Thread: [Audacity-quality] "Context Key"?
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From: Vaughan J. <va...@au...> - 2012-07-25 00:14:54
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What is a "Context Key"? It's not standard terminology to my knowledge (plus web search), but it's in the over-long tooltip for TimeTextCtrl ("Use right mouse button or context key to change format") and the manual. Tool tips are usually a name or short description of what the control does, not instructions. I came across this looking into bug 436, as James won't be able to get to it in time. I've updated that Bugzilla entry. - V |
From: Steve t. F. <ste...@gm...> - 2012-07-25 00:39:22
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On 25 July 2012 01:19, Vaughan Johnson <va...@au...> wrote: > What is a "Context Key"? It's not standard terminology to my knowledge > (plus web search), but it's in the over-long tooltip for TimeTextCtrl > ("Use right mouse button or context key to change format") and the manual. I presume that it's this: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Context_menu > > Tool tips are usually a name or short description of what the control > does, not instructions. Another very long Tool tip is: "Cannot control input volume; use system mixer." Steve > > I came across this looking into bug 436, as James won't be able to get > to it in time. I've updated that Bugzilla entry. > > - V > |
From: Vaughan J. <va...@au...> - 2012-07-25 02:15:41
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On 7/24/2012 5:39 PM, Steve the Fiddle wrote: > On 25 July 2012 01:19, Vaughan Johnson <va...@au...> wrote: >> What is a "Context Key"? It's not standard terminology to my knowledge >> (plus web search), but it's in the over-long tooltip for TimeTextCtrl >> ("Use right mouse button or context key to change format") and the manual. > > I presume that it's this: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Context_menu But "Context Key" appears nowhere there. It's not a common term, afaik. The closest term there is "Mouse keys in Universal Access" for Mac OS only, but there's no "Context Key". > > >> >> Tool tips are usually a name or short description of what the control >> does, not instructions. > > Another very long Tool tip is: > "Cannot control input volume; use system mixer." Where does that occur? What's a good fix for it? Thanks, Vaughan |
From: Steve t. F. <ste...@gm...> - 2012-07-25 03:32:47
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Cc: to audacity-manual@ On 25 July 2012 03:20, Vaughan Johnson <va...@au...> wrote: > On 7/24/2012 5:39 PM, Steve the Fiddle wrote: >> On 25 July 2012 01:19, Vaughan Johnson <va...@au...> wrote: >>> What is a "Context Key"? It's not standard terminology to my knowledge >>> (plus web search), but it's in the over-long tooltip for TimeTextCtrl >>> ("Use right mouse button or context key to change format") and the manual. >> >> I presume that it's this: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Context_menu > > But "Context Key" appears nowhere there. It's not a common term, afaik. > > The closest term there is "Mouse keys in Universal Access" for Mac OS > only, but there's no "Context Key". I don't think it's very common - certainly not on Windows or Linux. It 'may' be useful for the Tool tip to indicate that right click may be used to change the format, (but the TimeTextCtrl has the same little black arrow as used elsewhere). I don't think that it is necessary or desirable to mention "Context Key". I think this reference in the manual is confusing as there is no "Context Key" on my computer as far as I'm aware: "To change the selection format to finer resolutions such as a frame format or audio samples, click the triangle in any of the three boxes to right of Snap To, right-click over them or select any box and use the Context Menu key." http://manual.audacityteam.org/manual/help/manual/man/selection_toolbar.html > > >> >> >>> >>> Tool tips are usually a name or short description of what the control >>> does, not instructions. >> >> Another very long Tool tip is: >> "Cannot control input volume; use system mixer." > > Where does that occur? What's a good fix for it? It's the tool tip over the Mixer Toolbar input slider if Audacity does not have control of the sound device's input level. This message is probably useful as there is no other indication of why the slider is unavailable or what a