Number: 1800

Date: 10-Aug-84 15':29':28

Submitter: Sannella.PA

Source: KAPLAN.pa

Subject: Want easier interface to editting bitmap objects

Lisp Version: 

Description: '
From': KAPLAN.pa'
Date': 14-Jul-84 10':36':39 PDT'
Subject': bitmap objects'
To': teditsupport, burton'
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There seem to be a couple of problems with the bitmap objects.'
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First, it turns out that it is impossible (or nearly so) to select a bitmap object as a character to copy, move or delete it, unless you select characters on either side.'
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The reason is that as soon as you get the mouse close enough for Tedit to think you are pointing at the object, tedit also thinks you are pointing IN the object, and it calls the object''s editting function.'
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We might have to change this interface somewhat, so that it is clearer to Tedit whether the user is pointing at or in an object.  Maybe holding down some other key to indicate IN ?'
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Second, if you do point in the bitmap, you get a menu of various things you can do to the bitmap (rotate, invert, etc.)  It appears that nothing happens when you click those things, since the image on the screen doesn''t change.  However, if after having hit a couple of those operations with no visible effect, you then hit the edit object, you find that the image you are editting is the one that would have resulted if all those operations had applied.'
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My guess is that the operations ARE being performed, but that Tedit doesn''t realize that it needs to remeasure and redisplay an object upon return from a call on its mouse function.  '
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Finally, I wonder about the repesentation of bitmaps on Tedit files.  They seem to take an awful lot of space and take a long time to bring in.  I presume that this is using the standard readbitmap/writebitmap functions to produce a character repesentation.  If, however, it is legal for a Tedit object on a file to be in true binary format, we can get double the density and more than double the speed by dumping the bitmap in binary form.  The readbitmap/writebitmap functions are specialy designed so that there will be no confusion if the thing is read as an s-expression with FILERDTBL.  But maybe that isn''t necessary when Tedit reads it as an object--at least it probably shouldn''t be necessary.'
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--Ron'
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P.S.  Is the Tedit side of the insert interface getting done?'
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Date': 15 Jul 84 11':49 PDT'
From': Burton.pa'
Subject': Re': bitmap objects'
In-reply-to': KAPLAN.pa''s message of 14-Jul-84 10':36':39 PDT'
To': KAPLAN.pa'
cc': teditsupport.pa, burton.pa'
'
The interface to editting bitmap objects is indeed awful.  It was thrown together from existing stuff and never integrated.  Currently, selecting in a bitmap grabs control performing indicated operations until you select "quit" at which time it redraws.  I had planned to have it operate as follows':  selecting in a bitmap gets a menu of items similar to the current list.  If you select one, that operation is performed and the result redisplayed.  (This sounds like the behavior you were assuming.)  If you select outside the menu, the bitmap is selected like any character.  This latter gives you a way of selecting the bitmap as character without a special IN key (which I would like to avoid if possible).'
richard'
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From': KAPLAN.pa'
Date': 15-Jul-84 12':05':36 PDT'
Subject': Re': bitmap objects'
In-reply-to': Burton''s message of 15 Jul 84 11':49 PDT'
To': Burton'
cc': KAPLAN, teditsupport'
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But I think we should have a consistent way of distinguishing between pointing AT and pointing IN a Tedit object, even for objects that don''t do editting by a menu interface.  How about one-click for AT, 2 clicks for IN?'
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Requires some thought...'
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--Ron'
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Date': 16 Jul 84 18':51 PDT'
From': Burton.pa'
Subject': Re': bitmap objects'
In-reply-to': KAPLAN.pa''s message of 14-Jul-84 10':36':39 PDT'
To': KAPLAN.pa'
cc': teditsupport.pa, burton.pa'
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I fixed the interface to bitmap edit objects so that each click inside gives one edit operation.  I put a new version of IMAGEOBJ out onto {ERIS}<LISPCORE>LIBRARY>.'
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Even with this change it is hard to copy a bitmap from one place to another without selecting characters on one side first.'
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richard'
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Workaround: 

Test Case: 

Edit-By: 

Edit-Date: 

Attn: Burton, Sybalsky

Assigned To: 

In/By: 

Disposition: 

System: Windows and Graphics

Subsystem: Window System

Machine: 

Disk: 

Microcode Version: 

Memory Size: 

File Server: 

Server Software Version: 

Difficulty: 

Frequency: 

Impact: Annoying

Priority: Perhaps

Status: Open

Problem Type: Design - UI

Source Files: