Bugzilla – Bug 2083
Labels Editor has confusing selection interface - can cause wrong labels to be deleted
Last modified: 2021-01-28 15:49:28 UTC
The Labels Editor has a confusing selection interface which can cause wrong labels to be deleted - as originally reported on the Forum: https://forum.audacityteam.org/viewtopic.php?f=46&t=104245&p=366613 There are two visual cues that might to the user indicate selection a) a black box around a field for that label in the table b) bluing of the label entries in the table It appears that only a) is the genuine selection - which then begs the question: just what is the point of the bluing? None whatsoever as far as I can see. Furthermore to the user it looks like multiple label sections can be made with Shift or Ctrl modified "selections" indicated by bluing. But one again it is not the bluing that is operated on but rater the dark boxing around the original selection. Thus the label editor can onlt delete one label at a time. Note also that the Manual states on this page: https://alphamanual.audacityteam.org/man/Labels_Editor it says >"Labels Editor lets you add or remove Label Tracks and edit their labels >entirely using the keyboard, so is particularly useful for visually >impaired users. " and … >"Use the Arrow keys on your keyboard to navigate easily left, right, up >or down between the table cells and rows." But navigating thus using the arrow keys will only navigate in the white part of the table, with no access to the first, gray, column which just dynamically is a (temporary) label enumerator. So I don't really see the point of that first gray column as it only causes selection confusion - and is not navigable bu visually impaired users.
Created attachment 807 [details] Edit Labels dialog sjowing "selection" confusion Note the bold rectangular box around label-2 and the blueing of labels 4, 4.5 and 5 So how is the user to readily infer which is actually the selection?
Fix in: https://github.com/audacity/audacity/commit/0fcf9ff
(In reply to Leland Lucius from comment #2) Testing on W10 with Audacity 3.0.0 0fcf9ff I think this is much better now, much clearer and good to go on Windows. Use Case-1 At Steps 5-6 there is no blue border, you cannot select by clicking in column 1 Use Case-2 You cannot make multiple selections. I also tried adding four labels, then deleting each one in turn with a separate call of Edit Labels. View History showed the 4 deletes and 4 uses of Ctrl+Z properly restore all four labels. The Manual will need updating for this changed, improved, behavior
(In reply to Leland Lucius from comment #2) Testing on macOS 11.1 Big Sur with Audacity 3.0.0 0fcf9ff Same good results as on Windows
Ah but now since I went to document (and also test tabbing for VI users) 1) I find that once I have tabbed into any of the buttons - then I can select whole rows (they get a gray background). 2) I can also make multiple row selections a) Ctrl modification works fine to select additional tows b) BUT Shift modified click in column-1 leaves any existing selection and selects all rows blow the shift-clicked row. Normally one expects Shift modified click to select all rows that are between the original selected row and the new Shift-clicked row. I am REOPENING this for these two residuals
(In reply to Peter Sampson from comment #5) > Ah but now since I went to document (and also test tabbing for VI users) > > 1) I find that once I have tabbed into any of the buttons - then I can > select whole rows (they get a gray background). > > 2) I can also make multiple row selections > a) Ctrl modification works fine to select additional tows > b) BUT Shift modified click in column-1 leaves any existing selection and > selects all rows blow the shift-clicked row. > > Normally one expects Shift modified click to select all rows that are > between the original selected row and the new Shift-clicked row. > I got lucky with the blue selection because the grid control allowed me to cheat and change those colors to match the normal unselected colors. This makes it appear to not be selecting, but in reality it still is, you just can't see it. Unfortunately, it doesn't have a way to do the same thing when cells are disabled (because one is already active) and it uses are "hard coded" color. Short of modifying the wxWidgets code, about the best we can do is remove the row number column. This would remove the ability to select rows. Let me know if you want to give it a try.
Created attachment 1061 [details] Cosmetic residual Testing on W10 and macOS 11.1 with Audacity 3.0.0 35e9afe This now appears to do "what it says on the tin" - i.e. corresponds to what is documented in the Manual: https://alphamanual.audacityteam.org/man/Labels_Editor Note that you cannot use Shift or Ctrl modified selection to select muti-rows for deletion - but the Manual does not say that this can be done - nor has it ever done so AFAICT from looking at the page's history. So I am quite happy that this cannot be done. 1) There is a cosmetic residual: The dialog offers two ways to select a cell for editing (or row for action) a) double-click in the cell b) use F2 when focus is on the cell These two methods give different visible result: a) just the cell and its contents are highlighted for focused action b) the cell and its contents are highlighted for focused action - plus the rest of the row contents acquire a gray background (see attachment) The graphical display as in b) when using F" is perhaps the better display as i) it indicates which cell in the row is active/focused for cell editing ii) also indicates that the rest of the row is focused for button actions Delete and Insert. 2) Leland asked in Comment #6 >Short of modifying the wxWidgets code, about the best we can do is >remove the row number column. This would remove the ability to select rows. AFAICT the row numbers do nothing, you can't click in them or Tab to them to change selection/focus - they look to be just ornamental, ad in fact they take up valuable screen real-estate for no functional value. I would therefore suggest removing them (this would give us more room in the dialog window for active/actionable data) - it's always bothered me that the user can have frequency selections but these are hidden at the default dialog window size. I plan to raise a new bug for this, as "hidden" frequency selections can be dangerous. Accordingly I am going to mark this bug REOPENED for these two residuals.
(In reply to Peter Sampson from comment #7) >I plan to raise a new bug for this, as "hidden" frequency selections >can be dangerous. Done: See P3 Bug #2646 >Edit Labels dialog at default size "hides" the Frequency data
Fix in: https://github.com/audacity/audacity/commit/e5bb95d I believe this addresses the final residuals.
(In reply to Leland Lucius from comment #9) Testing on W10 with Audacity 3.0.0 e5bb95d Looking good (and consistent) to me on Windows. I'll be needing to updated the Manual.
(In reply to Leland Lucius from comment #9) Testing on macOS 11.1 Big Sur with Audacity 3.0.0 e5bb95d Looking good (and consistent) to me on Windows. Looks much better without the defunct row number column.
Examining the Commit log for this fix shows clearly that the fix is not platform-specific https://github.com/audacity/audacity/commit/e5bb95d6f29d9bfee1fa0b90e10bdc9ae81f853f So as this tests OK on both Win and Mac I shall close this as Fixed -------------------------------------------------- Note that the 3.0.0 Manual has been updated for these changes
