UI Issues

Colin Scott gnucash at double-bars.net
Sun Jan 15 14:22:00 EST 2012


There are any number of annoyances with the UK in Windows (I use the PortableApps version of Gnucash, which is 2.4.6), running under XP-Pro.  I don't have any other installations I can compare them with, so I would be grateful for any information on whether

        a) they occur in other OSs, or only in Windows
        b) they have been fixed in the latest release
        c) (if not yes to b) there are plans to fix them.
        
There are so many of these it is hard to give a complete list, but here is a random list of things I can immediately recall:

1.  (With default preference "Enter moves to blank transaction") Enter key puts the cursor on the number field of the first transaction split.  It should be put on the number field for the transaction.

2.  After entering the Txn Number and Description, if the user accidentally presses the enter key, the transaction disappears, and the cursor is put on the blank transaction, as above.  The entered data can only be returned by re-entry (though autofill can help!)

It should not be possible for entered data simply to disappear:  the enter should *not* move the cursor to the blank Txn unless either the current Txn has sufficient data for the Txn to be recorded - ie, must have sufficient data to make one split (even if only for the orphan a/c!) or the user has confirmed that data may be lost.

2.  Frequently, the behaviour described in 2 above occurs when tabbing off the Txn header (though it never recurs once the the header info has been re-entered).

3.  Double-clicking on a text field toggles a highlight on the full text.  In Windows, the user expects that clicks made at double-click speed to cycle through the following:
        a) position the cursor at the mouse-cursor
        b) highlight the word at the cursor position
        c) highlight the full field

4.  Clicking on a field will put the cursor at the mouse-cursor position, but will, apparently randomly, sometimes also highlight a single character adjacent to that position.

5.  If whilst entering data the user switches to another page and back again, the entry cursor is still visible where it should be, but it is not "live", and to be able to enter data it is necessary to click at the cursor point.  The entry cursor should onby be visible when it is live.  If it was live when leaving the page then (IMHO!) it *should* be live on return unless data has been entered on another page (or, possibly, the cursor has been positioned on another page by clicking on a field).

I am pretty sure there are other issues relating to cursors, highlights, etc.  Unfortunately I don't remember them offhand, although I am reminded of them every time I start using gnucash in anger.  I may add some more to this list in the next few days ... !

Colin


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