[OSM-talk] JOSM user interface

Andy Robinson Andy_J_Robinson at blueyonder.co.uk
Wed Oct 10 09:40:06 BST 2007


Chris Morley wrote:
>Sent: 10 October 2007 9:20 AM
>To: OSM
>Subject: [OSM-talk] JOSM user interface
>
>I'm finding it difficult to work with JOSM because of bugs and
>deficiencies in the user interface. Most of these have been raised
>before by others. I mention them again here in the hope that those who
>can do something about them will give them higher priority. I use
>Windows and it is possible that the bugs are specific.
>
>1) The autocomplete facility on the dialog for adding tags really gets
>in the way. When you start to type, say, a name, the fist possibility
>starting with the letter you have typed appears highlighted. But the
>letter(s) you have typed should not be highlighted - then you could, if
>you wanted, just keep typing. As it is at present your second letter
>replaces everything and you lose your first letter. Working around this
>bug is tedious. Because of it, I have been using an old JOSM version
>from before the bug appeared, but, with the change in the API, this is
>no longer possible.

Frederik is aware of this and from a discussion yesterday was to make this a
user preference as the problems don't appear to affect Linux users.

>
>2) In the tag dialog the dropdown box doesn't always open to its full
>extent - sometimes just a single line, which is a pain for lists of
>highway types, for instance. (Incidentally, most user interfaces skimp
>on the size of dropdown lists unnecessarily.)

I see the same issue. I also note that if I close the dropdown selection and
reopen I get the full list displayed properly.

>
>A couple of issues with the new 0.5 version.
>3) As pointed out by Francois De Ryckel on the newbies list, a new
>'segment' drawn from the end node of a way is added to that way, even
>when the way is not selected. It should only happen when the way was
>previously selected.
>

I think this may have been changed since ver 350? However I've seen several
comments from others that the way a way is extended of not needs a bit of
tidying up. It should be easy to extend a way if the specific way is
selected and not if it is not. Selecting just the end node or selecting the
way needs to be more intuitive.


>4) As Ben has pointed out on this list, it is not easy to remove a
>'segment' from an existing way. Can I suggest it could be done by a
>procedure which feels like the opposite of adding a 'segment'. Adding is
>done by dragging from the last node of the (selected) way to an external
>node. The removal would be dragging in a reverse direction, from the
>last node to the second last node. At the other end, dragging from the
>second to the first node would remove the first node. For a closed way
>(first and last nodes the same), dragging from any node to an adjacent
>node would open the way. I think this way of working would be intuitive
>and make editing significantly easier.
>

Interesting idea.

>5) In the new version, re-use of nodes in multiple ways is likely to be
>more common, e.g a road, landuse areas on either side and an
>administrative boundary. Selecting a particular way from these four is
>difficult without a middle mouse button. I, and the vast majority of the
>world don't have a middle mose button. Alt click is now available and
>could be used to cycle through the multiple ways.
>

Agreed it should be possible to reach everything with just the two buttons
(and andy keyboard work)

>6) The delete mode should not delete anything when you click the button.
>Deletion should occur only when you subsequently click an object.
>

+1 to that.

>User interfaces are very important in retaining participants in the
>project. Non-geeks expect high standards of interface and will be less
>likely to continue if they are continually frustrated. JOSM and the new
>API are huge achievements and I would not like to take anything away
>from these by these criticisms. I regret that I do not have the
>capability to implement these features myself.
>

echo your feelings Chris. The new API was a necessary step in positive
direction. We just need the tools to catch up. I'm sure they will as people
have the time to work on them but it is right and proper the issues get
documented clearly.

Cheers

Andy

Andy Robinson
Andy_J_Robinson at blueyonder.co.uk 







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