Conference bulova::decw_jan-89_to_nov-90

2810.0. "Command-Key Equivalents" by SCATHA::FLANNERY () Thu May 24 1990 13:11

(I have cross-posted this in the: DECWINDOWS, DECWRITE, DW-Mail and
VAXNOTES_WISHLIST conferences, so nobody will tell me to do this later! :^)

As a user of DEC's products, it has struck me that there is an inconsistancy in
the way many applications behave, particularly when it comes to command-key
equivalents. I'm afraid I have only been able to document a sample of DEC's
applications but I am more interested in making a point (and hopefully
improving the usability of DEC's products) than in doing a thesis.

An example of the difficulty posed for the user is the "Save As..." command;
this can be either Alt/S, Alt/Shift/S, Do F S or nothing at all!

Why aren't the Copy/Cut/Paste command sets the same between all applications.

Why do I need four types of SAVE commands, three OPEN commands, Three print
commands?

Why CLOSE, QUIT and EXIT when one will do? The application should know when the
document has been changed and present you with a dialog box, to confirm your
intent.

There is no key labelled 'Alt' on my keyboard?

Why do the default general purpose mail and notes editors behave
differently? (I.e. No wordwrap in the Notes editor.)

Please see table below for more detail.

Note: I have setup the table for the two menubar items that appear in most
applications, FILE and EDIT. The star (*) in the table means that the command
is available in the application but there is no command-key equivalent. 

File Menu
---------
Command			Application Window  & Command-key Equivalent
Name                    ======= ========== =========== ======== ==== ======
                        Mail:   VAX Notes: Notepad:    DecWrite EVE  Paint
			Create  Edit       
                        ======= ========== =========== ======== ==== ======
Send			Crtl/Z
Enter Note		        Crtl/Z
Note Attributes			*
Distribution List	*
Save			                   Alt/S        Alt/S         Alt/S
Save File							 *    
Save As...              *       Alt/S      Alt/Shift/S  Do FS         *
Save File As...							 *
Doc Attributes					     	*
Extract...		*
Include...				   Alt/I
Include File...         *       *
Include Draft File...	*
Include Original	*
Use Existing File...	*       *
Cancel Enter
New...                                     Alt/N       Alt/N    *
Open                                                   Alt/O    *    Alt/O
Open...                                    Alt/O
Open Selected                              *                    *
Import/Export                                          *
Doc Attributes
Quick Print                                            Do FP
Print                                                                Alt/P
Print...                                               Alt/P         *
Reset			*
Revert					   *
Close Document                                         Alt/K
Close                   Alt/Q
Cancel Enter			Alt/Q
Quit                                       Alt/Q       Alt/Q    *    Alt/Q
Exit                                       Ctrl/Z      *        *
                        ======= ========== =========== ======== ==== ======


Edit Menu
---------
Command			Application Window
Name                    ============ ========== ========= ======== ==== ======
                        Mail:        VAX Notes: Notepad:  DecWrite EVE  Paint
			Create       Edit       
                        ============ ========== ========= ======== ==== ======
Undo						Alt/Z     Sh/Do         Alt/Z
Undo...						*
Restore								   *
Redo						Alt/Sh/Z  Ctrl/Do
Undo Clear			     Alt/Z
Cut			Remove       Alt/X      Alt/X     Remove   *    Alt/X
Copy                                 Alt/C      Alt/C     Alt/C    *    Alt/C
Copy to Clipboard	Shift/Remove
Paste			Insert Here  Alt/V      Alt/V     Insert   *    Alt/V
Clear				     *          *         Alt/Delete    *
Select All   		*            *          *                  *    *
Replace...							   *

> (I have cross-posted this in the: DECWINDOWS, DECWRITE, DW-Mail and
> VAXNOTES_WISHLIST conferences, so nobody will tell me to do this later! :^)

You would get your best response if you crossposted it in CLT::XUI

re .1

Damn, I knew somebody would have a better alternative!

OK, will do.

Thanks,
Karl.

Why would you want to change the tradition that every new editor has a
new command interface?

:-{

	paul

    re: .0
    
    You might also throw RAGS into the pile.  BTW, I think that often 
    Alt == Compose Character.
    
    Steve

    re: .4
    
    Yeah, but RAGS is in a league of its own when it comes to usability
    stakes! :^)
    
    Karl.