user should do about it. It could possibly be shortened to something like: "Unavailable: Use System Mixer" though the current wording does also provide the name of the control. Steve > > Thanks, > Vaughan > > > > ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ > Live Security Virtual Conference > Exclusive live event will cover all the ways today's security and > threat landscape has changed and how IT managers can respond. Discussions > will include endpoint security, mobile security and the latest in malware > threats. http://www.accelacomm.com/jaw/sfrnl04242012/114/50122263/ > _______________________________________________ > Audacity-quality mailing list > Aud...@li... > https://lists.sourceforge.net/lists/listinfo/audacity-quality |
From: Bill W. <bi...@go...> - 2012-07-25 05:18:25
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On 24/07/2012, at 11:32 PM, Steve the Fiddle wrote: > Cc: to audacity-manual@ > > On 25 July 2012 03:20, Vaughan Johnson <va...@au...> wrote: >> On 7/24/2012 5:39 PM, Steve the Fiddle wrote: >>> On 25 July 2012 01:19, Vaughan Johnson <va...@au...> wrote: >>>> What is a "Context Key"? It's not standard terminology to my knowledge >>>> (plus web search), but it's in the over-long tooltip for TimeTextCtrl >>>> ("Use right mouse button or context key to change format") and the manual. >>> >>> I presume that it's this: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Context_menu >> >> But "Context Key" appears nowhere there. It's not a common term, afaik. >> >> The closest term there is "Mouse keys in Universal Access" for Mac OS >> only, but there's no "Context Key". > > I don't think it's very common - certainly not on Windows or Linux. > > It 'may' be useful for the Tool tip to indicate that right click may > be used to change the format, (but the TimeTextCtrl has the same > little black arrow as used elsewhere). I don't think that it is > necessary or desirable to mention "Context Key". I'd surmise that "context key" was a reference to the fact that Mac users with a one-button mouse can use the control key plus left-click (equivalent to right-click) to access a "context menu". However, in the "context" of the quote below and the tooltip above, it makes no sense. How about "Right-click to change format" for the tootip? > > > I think this reference in the manual is confusing as there is no > "Context Key" on my computer as far as I'm aware: > "To change the selection format to finer resolutions such as a frame > format or audio samples, click the triangle in any of the three boxes > to right of Snap To, right-click over them or select any box and use > the Context Menu key." > http://manual.audacityteam.org/manual/help/manual/man/selection_toolbar.html Yes, get rid of the "context key" reference. -- Bill > > >> >> >>> >>> >>>> >>>> Tool tips are usually a name or short description of what the control >>>> does, not instructions. >>> >>> Another very long Tool tip is: >>> "Cannot control input volume; use system mixer." >> >> Where does that occur? What's a good fix for it? > > It's the tool tip over the Mixer Toolbar input slider if Audacity does > not have control of the sound device's input level. > This message is probably useful as there is no other indication of why > the slider is unavailable or what a user should do about it. > It could possibly be shortened to something like: > "Unavailable: Use System Mixer" > though the current wording does also provide the name of the control. > > Steve > > >> >> Thanks, >> Vaughan >> >> >> >> ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ >> Live Security Virtual Conference >> Exclusive live event will cover all the ways today's security and >> threat landscape has changed and how IT managers can respond. Discussions >> will include endpoint security, mobile security and the latest in malware >> threats. http://www.accelacomm.com/jaw/sfrnl04242012/114/50122263/ >> _______________________________________________ >> Audacity-quality mailing list >> Aud...@li... >> https://lists.sourceforge.net/lists/listinfo/audacity-quality > > ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ > Live Security Virtual Conference > Exclusive live event will cover all the ways today's security and > threat landscape has changed and how IT managers can respond. Discussions > will include endpoint security, mobile security and the latest in malware > threats. http://www.accelacomm.com/jaw/sfrnl04242012/114/50122263/ > _______________________________________________ > Audacity-quality mailing list > Aud...@li... > https://lists.sourceforge.net/lists/listinfo/audacity-quality |
