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

David Earl david at frankieandshadow.com
Mon Aug 18 23:40:40 BST 2008


On 18/08/2008 23:14, Maarten Deen wrote:
> David Earl wrote:
>> On 18/08/2008 18:31, Maarten Deen wrote:
>>> Matthias Julius wrote:
>>> There is the catch. Shift-Click and a node without a segment is created. Release 
>>> the shift and the segment is created. The only way to create a node without a 
>>> segment is to created two nodes. Then the first is created without a segment, 
>>> but as soon as you release the shift, a segment is added to the last nod you 
>>> created. Try it out and you'll see!
>> At last I see what you are getting at.
>>
>> If you SHIFT then BUTTON DOWN then BUTTON UP then RELEASE SHIFT you get 
>> what we've all been saying.
>>
>> If you SHIFT then BUTTON DOWN then RELEASE SHIFT then BUTTON UP you get 
>> what you've been saying.
> 
> No, for one node those two sequences do exactly the same.
> If you have placed two nodes, the last sequence adds a segment between the last 
> node and the previous node.
> It still is not what I want.
> 
>> But why would you do that? SHIFT+CLICK usually means to press *and 
>> release* the mouse button. Why hold the mouse button down for long 
>> enough to deliberately release the shift key?
> 
> Is it really that difficult? I want a mode in which I click and a node appears. 
> Only a node and no trail starting at this node.
 >
> Or let me put it this way: you want to add a node for an amenity. How would you 
> do that? The sequence now is:
> A - click - S
> A to select 'draw nodes' (also possible with N)
> click to add a node
> S to deselect the node because there is a line starting at this node.
> 
> The same goes for adding a node to an existing way. You always have to deselect 
> the node because otherwise with your next click you have a segment.
> 
> I do not want to press the S. Come on, it can't be that difficult to understand.

Unless your JOSM is behaving differently from mine (which is possible I 
suppose if you're on a different platform or something is different 
between versions), then SHIFT+CLICK does *NOT* require you to change 
modes to get a single node. But if you release the shift key before you 
release the mouse button, it doesn't count as a shift+click (that's the 
second sequence). But that's an unnatural thing do do except by accident.

I *never ever* press S to get a new node unconnected to a previous node. 
That's why I'm having a hard time understanding why you do. I only 
switch to select to do things like move objects around, or for tagging 
already existing objects.

If I want to add a node for an amenity I press SHIFT+CLICK, and then tag 
it. I will usually use SHIFT+CLICK for the next noide too because I 
don't want the POI to connect to my next node. No S involved.

I wonder - are you worrying that having added a node there is an elastic 
line emanating from it? This is only indicating what _will_ happen if 
you were to click, not what has happened already. You can just ignore 
the line, e.g. if the next thing you do is to press the "Add Tag" 
button. If you hold shift down, the elastic line goes away, indicating 
that the action will then be to create an unconnected node. If the 
elastic lines are worrying you, why not turn them off? Personally I find 
them helpful because they show me what will happen next with the various 
modifier keys.

David




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