Bookview tables: "Add row below"

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ErikJon
Posts: 431
Joined: Thu Nov 08, 2012 11:24 pm

Bookview tables: "Add row below"

Post by ErikJon »

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When working in tables, whenever I want to add rows in a table, I find the context menu item "insert row below" but not "insert rows below" It is very misleading.

If I am in the middle of the table, I get the option of adding only one additional row below (although I sometimes want five, and have to repeat the process four times), but if I am in the last row the same option produces a surprise secret dialog box that allows me to add as many rows as I want, with one click.

I think the user needs to be advised of that hidden process somehow.
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Last edited by ErikJon on Sun Dec 27, 2015 10:48 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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I'm an Independent Baptist running TheWord portable v 5.0.0.1481 from an external 500GB hard drive with over 1,900 modules installed and loaded in my current module set. I'm using 32-bit Vista Ultimate SP1 with a 2.7gHz processor and 4GB RAM.
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JG
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Re: Bookview tables: "Add row below"

Post by JG »

For adding more than one row it appears that the action will only produce a dialog (optional setting by dev) at the bottom or top rows by design of the third-party control library, that theWord uses.

Quote, from compiled demo library program.

Tables
TrvActionInsertTable has all major properties of a table. These properties will be assigned to the inserted tables. It also has RowCount and ColCount properties (default values for the table insertion dialog).
This action has OnInserting event that occurs immediately before insertion of table into the editor.
This action can be used in two ways. First, it can be simply executed and show table insertion dialog. Second, it has the method ShowTableSizeDialog(Target: TCustomRichViewEdit; Button: TControl). Target is an editor to insert table, Button is an optional parameter for displaying non-modal dialog allowing to choose table size.
When adding rows to the bottom of table, TrvActionTableInsertRowsBelow asks for a number of rows to add. Set AllowMultiple property to False, if you want to always add one row.
Jon
the
Word 6 Bible Software
OS for testing; Windows 10
Beta Download ------Beta Setup Guide------On-line Manual------Tech doc's and Utilities------Copyright Factsheet
ErikJon
Posts: 431
Joined: Thu Nov 08, 2012 11:24 pm

Re: Bookview tables: "Add row below"

Post by ErikJon »

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Wow. Very interesting. One never knows who all is involved behind the scenes, then.

Well, I had spent twenty minutes searching the help file and experimenting with unknown items in the context menu, trying to find out how to add multiple rows from the center of a table. I knew that I had seen the option once before, and yet I could not find it anywhere--not even in the same dialog box that I had invoked from the same menu item!

Now, you must admit, when the user uses the same menu item in the nearly-same situation, and yet he gets a slightly-different dialog box, this promotes confusion (the fault of the third-party control library). Although, if it were through a series of actions one might catch on, that it was because his cursor was not in the last row during one of his movements. But when the user does not use the table feature but once a week or so, and suddenly discovers that he is no longer offered the option of adding multiple rows, he would think that he was going crazy or losing his memory. (As I did)

Consequently, I suggest the work-around, if possible, for the benefit of users who do not have the time and mental resources to figure it out, of simply adding a little warning somehow--at least in the help file, or possibly with tiny text below the "Insert row below" menu item, that would say, "To add multiple rows, insert cursor in last row first".
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I'm an Independent Baptist running TheWord portable v 5.0.0.1481 from an external 500GB hard drive with over 1,900 modules installed and loaded in my current module set. I'm using 32-bit Vista Ultimate SP1 with a 2.7gHz processor and 4GB RAM.
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JG
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Re: Bookview tables: "Add row below"

Post by JG »

Will have to wait for Costas to comment. I think we should bring the menu items optionally to a top menu. This would allow for quite simple addition/deletion of rows. Then the multiple row addition could be turned off to give one standard behaviour. This is just my talk, as Costas is the one that has great restrictions on his time. So that time has to be used wisely, and it might not be for this purpose.

I know that Open office and Word have their own way. Oo will always present a dialog asking how many rows to add. Word always adds just one row, except if you know the trick to select for example 3 cells downwards and then add row below.. will add three new rows!!
Jon
the
Word 6 Bible Software
OS for testing; Windows 10
Beta Download ------Beta Setup Guide------On-line Manual------Tech doc's and Utilities------Copyright Factsheet
ErikJon
Posts: 431
Joined: Thu Nov 08, 2012 11:24 pm

Re: Bookview tables: "Add row below"

Post by ErikJon »

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Very interesting. Thanks!
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I'm an Independent Baptist running TheWord portable v 5.0.0.1481 from an external 500GB hard drive with over 1,900 modules installed and loaded in my current module set. I'm using 32-bit Vista Ultimate SP1 with a 2.7gHz processor and 4GB RAM.
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csterg
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Re: Bookview tables: "Add row below"

Post by csterg »

Very interesting, to be honest i didn't know that myself.
Obviously, the library author tried to implement a 'most common case' scenario, assuming that when in a middle row, users usually need to add a single row, but when in the last row, users usually add multiple rows.
I will leave it as is, trusting his insight :)
Costas
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