From: Vaughan J. <va...@au...> - 2012-07-25 18:45:53
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On 7/24/2012 9:45 PM, Bill Wharrie wrote: > > On 24/07/2012, at 11:32 PM, Steve the Fiddle wrote: > >> Cc: to audacity-manual@ >> >> On 25 July 2012 03:20, Vaughan Johnson <va...@au...> wrote: >>> On 7/24/2012 5:39 PM, Steve the Fiddle wrote: >>>> On 25 July 2012 01:19, Vaughan Johnson <va...@au...> wrote: >>>>> What is a "Context Key"? It's not standard terminology to my knowledge >>>>> (plus web search), but it's in the over-long tooltip for TimeTextCtrl >>>>> ("Use right mouse button or context key to change format") and the manual. >>>> >>>> I presume that it's this: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Context_menu >>> >>> But "Context Key" appears nowhere there. It's not a common term, afaik. >>> >>> The closest term there is "Mouse keys in Universal Access" for Mac OS >>> only, but there's no "Context Key". >> >> I don't think it's very common - certainly not on Windows or Linux. >> >> It 'may' be useful for the Tool tip to indicate that right click may >> be used to change the format, (but the TimeTextCtrl has the same >> little black arrow as used elsewhere). I don't think that it is >> necessary or desirable to mention "Context Key". > > I'd surmise that "context key" was a reference to the fact that Mac users with a one-button mouse can use the control key plus left-click (equivalent to right-click) to access a "context menu". However, in the "context" of the quote below and the tooltip above, it makes no sense. > > How about "Right-click to change format" for the tootip? As per my reply to Steve, "right-click" is only one way to access the context menu, but I think it should be description, not instruction, anyway. - V |
From: David B. <drb...@go...> - 2012-07-25 10:54:58
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On Wed, Jul 25, 2012 at 4:32 AM, Steve the Fiddle <ste...@gm...> wrote: > Cc: to audacity-manual@ > > On 25 July 2012 03:20, Vaughan Johnson <va...@au...> wrote: >> On 7/24/2012 5:39 PM, Steve the Fiddle wrote: > > > I think this reference in the manual is confusing as there is no > "Context Key" on my computer as far as I'm aware: > "To change the selection format to finer resolutions such as a frame > format or audio samples, click the triangle in any of the three boxes > to right of Snap To, right-click over them or select any box and use > the Context Menu key." > http://manual.audacityteam.org/manual/help/manual/man/selection_toolbar.html maybe " right-click over them or select any box and use the Context Menu key" could be replaced by: "open a box's context menu either by right clicking or using the keyboard". As the wiki article which someone has already mentioned, the keystroke for opening a context menu varies from pc to mac. Indeed on a mac it varies depending on whether you're running the VoiceOver screen reader. David. |
From: Vaughan J. <va...@au...> - 2012-07-25 18:48:03
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On 7/25/2012 3:54 AM, David Bailes wrote: > On Wed, Jul 25, 2012 at 4:32 AM, Steve the Fiddle > <ste...@gm...> wrote: >> Cc: to audacity-manual@ >> >> On 25 July 2012 03:20, Vaughan Johnson <va...@au...> wrote: >>> On 7/24/2012 5:39 PM, Steve the Fiddle wrote: > >> >> >> I think this reference in the manual is confusing as there is no >> "Context Key" on my computer as far as I'm aware: >> "To change the selection format to finer resolutions such as a frame >> format or audio samples, click the triangle in any of the three boxes >> to right of Snap To, right-click over them or select any box and use >> the Context Menu key." >> http://manual.audacityteam.org/manual/help/manual/man/selection_toolbar.html > > maybe " right-click over them or select any box and use the Context > Menu key" could be replaced by: > > "open a box's context menu either by right clicking or using the keyboard". > As the wiki article which someone has already mentioned, the keystroke > for opening a context menu varies from pc to mac. Indeed on a mac it > varies depending on whether you're running the VoiceOver screen > reader. Right. And the user should know how to access a context menu on the platform they're using -- not our job to educate them about basics of using a computer. We shouldn't need to enumerate all the possible ways every time we refer to a context menu, just say something like "bring up the Context Menu". - V |
