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Re-ordering Batch Convert Actions

Posted: Wed Apr 03, 2019 4:11 pm
by musiq021
Trying to re-order the actions in the Batch Convert feature is an extremely trying experience.

First, I'm constantly accidentally re-ordering any time I'm trying to adjust a slider and am off by 1px.
Re-ordering should be a very deliberate action. Perhaps make a special grab handle in the header, or make ONLY the header rectangle grabbable.

Re-ordering is unpredictable. When I am actually trying to re-order, I have no idea where the action is going to go, half the time is doesn't move at all, the other half the time it jumps to a completely random location in the list. Maybe add a couple of Up/Down arrows in the header instead of the glitchy drag and drop method?

I am on a Mac running the latest version of MP

Re: Re-ordering Batch Convert Actions

Posted: Wed Apr 03, 2019 6:02 pm
by cday
musiq021 wrote: Wed Apr 03, 2019 4:11 pm Trying to re-order the actions in the Batch Convert feature is an extremely trying experience.

First, I'm constantly accidentally re-ordering any time I'm trying to adjust a slider and am off by 1px.
Re-ordering should be a very deliberate action. Perhaps make a special grab handle in the header, or make ONLY the header rectangle grabbable.

Re-ordering is unpredictable. When I am actually trying to re-order, I have no idea where the action is going to go, half the time is doesn't move at all, the other half the time it jumps to a completely random location in the list. Maybe add a couple of Up/Down arrows in the header instead of the glitchy drag and drop method?

I am on a Mac running the latest version of MP

I haven't had much need to reorder actions, but looking at it now on Windows and Linux I don't have a problem...

You are grabbing the title bar of the action to be moved, and then dragging it up or down, are you?

I see that it is also possible to 'minimise' an action to just the title bar using the arrow at the left of the bar, which might be useful particularly if you have a large number of actions...

Re: Re-ordering Batch Convert Actions

Posted: Tue Apr 09, 2019 2:45 pm
by musiq021
Hopefully this video will help to illustrate what I'm talking about : https://drive.google.com/open?id=1Eu__e ... 29ergqdk2A

When attempting to drag a slider, my mouse is a roughly a pixel off, it triggers the "Re-Order Action" command, and then as soon as I let go of the mouse, it moves the action somewhere randomly towards the top of the list.

So then I start scrolling to the top of the list to find it. Before I get to the top, it stops scrolling and starts adjusting a value in one of the actions without me intentionally calling focus to that input box.

So I move the mouse over, scroll up and find the action, and try to re-order it.

Not only does it not actually re-order at half of my attempts, but it gives you no indication where it wants you to move it to get it before or after a specific action.

I think the best solution would be:
- Stop allowing a click and drag ANYWHERE in the pane to trigger a Re-Order action, it's not handy, only infuriating.
- Add Up / Down arrows for re-ordering. Leaving also the option to click and drag from the header bar if you like.
- Get rid of scrolling to adjust input values unless the user changes focus to the input box.

Re: Re-ordering Batch Convert Actions

Posted: Tue Apr 09, 2019 5:28 pm
by cday
musiq021 wrote: Tue Apr 09, 2019 2:45 pm Hopefully this video will help to illustrate what I'm talking about : https://drive.google.com/open?id=1Eu__e ... 29ergqdk2A
I found the video too fast to follow with the dark theme, but I understand now after looking more closely at the XnConvert Actions tab: any part of an action can be dragged although possibly not consistently in a quick look... :D

When attempting to drag a slider, my mouse is a roughly a pixel off, it triggers the "Re-Order Action" command, and then as soon as I let go of the mouse, it moves the action somewhere randomly towards the top of the list.

So then I start scrolling to the top of the list to find it. Before I get to the top, it stops scrolling and starts adjusting a value in one of the actions without me intentionally calling focus to that input box.

So I move the mouse over, scroll up and find the action, and try to re-order it.

