[Merkaartor] Why so many modes?

[James Ewen]

On Sun, Jul 18, 2010 at 5:04 AM, Chris Browet <cbro at semperpax.com> wrote:

> The big question is how does JOSM find out the user wants to create, e.g.,
> a way rather than a node (and possibly adapt the UI as a consequence) with a
> single "Add" mode?

It's all based on context from my perspective.

In Potlatch, if I click in the middle of no where, a little red box
pops up. If I click on that same point again, Potlatch assumes that I
want to make that point into a node.

If I move my cursor away from the initial point, and click again,
Potlatch assumes that I want to make a way. To signify that I am
finished creating a way, I simply click on the final node a second
time.

If while I am creating a way, I end up clicking on my initial node,
Potlatch assumes that I am creating an area since my initial node and
final node share a common point.

When clicking on an existing node, way, or area, Potlatch assumes that
you want to select that entity.

To add a node to a way one needs to select the way (by just clicking
on it), and then add a node by clicking on the point where the new
node should be added, but with a modifier key held down (shift).

To extend a way off an existing node, again just select the node (by
clicking on it), and then add the way by clicking on the point where
the next node of the way should be added, but with a modifier key held
down (shift).


In Merkaartor, if I click on an existing entity, it is selected.
However, if I click in the middle of no where, nothing happens. I have
to explicitly tell Merkaartor to add a node, way, or area. How hard
would it be to have the program make the assumption that if the user
points at an empty spot on the screen, and clicks that the user is
probably interested in doing something there?

So the basic flowchart is...

User clicks on the screen (program assumes user is interested in this
spot for some reason, and highlights the spot)
User clicks on the same spot again (program assumes user is creating a node)
Or user moves cursor to a new location and clicks (program assumes
user is creating a way)
While creating a way, user clicks on origin (program assumes user is
creating an area)
User clicks on existing element (program assumes user wants to select
the element)

Obviously it's easy for the user to click and miss an element that
they are trying to select, or such. The simple solution in Potlatch is
to hit the ESC key, which undoes the last action.

My right hand is on my mouse, pointing and clicking at various areas
on the screen, while my left hand is busy hovering over the keyboard
holding modifier keys down, or pressing ESC to undo errors, or adding
tags or other things like that. Having to be continually clicking on
different buttons to select different tools slows down the process.

I'm open for discussion... as I said before, I started with Potlatch,
and am very comfortable with the very easy UI that it presents. I just
find that this portion of the UI seems to flow very nicely, without
the need for the user to have to worry about what type of entity that
it is that they are going to be creating. It's just as simple as
pointing and clicking. The most common actions undertaken by the user
should be the ones that require the least amount of clicks or other
actions in my opinion.

Merkaartor has some serious horsepower that Potlatch doesn't have
available. I don't know if Potlatch has the potential to come close
with the limitations of an online browser based approach. I'm really
warming up to Merkaartor, but being inherently lazy, I want Merkaartor
to do as much for me as possible with the least effort on my part!

James
VE6SRV