From: Vaughan J. <va...@au...> - 2012-07-25 18:44:19
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On 7/24/2012 8:32 PM, Steve the Fiddle wrote: > Cc: to audacity-manual@ > > On 25 July 2012 03:20, Vaughan Johnson <va...@au...> wrote: >> On 7/24/2012 5:39 PM, Steve the Fiddle wrote: >>> On 25 July 2012 01:19, Vaughan Johnson <va...@au...> wrote: >>>> What is a "Context Key"? It's not standard terminology to my knowledge >>>> (plus web search), but it's in the over-long tooltip for TimeTextCtrl >>>> ("Use right mouse button or context key to change format") and the manual. Notice also that in this discussion, we say "right click". "Use right mouse button" is too wordy, non-standard , and "use" doesn't even necessarily mean "click". :-) >>> >>> I presume that it's this: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Context_menu >> >> But "Context Key" appears nowhere there. It's not a common term, afaik. >> >> The closest term there is "Mouse keys in Universal Access" for Mac OS >> only, but there's no "Context Key". > > I don't think it's very common - certainly not on Windows or Linux. Right, so it needs fixing. And I agree the intention was "access the Context Menu". > > It 'may' be useful for the Tool tip to indicate that right click may > be used to change the format, (but the TimeTextCtrl has the same > little black arrow as used elsewhere). I don't think that it is > necessary or desirable to mention "Context Key". The key point is that there are multiple ways to access Context Menus on each platform, and they vary between platforms. "Right-click" is plain wrong on Mac. And on Windows it's redundant to say "Use right mouse button or context key" because it's enumerating only some of the ways to access the menu. If anything, it should just say "Use Context Menu to change Sample Format". But again, I think it should be description, not instructions. > > > I think this reference in the manual is confusing as there is no > "Context Key" on my computer as far as I'm aware: > "To change the selection format to finer resolutions such as a frame > format or audio samples, click the triangle in any of the three boxes > to right of Snap To, right-click over them or select any box and use > the Context Menu key." > http://manual.audacityteam.org/manual/help/manual/man/selection_toolbar.html > I agree. And "right-click over" is not idiomatic -- should be "right-click on" -- but that's platform-specific, another problem. > >> >> >>> >>> >>>> >>>> Tool tips are usually a name or short description of what the control >>>> does, not instructions. >>> >>> Another very long Tool tip is: >>> "Cannot control input volume; use system mixer." >> >> Where does that occur? What's a good fix for it? > > It's the tool tip over the Mixer Toolbar input slider if Audacity does > not have control of the sound device's input level. > This message is probably useful as there is no other indication of why > the slider is unavailable or what a user should do about it. > It could possibly be shortened to something like: > "Unavailable: Use System Mixer" > though the current wording does also provide the name of the control. +1. - V |
From: Vaughan J. <va...@au...> - 2012-07-25 19:00:13
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On 7/25/2012 11:48 AM, Vaughan Johnson wrote: > On 7/24/2012 8:32 PM, Steve the Fiddle wrote: >> Cc: to audacity-manual@ >> >> On 25 July 2012 03:20, Vaughan Johnson <va...@au...> wrote: >>> On 7/24/2012 5:39 PM, Steve the Fiddle wrote: >>>> On 25 July 2012 01:19, Vaughan Johnson <va...@au...> wrote: >>>>> What is a "Context Key"? It's not standard terminology to my knowledge >>>>> (plus web search), but it's in the over-long tooltip for TimeTextCtrl >>>>> ("Use right mouse button or context key to change format") and the manual. > > Notice also that in this discussion, we say "right click". "Use right > mouse button" is too wordy, non-standard , and "use" doesn't even > necessarily mean "click". :-) > > >>>> >>>> I presume that it's this: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Context_menu >>> >>> But "Context Key" appears nowhere there. It's not a common term, afaik. >>> >>> The closest term there is "Mouse keys in Universal Access" for Mac OS >>> only, but