The new povwin editor really is great. And, as everything,
as always, as everywhere, it can get even better. For me,
it should involve solving these bugs, including these
suggestions:

BUGS
* intellimouse support? what intellimouse support?
* state flashs in info bar
* 'open' button disabled on unmodified file... but
  not the menu command
* ctrl+] match brace shorcut can't work on an belgian
  azerty keyboard (you have to press ctrl+alt+$ to get
  a ], so you can't add a ctrl over this), and I can't
  change the shortcut
* shift+click doesn't select
* open and save dialogs sometimes give focus to other
  applications on closing
* the end of a render sometimes takes focus from an other
  application (particulary the help)
* = isn't highlighted (either as an assignement or as a
  logical operator)
* copy on no selection does copy an empty string (logical
  but not usual)
* Render/Edit setting/render (alt C) does render the previously
  saved file, bypass the save dialog and the quit-bugging-me.

SUGGESTIONS
* return of the 'open in' command
* 'save' and 'save as' in the context menu
* ability to select and copy text in message window
* many 'strange' shorcuts if you have such standards
  as MS Office, Adobe products or Macintosh's command
  shortcuts:
  redo - ctrl+y
  close - ctrl+w
  print - ctrl+p
  replace - ctrl+h (ctrl+shift+F3 ???)
  Is it so difficult to get all shorcuts customisable?
* toolbars are a bit too big. I would redesign them this
  way if I could: move two help buttons to the 'main'
  toolbar, remove theCD's and web sites buttons (but keep the
  corresponding commands in the Help menu) and remove the
  pretty but totally useless render animation.
* does anybody use the 'overwrite' mode? What is it usefull
  for? If nobody use this, I would gladly see it desappear,
  as I am always confused whenever I turn it on - always
  by accident.
* move 'older files' at the end of the file list
* regroup the 'editor' menu with the 'options' menu
* still no command line editor
* a better and clearer structure for the help



Here are two last suggestion that I know are in conflict
with actual pov team orientation. (I know because I am not
the first to post about them). But I do not understand the
pov team position, as all they said was something like 'no,
we won't'. I do not say that there isn't a good reason, I
just ask what are the practical, design or programing
reason for an answer I do not understand. Maybe I am
missing the point? (Hey, saying 'no, we have enough work as
it is' is a very good reason... an excellent one. And an
unarguable one.)

(1) Why can't the 'quit bugging me' feature be kept from
session to session?

(2) The editor behaviour which permits to select where
there aren't any character is really great. But a normal
text editor behaviour (like the last one) is more
convenient most of the time (I kinda checked this, I
watched myself working). This means: snap to the end of
line clicked in 'vacuum', left and right arrows can jump
to the previous or next line, don't add space at the end
of lines when inserting a carriage return in the 'vacuum'.
The 'select anywhere' feature could be used with
ctrl+click, like the collumn selection (this would be
coherent). Or you could toggle edit modes.

As always, all these suggestions reflect an user approach,
not a programmer's one.


By the way, did you try these wonderfull features or the
new editor?

* tab or shif-tab (= 'back-tab') a selection
* collumn selection (ctrl+drag)
* cut, copy and paste of collumns selection
* click'n'drag a selection


And let all say a big 'THANK YOU POV-TEAM' for their
thruly remarquable work.


Sincerely,


Philippe


P.S. I wrote earlier that I'll give the new pov editor
some time before asking anything... well, I did: I worked
two full days with it since (but as I do not have network
access on my computer I have to wait before posting, that
explains the missing day).

Post a reply to this message