Re: Patch for Delete key behavior (for dia-0.96.1)

[Lars Clausen <lars raeder dk>]

On Wed, 2007-09-26 at 20:07 +0530, Sameer Sahasrabuddhe wrote:
> On 9/26/07, Ondrej Mikle <ondrej mikle gmail com> wrote:
> > Maciej Jaros wrote:
> > > BTW I think that a nicer workaround would be to have a working Delete
> > > key for removing any objects unless some text is active. If some text is
> > > active (a cursor is visible) then use delete normally and Ctrl+Delete
> > > for removing objects.
> >
> > I could make such patch, it is not so hard; though lots of objects have
> > text in them, so most of the time you'd be using Ctrl+Del (since
> > clicking an object with text gives focus to the text immediately) and
> > Delete just a few times. Which is IMHO more confusing.
>
> Just to clue people in, the proposed solution is a actually a "text
> editing" mode, that over-rides all Dia key bindings, not just Delete.
> When you are editing the text in some object, the operation is "modal"
> ... which means nothing else works until you somehow signal the app
> that you have stopped editing the text.
>
> As an analogy, recall what happens when you are renaming a file in the
> file browser ... Explorer in windows, or Nautilus in Gnome. While you
> are editing the name of the file, how often do you really think about
> deleting that file or others altogether? All editor commands only
> affect the name of the file in that mode. Other actions start working
> only when you press escape or enter, or maybe click somewhere else,
> thus leaving the name editing mode.
>
> Lars is currently working on implementing that mode, and I am sure he
> will appreciate help in terms of patches if people are interested. Why
> spend time on workarounds when we could get the real fix in, instead!

Bravo!  Bravo!  You've summarized my plan eloquently.  This is why I was
asking for what the most reasonable way to enter a text mode would be -
unfortunately, no clear answer came up.  However, making the code that
switches between the two modes could be done even before that is sorted
out -- keyboard accelerator changes need to be about the same anyway.

For exiting text mode, I figure Esc or clicking on other parts of the
diagram.  Tab should go to the next object selected that has editable
text.  I probably should stop fighting the crappy group implementation
and look to text again.

-Lars