View/Display Issue

I have noticed that if I have something selected and being displayed in the left/right split view and switch to the top/bottom view DT Pro continues to show the selection, however when switching to the 3 pane view it looses the selection.

Steve,

thanks for reporting that bug, I did so some times during the last alphas, but somehow, correcting that behaviour always was forgotten at any new release :angry: Fortunately, it is not essential for data consistence, but for the work flow…

Bill, others in charge: please correct that!

Maria

Hey, I like that behavior. I use it to clear unwanted selections from the Vertical Split view, which is my normal working view.

But maybe I’m just a nut. :slight_smile:

No Bill,
you are certainly not a nut. You just did not yet realize that you do NOT like that behaviour … :wink:

btw: HOW CAN YOU LIKE IT?

I am always distracted by these changing selections.

Maria

Bill, teach me why this is a good thing or I have to side with Maria on this one.

ChemBob

Yes, yes, and yes again. :slight_smile:

Which reminds me of this glitch:

• Run a toolbar search
• Select a single item and Reveal [command-R] it (btw, is there an intended deterministic result for Reveal when multiple items are selected?)
• Click ‘x’ in toolbar search field to close results window
• Previously revealed/selected item is no longer selected
• Re-type Reveal shortcut to re-reveal item

I continue to struggle with all-too-frequent kinds of awkward, counterproductive navigation/selection/focus scenarios for commonly-used sequences of actions. DT manages to elude my best efforts to sustain a satisfying flow of predictable usability, forcing “extra” keyboard shortcuts and carefully-aimed mouse clicks to regain control.

Generally, the usability speed bumps I encounter seem to be DT misbehaving relative to my usage style. It’s most frustrating when it still won’t cooperate even after I’ve compromised with it.

This thread gives an example of a specific behavior in DT that’s perceived as a both a bug and a feature. My take on it is that switching views in DT should not change the item selection, analogous to switching between Icons/List/Columns views in Finder. That’s consistent with my expectation anyway.

Confession: I probably don’t have the same workflow habits as you guys.

I keep a ‘standard’ set of four windows open, one of them being my top-level window. I use Expose to jump between them, and am generally working in Vertical Split view. If I want to work with a group that isn’t open, I just jump to the top-level window, double-click that group to open it in a window, and so on. I use the Groups tool a lot, also.

When I’m reading or editing documents, I prefer Vertical Split simply because I like the maximum available vertical page height, so I rarely use Horizontal Split or Three-Pane views.

One of my ‘standard’ windows has over 3,000 files and groups in it. If I’ve selected a document in that view, there’s no blank spot to make it go away. That bugged me, until I discovered that I could clear that window by shifting to Three-Pane view and then back to Vertical Split view. So that’s my major use of the Three-Pane view. :slight_smile:

Yes, I know that there are some neat features of the Three-Pane view, but I only rarely use them.

No, I haven’t tried to influence Christian to keep my favorite feature of the Three-Pane view. If he changes its behavior as you wish, I can live with that. :smiley:

My vote is in favor of the selection NOT changing when views change, I too, have found this annoying and a time-waster.

Bill’s issue of not having a place to deselect an item because he has so many groups and docs is a very valid consideration. I think some other other solution should be found for this. Perhaps there should be a “Deselect” menu item and/or key combination, like in Photoshop. Or, some inconspicuous little “button” discreetly but logically located within the DT Browser window that would allow this, or a toolbar button…?

I wholeheartedly agree with both of your statements. The first would provide some much-needed consistency and the second is an issue that I imagine most of us have encountered.

ChemBob

I agree, especially since I made a similar request several months ago … filed under my “DT navigation/selection/focus nuisances”. :slight_smile:

If you hold down the option key and click on your selected item it deselects it. I still think losing the selection in the 3 pane view is a bug and very annoying. (My personal opinion)