[josm-dev] Bug 595 - Virtual nodes - Comments requested

[Maarten Deen]

David Earl wrote:
> On 18/08/2008 14:13, Maarten Deen wrote:

>> Press 'A' or 'N' or select the 'Draw Nodes' tool. Press and hold
>> SHIFT and click a few nodes. These nodes are drawn without a segment.
>> So far so good. Now release SHIFT and move the mouse. You will see a
>> segment that starts from the last node you entered.
>> That is my gripe with the SHIFT-CLICK option. It works until you release
>> SHIFT, which makes it broken.
>> The same happens when you don't add single nodes on the map but when
>> you click on a segment so JOSM adds them to the segment. The last node
>> always results in a segment being created.
> 
> But that's what it is supposed to do. It's not a SHIFT+CLICK if the 
> shift key isn't down.

You have just redefined the meaning of "shift-click".
No key or mouse combination with a special key I know of changes when you 
release either key. JOSM is the first application I encounter that does so.
Simple example: use shift and left mousebutton to select multiple icons on your 
desktop (I guess X or Gnome works the same as Windows). The selection does not 
magically change when I release the shift.
To me your explanation sounds more like "it's a feature, not a bug".

> I guess what you're saying is you want the shift key to be sticky - in 
> other words a new mode! That would be a weird behaviour for a modifier 
> key like shift.

No. I want an option that only sets a node. Just a node, no segment attached to 
it. How that is accomplished is really not important. Wheter it is through a 
redefine of the 'A' or 'N' key, or a (IMHO) proper implementation of shift-click 
is fine by me. As long as there is a possibility that I select a mode and then 
click-click-click-click nodes into JOSM.
At present there is no possibilitiy to just add a node (e.g. for an amenity or 
another node in an existing way). You always have to press another key to get 
that annoying segment away (and in my mind I am really using profanities now 
because I'm thourghouly pissed off at not having that option).

Maarten