Minor UI bug in Toolbar Editing

[Brad Brighton]

CTRL-click in the toolbar does not bring up the contextual menu for customizing the toolbar. The "secondary click" gesture as defined in System Preferences does bring up the contextual menu.

This is inconsistent and unexpected behavior compared to other macOS apps and it's unclear what, if any, conflicts there would or should be with APh-specific behavior in the toolbar to warrant overriding or disabling CTRL-click.

[Brad Brighton]

@R C-R As far as ctrl-click being a relic, here are current links from Apple's support docs pointing out that the expectation is that ctrl-click is a way of performing a secondary click.

https://support.apple.com/guide/mac-help/right-click-mh35853/mac

https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT207700

Yes, it also highlights the default alternatives as well that involve gestures or device-specific support but that's in addition to, not in place of.

Edited June 28, 2019 by Brad Brighton
Added another, arguably more recent link about the default ctrl-click usage

[R C-R]

Regarding Apple's HIG, they are only guidelines. Many apps do not follow all of them. For example, any app that allows users to override standard keyboard shortcuts with user-defined ones ignores at least one of the guidelines in the keyboard section. Considering how popular that feature has become in many apps, not just the Affinity ones, it could almost be considered a standard feature many if not most users expect their apps to support.

I only mention this because there is a difference between a bug & an unimplemented feature. I think this qualifies as the latter & therefore might be more appropriate as a feature request than a bug report.

As always, YMMV.

[Brad Brighton]

@R C-R I do see your point but I fall on the other side of the line on this one. 

I think that given both that there does not appear to be a toolbar-centric override going on with APh AND that other Apple documentation sets the user expectation that ctrl-click AND any user-defined gestures should invoke secondary-click, it's a bug of omission.

I also recognize that I'm very much a stickler for platform correctness when there's not a good reason to deviate; platform consistency has been and (to a lesser extent) continues to be a key differentiator of the macOS (& iOS/iPadOS) productivity philosophy versus alternatives. I don't consider deviation by accident or omission to be a good enough reason not to put this on the list to be addressed. At the same time, I also recognize that in practical terms, this is certainly not the highest priority. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

[R C-R]

I have no idea what conflicts this might create either, but considering how many different input devices are in regular use with graphics apps like the Affinity ones (including multi-button devices & drawing tablets from various manufacturers, each with their own drivers & options) it seems possible there could be some, either now or after the next macOS version is released.

I am particularly interested in how this will work with iPadOS, which may enable me to use my iPad & Apple Pencil as a desktop input device in apps like the Affinity ones.

[Brad Brighton]

@R C-R Genuine question: Since long-press is the default method of bringing up a context menu on iOS/iPadOS (akin to ctrl-click on the Mac, which I've shown Apple still considers the default there) if that didn't work because you had a multi-button mouse plugged into your iPad and could therefore execute a secondary click with it, would you hold the same position that this would be a feature request?

[R C-R]

First, I am not sure I still consider a control key press + mouse click to be the preferred implementation everywhere, regardless of what Apple's HIG's say. Anything I can do with just a button click instead gets my vote because it requires only one hand & I don't have to worry about making sure the key is down before clicking.

As for the rest of it, it would depend on the app & the context.

[Brad Brighton]

On 6/28/2019 at 4:14 PM, R C-R said:

First, I am not sure I still consider a control key press + mouse click to be the preferred implementation everywhere, regardless of what Apple's HIG's say. Anything I can do with just a button click instead gets my vote because it requires only one hand & I don't have to worry about making sure the key is down before clicking.

As for the rest of it, it would depend on the app & the context.

At this point, I think we're veering into arguing personal preference rather than platform standards so I'll leave my piece of it as this: I don't disagree with what you say above, I just believe it's incomplete for the bigger picture (that is, for some set of people who are not you :-) ). Moving on? 

[R C-R]

1 hour ago, Brad Brighton said:

I don't disagree with what you say above, I just believe it's incomplete for the bigger picture (that is, for some set of people who are not you :-) ). Moving on? 

Before I move on, I just want to point out that the bigger picture, as you put it, includes millions of people who have never used a Mac that did not come with a two button mouse. Regarding platform standards, make of that what you will. 

[MEB]

Hi Brad Brighton,
Thanks for letting us know. Issue logged to be looked at.