[josm-dev] Thoughts for further step to modeless operation in JOSM

[Martin Koppenhoefer]

2008/8/20 David Earl <david at frankieandshadow.com>:
> On 19/08/2008 19:34, Gervase Markham wrote:
>> David Earl wrote:
>>> The two threads of recent days, in particular about the cross to add a
>>> new node, are expressing an underlying frustration about the remaining
>>> modes in JOSM. The cross is a bit of a hack to work round this. Can we
>>> do more to get rid of the modes?
>>
>> I would draw the group's attention again to my modeless UI proposal -
>> the section "New UI Design (by Gerv) - version 2" on
>> http://wiki.openstreetmap.org/index.php/JOSM/UI
>>
>> As the green sections show, it's not a massive change from what we have
>> now, but has the advantage of being modeless and consistent with other
>> applications in the same or a similar space (e.g. vector drawing apps).
>
> It doesn't look modeless to me (not that mine is completely modeless
> either). You seem to have to go into the way construction mode with
> ALT+CLICK instead of N, and leave it with a double click instead of S.
>
> I will add my proposal to that page as well.
>
> Is anyone implementing your proposal or intending to do so any time soon?
>
> If we were to encapsulate a set of user interactions into a common class
> or set of classes, we could substitute them on demand so people could
> try them, and then bring together the preferred aspects of each.
>
> I think the critical thing is how the simple click can be arranged to
> extend ways and do selection (or some other means of conveniently doing
> both of these things); in your case it is ALT+CLICK, in mine it is
> implicit, and in another one I've seen it is by dragging.
>
> David
>

I'm happy with modes. Actually I don't see any benefit of a modeless
editor. Most vector-drawing (like illustrator, freehand, and also
bitmap like photoshop) programms I know are using modes as well, and
this for the simple reason that you don't add nodes when you don't
want to.

* The zoom-mode lets you navigate the data without altering
information accidentially
* The select-mode lets (let) you select and unselect without adding
nodes accidentially
* The add-mode lets you add nodes (and perform a select instead when
the node already exists)
* The geometry-mode lets you perform geometric operations
* The delete-mode lets you delete (I don't like it's current behaviour
though for some reasons)
* the move WMS-Layer does just this
...

This concept is very clear, easy to understand and prevents from
unwanted alterations, that might most probably occur otherwise. The
actual selected mode is indicated by buttons and also by the way, the
cursor looks (besides the wms-moving-mode, which could still be
improved to behave like this).

To improve usability the switching between those modes could be
altered/added. For instance ESC, SPACE and RETURN are keys that are on
most keyboards easier to hit then lets say a, s u, or d. Using some of
those for additional functionality or alternatively, would be helpful.
E.g.there could be implemented a switch-mode-function for ESC: switch
from add mode to select (or switch from select to add and perform
unselect, or ...).

Also the delete-mode could become a refine-mode, deleting just single
nodes, where to delete a whole way it would be necessary to select it
and press the "delete"-Key on keyboard (or select delete in a menu or
a context-sensitive right-click menu, ...).

Martin