Not only does it not actually re-order at half of my attempts, but it gives you no indication where it wants you to move it to get it before or after a specific action.
Are you using an unusually small screen, I haven't had any problem on a laptop or monitor?

I think the best solution would be:
- Stop allowing a click and drag ANYWHERE in the pane to trigger a Re-Order action, it's not handy, only infuriating.
+1 I don't see the need for that when the title bar can be dragged, with the action minimised if desired... :wink:

- Add Up / Down arrows for re-ordering. Leaving also the option to click and drag from the header bar if you like.
Do you think those are needed if only the title bar can be dragged?

- Get rid of scrolling to adjust input values unless the user changes focus to the input box.
Is that needed if only the title bar can be dragged?

Re: Re-ordering Batch Convert Actions

Posted: Sun Apr 14, 2019 7:36 pm
by musiq021
I found the video too fast to follow with the dark theme, but I understand now after looking more closely at the XnConvert Actions tab: any part of an action can be dragged although possibly not consistently in a quick look... :D
Are you using an unusually small screen, I haven't had any problem on a laptop or monitor?

No, it's 34" 4k monitor.
- Add Up / Down arrows for re-ordering. Leaving also the option to click and drag from the header bar if you like.

Do you think those are needed if only the title bar can be dragged?
Yes, absolutely, because my current experience with the drag drop interface is that letting it go in a specific position is no guarantee that it will actually go where you are dropping it. If that continues to be buggy for some people, a button is a fail proof, deliberate means of making a non-ambiguous, discrete change.
- Get rid of scrolling to adjust input values unless the user changes focus to the input box.

Is that needed if only the title bar can be dragged?
This gripe isn't about re-ordering / the title bar, it's about using your scrollbar to navigate through the actions list, when suddenly the scrolling stops because you are scrolling past a numerical input box and the value of the input box is now being adjusted.

I believe one should be able to scroll the list without having to worry about suddenly inadvertently modifying the values of an action and screwing up your settings. Using the scroll wheel within that pane should always only result in scrolling. I can't see how that would even be a handy means of adjusting values, it truly only serves to infuriate someone navigating a complex action set.

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Re: Re-ordering Batch Convert Actions

Posted: Mon Apr 15, 2019 1:54 pm
by xnview
musiq021 wrote: Tue Apr 09, 2019 2:45 pm I think the best solution would be:
- Stop allowing a click and drag ANYWHERE in the pane to trigger a Re-Order action, it's not handy, only infuriating.
- Add Up / Down arrows for re-ordering. Leaving also the option to click and drag from the header bar if you like.
- Get rid of scrolling to adjust input values unless the user changes focus to the input box.
:bugconfirmed: Thanks to your detailed description I can reproduce

Re: Re-ordering Batch Convert Actions

Posted: Mon Apr 15, 2019 2:05 pm
by musiq021
xnview wrote: Mon Apr 15, 2019 1:54 pm
musiq021 wrote: Tue Apr 09, 2019 2:45 pm I think the best solution would be:
- Stop allowing a click and drag ANYWHERE in the pane to trigger a Re-Order action, it's not handy, only infuriating.
- Add Up / Down arrows for re-ordering. Leaving also the option to click and drag from the header bar if you like.
- Get rid of scrolling to adjust input values unless the user changes focus to the input box.
:bugconfirmed: Thanks to your detailed description I can reproduce
Thanks for taking a look at this! I spend most of my XNView time in the Batch Processing tool. I'm rarely motivated enough by software quirks to create an account and craft a post but this one had really been bugging me. It's worth noting that I am on the whole, very grateful for your software and continue to be impressed by your efforts.

Re: Re-ordering Batch Convert Actions

Posted: Wed Jul 17, 2019 12:19 pm
by xnview
See issue for current status and some details. I'll post here once the problem has been fixed.

Re: Re-ordering Batch Convert Actions

Posted: Tue Sep 17, 2019 10:24 am
by xnview
This problem is supposed to be fixed in XnView MP 0.94. Please check and confirm the bug fix here.