[GRASSLIST:10435] Re: [GRASS5] gis manager 2 rc3 - bug fixes and updates

[Michael Barton]

As Glynn indicates, TclTk is very flexible in terms of user input options
(mouse buttons, key combinations, etc.). If it becomes necessary to use a
right mouse button (or mouse button-key combination) if needed to control a
tool.

However, the objective is to make the user access to GRASS's power as simple
and straightforward as possible. That is, to get work done without having to
think about how to work the program overly much. To this end, it is good to
avoid non-standard input methods as much as possible and provide clear user
feedback on tool operation--while still maintaining their function in an
efficient manner. Using a radio-button behavior for map display buttons
(like GIMP, as someone suggested) makes it possible to achieve this for
current display tools while using only the left mouse button and not
requiring extra clicks for experienced users.

I'll do this when I get back to my office on Tuesday.

Michael
__________________________________________
Michael Barton, Professor of Anthropology
School of Human Evolution and Social Change
Arizona State University
Tempe, AZ 85287-2402

phone: 480-965-6213
fax: 480-965-7671
www: http://www.public.asu.edu/~cmbarton



> From: Glynn Clements <glynn at gclements.plus.com>
> Date: Mon, 20 Feb 2006 10:59:12 +0000
> To: Maciek Sieczka <werchowyna at epf.pl>
> Cc: David Finlayson <david.p.finlayson at gmail.com>, <michael.barton at asu.edu>,
> <grass5 at grass.itc.it>, <GRASSLIST at baylor.edu>
> Subject: Re: [GRASSLIST:10423] Re: [GRASS5] gis manager 2 rc3 - bug fixes and
> updates
> 
> 
> Maciek Sieczka wrote:
> 
>> I recall Glynn suggested combination of 2 button mouse and keyboard.
>> That could be good solutiun but is it possible to implement within
>> current gis.m?
> 
> Yes. One of the major drawbacks of using the display architecture as a
> GUI toolkit is that the only form of user input available is
> unmodified mouse buttons. Tcl/Tk has no such restrictions; you can
> receive key events, as well as obtaining the modifier state for mouse
> events.
> 
> There's no reason why a decent GUI can't be made which only uses the
> left mouse button, with the right mouse button reserved for a context
> menu, and the middle button only used for functionality which can be
> obtained by other means. All modern Windows applications manage to
> work that way.
> 
> -- 
> Glynn Clements <glynn at gclements.plus.com>