huangcq Posted August 31, 2021 Author Share Posted August 31, 2021 @GarryP Thanks for the replies, but all in all the discussion has been a time waster. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GarryP Posted August 31, 2021 Share Posted August 31, 2021 If what has been discussed in this thread causes someone reading this to pause and consider their own suggestion(s) further, before making them, than I don’t consider my time to have been wasted. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
huangcq Posted August 31, 2021 Author Share Posted August 31, 2021 1 minute ago, GarryP said: If what has been discussed in this thread causes someone reading this to pause and consider their own suggestion(s) further, before making them, than I don’t consider my time to have been wasted. Great. Whatever floats your boat. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wosven Posted August 31, 2021 Share Posted August 31, 2021 14 hours ago, R C-R said: isn't the text cursor enough of a visual reminder of that? Sometimes it can be quite discret... (That's why I added a request to a highlight mode, to help about this and because since QXD, I always missed this feature in the layout apps.) On Windows, it's only a fine black line blinking, you can easily miss it if you're not focused on the text. By security, you can click out of the text frame to avoid adding further text if you're interrupted, and return to your layout later (this and saving the file). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MikeTO Posted August 31, 2021 Share Posted August 31, 2021 I hadn't read this thread until now so I missed the fun. Publisher allows objects to be selected with any tool which is super convenient and reduces the need to switch tools as much as apps without this approach but it introduces UI inconsistency. For example - I can select an inline picture frame with almost any tool, even the Triangle tool, but not with the Frame Text tool. Sadly, selecting inline picture frames while editing text is a common use case so there's a bit of a UI gap. When I first started using Publisher after not using a page layout app for eons, muscle memory kicked in and I tried to press Esc twice to switch from editing text to the Move tool and I was confused when it didn't work. It's because Publisher has the concept of selecting objects with any tool. Great idea, but I still wish we could press Esc when nothing is selected to switch to the Move tool. So my request is that if no objects are selected and the user presses Esc, which is currently unassigned to any action, that this would change to the Move tool. I keep Tools hidden to save horizontal real estate. I know I can press Esc and then V and I do this but I have to think a bit each time I do it while hammering on Esc is something my primitive brain understands. 🙂 Quote Download a free manual for Publisher 2.4 from this forum - expanded 300-page PDF My system: Affinity 2.4.2 for macOS Sonoma 14.4.1, MacBook Pro 14" (M1 Pro) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
R C-R Posted August 31, 2021 Share Posted August 31, 2021 5 hours ago, Wosven said: On Windows, it's only a fine black line blinking, you can easily miss it if you're not focused on the text. At least in the context of this topic, assuming the request is to switch to the Move Tool with the text layer still selected by clicking on the text frame, I think it is safe to assume we would be focused on the text & aware that initially we are in text entry mode. 5 hours ago, Wosven said: ... you can click out of the text frame to avoid adding further text ,,, That does not leave the text layer selected, which I think is the reason for the request to trigger the Move Tool when clicking on the frame border. Quote All 3 1.10.8, & all 3 V2.4.1 Mac apps; 2020 iMac 27"; 3.8GHz i7, Radeon Pro 5700, 32GB RAM; macOS 10.15.7 Affinity Photo 1.10.8; Affinity Designer 1.108; & all 3 V2 apps for iPad; 6th Generation iPad 32 GB; Apple Pencil; iPadOS 15.7 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dominik Posted September 5, 2021 Share Posted September 5, 2021 On 8/31/2021 at 3:56 PM, MikeTO said: So my request is that if no objects are selected and the user presses Esc, which is currently unassigned to any action, that this would change to the Move tool. 'V' does that already. As to the OP's request to automatically switch to the move tool: You can hit ESC in a text frame and instantly move the text frame with the cursor keys. To continue editing text you click once in the text frame again. d. Quote Affinity Designer 1 & 2 | Affinity Photo 1 & 2 | Affinity Publisher 1 & 2 Affinity Designer 2 for iPad | Affinity Photo 2 for iPad | Affinity Publisher 2 for iPad Windows 11 64-bit - Core i7 - 16GB - Intel HD Graphics 4600 & NVIDIA GeForce GTX 960M iPad pro 9.7" + Apple Pencil Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MikeTO Posted September 5, 2021 Share Posted September 5, 2021 5 hours ago, dominik said: 'V' does that already. I know, my request was that Esc do this, too. Some of us have muscle memory from previous apps that allowed easier switching to the Move (aka Select or Object) tool by pressing Esc once or twice, depending on the app. It's a lot easier than pressing Esc and then V. Allowing objects to be selected and manipulated with any tool has huge advantages so it's great that the Affinity apps offer this. But it introduces modality which is usually avoided because it increases cognitive load. e.g., you can press V if the Rectangle tool is selected but you must press Esc and then V if the Frame Text tool is selected. I'm not saying Serif shouldn't have taken this approach, I think it's great, but the Move tool is the most basic tool and deserves the easiest possible way to select it that doesn't require the user to be conscious of the mode. Quote Download a free manual for Publisher 2.4 from this forum - expanded 300-page PDF My system: Affinity 2.4.2 for macOS Sonoma 14.4.1, MacBook Pro 14" (M1 Pro) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dominik Posted September 5, 2021 Share Posted September 5, 2021 2 hours ago, MikeTO said: but the Move tool is the most basic tool and deserves the easiest possible way to select it that doesn't require the user to be conscious of the mode. I cannot deny this, especially in regard to frame text. OTOH, muscle memory is better if trained in different ways (but that is my way of thinking about it). ESC is not that universal that it works everywhere the same. I know that Serif is monitoring these forums and maybe they come to the conclusion that there is room for improvement. d. Quote Affinity Designer 1 & 2 | Affinity Photo 1 & 2 | Affinity Publisher 1 & 2 Affinity Designer 2 for iPad | Affinity Photo 2 for iPad | Affinity Publisher 2 for iPad Windows 11 64-bit - Core i7 - 16GB - Intel HD Graphics 4600 & NVIDIA GeForce GTX 960M iPad pro 9.7" + Apple Pencil Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.