there's no "Context Key". >> >> I don't think it's very common - certainly not on Windows or Linux. > > Right, so it needs fixing. And I agree the intention was "access the > Context Menu". > > >> >> It 'may' be useful for the Tool tip to indicate that right click may >> be used to change the format, (but the TimeTextCtrl has the same >> little black arrow as used elsewhere). I don't think that it is >> necessary or desirable to mention "Context Key". > > The key point is that there are multiple ways to access Context Menus on > each platform, and they vary between platforms. "Right-click" is plain > wrong on Mac. And on Windows it's redundant to say "Use right mouse > button or context key" because it's enumerating only some of the ways to > access the menu. Meant to write "redundant *and* incomplete"... ;-) > > If anything, it should just say "Use Context Menu to change Sample > Format". But again, I think it should be description, not instructions. > > > >> >> >> I think this reference in the manual is confusing as there is no >> "Context Key" on my computer as far as I'm aware: >> "To change the selection format to finer resolutions such as a frame >> format or audio samples, click the triangle in any of the three boxes >> to right of Snap To, right-click over them or select any box and use >> the Context Menu key." >> http://manual.audacityteam.org/manual/help/manual/man/selection_toolbar.html >> > > I agree. And "right-click over" is not idiomatic -- should be > "right-click on" -- but that's platform-specific, another problem. > > >> >>> >>> >>>> >>>> >>>>> >>>>> Tool tips are usually a name or short description of what the control >>>>> does, not instructions. >>>> >>>> Another very long Tool tip is: >>>> "Cannot control input volume; use system mixer." >>> >>> Where does that occur? What's a good fix for it? >> >> It's the tool tip over the Mixer Toolbar input slider if Audacity does >> not have control of the sound device's input level. >> This message is probably useful as there is no other indication of why >> the slider is unavailable or what a user should do about it. >> It could possibly be shortened to something like: >> "Unavailable: Use System Mixer" >> though the current wording does also provide the name of the control. > > +1. > > - V > |
From: Gale A. <ga...@au...> - 2012-07-25 20:22:54
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| From Vaughan Johnson <va...@au...> | Wed, 25 Jul 2012 12:05:14 -0700 | Subject: [Audacity-quality] "Context Key"? > On 7/25/2012 11:48 AM, Vaughan Johnson wrote: > > On 7/24/2012 8:32 PM, Steve the Fiddle wrote: > >> Cc: to audacity-manual@ > >> > >> On 25 July 2012 03:20, Vaughan Johnson <va...@au...> wrote: > >>> On 7/24/2012 5:39 PM, Steve the Fiddle wrote: > >>>> On 25 July 2012 01:19, Vaughan Johnson <va...@au...> wrote: > >>>>> What is a "Context Key"? It's not standard terminology to my knowledge > >>>>> (plus web search), but it's in the over-long tooltip for TimeTextCtrl > >>>>> ("Use right mouse button or context key to change format") and the manual. > > > > Notice also that in this discussion, we say "right click". "Use right > > mouse button" is too wordy, non-standard , and "use" doesn't even > > necessarily mean "click". :-) I don't like the length but understand that something is needed to be read to VI users. "Right-click" was probably avoided so as not to offend Mac sensibilities. The usual term is "menu key": http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Menu_key FWIW all my standalone Windows and net/laptop keyboards have this key. > > If anything, it should just say "Use Context Menu to change Sample > > Format". But again, I think it should be description, not instructions. Would "Selection Format" be better than "Sample Format"? "Selection Format" is the term used in the Manual. > >>>>> Tool tips are usually a name or short description of what the control > >>>>> does, not instructions. > >>>> > >>>> Another very long Tool tip is: > >>>> "Cannot control input volume; use system mixer." > >>> > >>> Where does that occur? What's a good fix for it? > >> > >> It's the tool tip over the Mixer Toolbar input slider if Audacity does > >> not have control of the sound device's input level. > >> This message is probably useful as there is no other indication of why > >> the slider is unavailable or what a user should do about it. > >> It could possibly be shortened to something like: > >> "Unavailable: Use System Mixer" > >> though the current wording does also provide the name of the control. > > > > +1. Some hover message is essential IMO and was agreed at the time. For example, that slider will normally be greyed out on Mac for any USB device. And quite often greyed for cheap USB turntables. It appears that when the Input Slider is disabled you cannot tab into it, so VI users would be unaware the Input Slider is there. If that is correct, "Unavailable: Use System Mixer" would seem cleaner. Gale |
