Re: Singe click selection with checkboxes

[Kristoffer Lundén <kristoffer lunden gmail com>]

On 9/14/05, Mikkel Kamstrup Erlandsen <kamstrup daimi au dk> wrote:
> Whether or not to toggle selections on overlaps can be
> discussed. I certanly see the benefits, but also the drawbacks for
> inexperienced users.

By all means, let's discuss. For the inexperienced, I'd still argue
that a checkbox (or similar) visual aid would be a better solution at
least if they should use single click mode. Which I think they could,
they do it in browsers all the time (except those, of course, who
double-click all links instead). I think that, in the long run, there
could be benefits to have a single, conforming way to navigate for
both as default. However, that is a whole nother discussion and
probably a Pandoras box to open on any mailing list (defaults usually
are =).

If we leave any key modifiers aside for the moment, then it would be
two possible cases:
1. Rubberband adds, left click unmarks all
2. Rubberband toggles, left click unmarks all

1. Might be somewhat easier to understand, as it has totally
predictable behaviour. Forces complete startover at mistakes.
2. Slightly more complex, however the behaviour should be totally
predictable once you've done it. Allows refining selections without
starting over.

I'm personally in favour of # 2, but if someone has strong reasons why
not, I'm listening. :)

On 9/14/05, Joachim Noreiko <jnoreiko yahoo com> wrote:
>
> Wouldn't it be more logical to use the same
> conventions as other applications?
> SHIFT + rubberband = add to selection
> CTRL + rubberband  = subtract from selection
> SHIFT + CTRL + rubberband = intersect with selection
> 

At least half of the reason the discussion was started was that there
should be a good default behaviour that needed no (keyboard)
modifiers. It was also expanded to not using any special mouse
buttons, where at least middle click is out (laptops) and for some
even right mouse (macs). The other half was about being visually clear
about the options.

That said, I do think that those modifiers are ok as such, just that
one of them should be applied by default for no modifier. I am
favouring "toggle selection", but if there's good reasons, I'd be
satisfied with it as an option, and "add" as default.

-- 
Kristoffer Lundén
✉ kristoffer lunden gmail com
✉ kristoffer lunden gamemaker nu
http://www.gamemaker.nu/
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