Some more bugs/feature requests in 2.2.3 on Win XP.
when adding new columns to a new table in “define dataproviders”, after typing in new name, hit tab, it takes you to the “sequence” column instead of the next column over (type).
In general, I find that the behavior when selecting/editing text is inconsistent and non-standard, and changes depending on where you are in Servoy. FOr example:
when creating new table, when I tab to “length” column and type, there is already a “50” there and it appears to be selected, yet my typing gets appended rather than overwriting, so if I type 100 I end up with 50100. Seeing the “50” appeared to be selected, I expected it to overwrite.
Same applies in the properties panel - I click on a property like “paperPrintScale” and the number appears selected, yet when I type, it appends. If I double-click, then the text becomes selected and if I type, it overwrites. All of this seems non-standard to me.
when editing text in labels on a form, cursor control is very buggy - mouse clicks don’t move the cursor within the text, I can’t drag and select, I can’t use shift and arrow-keys to select, home key and end key don’t work - I pretty much have to do everything with the mouse and even then it’s tricky
WHen I create a new form from a table, it lists fieldnames alphabetically rather than in the order created in the table. Order created in table would be preferable, as it usually reflects a logical/functional grouping of fields and more closely matches how fields will likely be orderedo n the form.
When I click on a menu and then want to exit the menu without selecting anything in it, I’m used to clicking on the window’s title bar, but that doesn’t work in Servoy. Any way of changing that?
I gave a name to a previously unnamed element in a form, I refreshed in the editor and the new element appeared there but it didn’t show up in my control-spacebar list in the scrip editor.
Debugger - would be nice if I could add watch vars, evaluate stuff, etc. when no method is running.
How come I can change the height of a form part using the mouse, but not the width?
Would be nice if Servoy came with a plugin to support menus - not just popup menus but installed menus. I feel very limited not having more menu control than I get out of the box.
In the task bar in Windows XP I lose the servoy icons.
You must be new to Servoy I hear what you are saying but I ask you…what is the big deal? Every development environment has its quirks but once you adjust they disappear. For example, it doesn’t take much time to get to the point where you thoughtlessly hit the delete key when going to the size column when creating a new field. Every one of your issues is a non-issue to me after using Servoy for as long as I have. On the flip side, you should see me trying to get around Filemaker these days. I couldn’t look less graceful even if I were using my mouse left handed and typing with two thumbs. I just can’t imagine living without the ability to resize objects via keyboard shortcuts! http://www.servoymagazine.com/home/2004 … _shor.html
But I am not trying to be overly critical…you bring up some good points and if they get “fixed” to be more what I am used to as a Mac user (as long as it doesn’t involve a spinning rainbow wheel…) – I will be just as happy as you.
Lastly, you must meet the mad genius of Servoy plugins himself: http://www.it2be.com/#newmenubar Those Servoy folks somehow guessed they might leave someone’s favorite feature out so they designed the Servoy plugin API to allow plugin developers to change/add just about anything they could think of. Without having to go through a hole the size of a pea.
I don’t mean to sound like any of this is a big deal. (Maybe they need to invent a “this isn’t a big deal” emoticon for me.) And I agree, most of these things I would just get used to over time.
But as a newbie I offer this perspective: people evaluating a new development environment want to feel that they’re dealing with a stable, polished product that has been well tested and won’t get them into trouble with their clients. As they get started, the quality and consistency of the UI plays a big role in how they form their impressions because at first it’s all they have to go on. That’s why I think these things are worth fixing.
I think what often happens is that people get used to these things so they never get reported and the developers don’t even find out about them and so they never get fixed. I figure it can’t hurt to report them.
Thanks for your reply, and nice work on the Servoy Magazine - I’ve found it very helpful.
I don’t mean to sound like any of this is a big deal. (Maybe they need to invent a “this isn’t a big deal” emoticon for me.) And I agree, most of these things I would just get used to over time.
But as a newbie I offer this perspective: people evaluating a new development environment want to feel that they’re dealing with a stable, polished product that has been well tested and won’t get them into trouble with their clients. As they get started, the quality and consistency of the UI plays a big role in how they form their impressions because at first it’s all they have to go on. That’s why I think these things are worth fixing.
In my opinion you made very valid points, only if you are new to a development environment, you encouter such things as you describe. Afterwards, you get used to them an d forget about them, but because of that they didn’t become better… And I am still quite sure that a really good user interface speeds up work by quite an amount, even if it’s daily measured only some minutes, not to mention the pleasure (good emotion) with a polished interface. It’s the same for applications, is it?
May I mention a very little deal: The popups in top row of the developer (on Mac) for font and size selection are a pixel or two cut off on top, sure not a big deal, but if you look at it every day, not inspiring either. Would it be such a big deal to correct that once? or may be it’s a Java related problem and may be I am too picky in such things but I too like nice UIs
amcgilly:
I think what often happens is that people get used to these things so they never get reported and the developers don’t even find out about them and so they never get fixed. I figure it can’t hurt to report them.
Thanks for your reply, and nice work on the Servoy Magazine - I’ve found it very helpful.
Its most easlily to report them on the first occurence or if they annoy.
I agree that these things are worth reporting. Maybe not a big deal but when they are annoying… Well they are then…
I work around them like David states. Not a big deal to me anymore. Sometimes I notice things and think: Hey, I should report them. And forget again. So maybe I should say thank you!!!
I also agree from another point of view. When developing my plugins (including the menubar plugin ) I also make mistakes/bugs. When I solve them myself I always wonder why no user reported the issue… I really like my users to report bugs. Also gives me a feeling they are used
when in the method editor, it seems that about 50% of the
time, whenever I put the mouse cursor in a specific place
on a line to do some editing, I click, and the insertion point
is not where the cursor was placed.
as stated above, not a big deal in the grand scheme of things,
but just thought I’d mention it.