, where each page is (almost always) the same
size... with EOG, I suspect it's comparatively common to have a variety
of different sizes.

>      Shift+Return
>      Shift+SpaceBar

No objection to these.

>    Next Image
>      Ctrl+Right (new)
>      PageDown (new)
>      Return
>      SpaceBar
>    First Image
>      Ctrl+Home

Think these are all covered by my previous comments.

>      Home (new)

Hmm... in the true HIG sense, Home/End should probably just scroll to
the top/bottom of the current image, but your proposed usage is probably
more sensible for EOG.

>    Last Image
>      Ctrl+End
>      End (new)

Covered by previous comments.

>   Shortcuts that work when the image is fully visible (i.e NO scrollbars
> visible)
>    Prev Image
>      Left (new)
>      Up (new)
>    Next Image
>      Right (new)
>      Down (new)
> 
> 2. Shortcuts that work when the image is NOT fully visible (i.e scrollbars
> visible)
>    Arrow keys pans the image

All these are reasonable, I think.

Cheeri,
Calum.

-- 
CALUM BENSON, Usability Engineer       Sun Microsystems Ireland
mailto:calum benson sun com            Java Desktop System Group
http://ie.sun.com                      +353 1 819 9771

Any opinions are personal and not necessarily those of Sun Microsystems