From: Steve t. F. <ste...@gm...> - 2012-07-25 20:58:19
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On 25 July 2012 21:22, Gale Andrews <ga...@au...> wrote: > > | From Vaughan Johnson <va...@au...> > | Wed, 25 Jul 2012 12:05:14 -0700 > | Subject: [Audacity-quality] "Context Key"? >> On 7/25/2012 11:48 AM, Vaughan Johnson wrote: >> > On 7/24/2012 8:32 PM, Steve the Fiddle wrote: >> >> Cc: to audacity-manual@ >> >> >> >> On 25 July 2012 03:20, Vaughan Johnson <va...@au...> wrote: >> >>> On 7/24/2012 5:39 PM, Steve the Fiddle wrote: >> >>>> On 25 July 2012 01:19, Vaughan Johnson <va...@au...> wrote: >> >>>>> What is a "Context Key"? It's not standard terminology to my knowledge >> >>>>> (plus web search), but it's in the over-long tooltip for TimeTextCtrl >> >>>>> ("Use right mouse button or context key to change format") and the manual. >> > >> > Notice also that in this discussion, we say "right click". "Use right >> > mouse button" is too wordy, non-standard , and "use" doesn't even >> > necessarily mean "click". :-) > > I don't like the length but understand that something is needed > to be read to VI users. > > "Right-click" was probably avoided so as not to offend Mac > sensibilities. > > The usual term is "menu key": > http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Menu_key > > FWIW all my standalone Windows and net/laptop keyboards have > this key. Oh, THAT key ! > > >> > If anything, it should just say "Use Context Menu to change Sample >> > Format". But again, I think it should be description, not instructions. > > Would "Selection Format" be better than "Sample Format"? "Selection > Format" is the term used in the Manual. > > >> >>>>> Tool tips are usually a name or short description of what the control >> >>>>> does, not instructions. >> >>>> >> >>>> Another very long Tool tip is: >> >>>> "Cannot control input volume; use system mixer." >> >>> >> >>> Where does that occur? What's a good fix for it? >> >> >> >> It's the tool tip over the Mixer Toolbar input slider if Audacity does >> >> not have control of the sound device's input level. >> >> This message is probably useful as there is no other indication of why >> >> the slider is unavailable or what a user should do about it. >> >> It could possibly be shortened to something like: >> >> "Unavailable: Use System Mixer" >> >> though the current wording does also provide the name of the control. >> > >> > +1. > > Some hover message is essential IMO and was agreed at the time. > > For example, that slider will normally be greyed out on Mac for any > USB device. And quite often greyed for cheap USB turntables. > > It appears that when the Input Slider is disabled you cannot tab > into it, so VI users would be unaware the Input Slider is there. > If that is correct, "Unavailable: Use System Mixer" would seem > cleaner. > > > > > > Gale |
From: Vaughan J. <va...@au...> - 2012-07-25 22:29:37
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On 7/25/2012 1:22 PM, Gale Andrews wrote: > > | From Vaughan Johnson <va...@au...> > | Wed, 25 Jul 2012 12:05:14 -0700 > | Subject: [Audacity-quality] "Context Key"? >> On 7/25/2012 11:48 AM, Vaughan Johnson wrote: >>> On 7/24/2012 8:32 PM, Steve the Fiddle wrote: >>>> Cc: to audacity-manual@ >>>> >>>> On 25 July 2012 03:20, Vaughan Johnson <va...@au...> wrote: >>>>> On 7/24/2012 5:39 PM, Steve the Fiddle wrote: >>>>>> On 25 July 2012 01:19, Vaughan Johnson <va...@au...> wrote: >>>>>>> What is a "Context Key"? It's not standard terminology to my knowledge >>>>>>> (plus web search), but it's in the over-long tooltip for TimeTextCtrl >>>>>>> ("Use right mouse button or context key to change format") and the manual. >>> >>> Notice also that in this discussion, we say "right click". "Use right >>> mouse button" is too wordy, non-standard , and "use" doesn't even >>> necessarily mean "click". :-) > > I don't like the length but understand that something is needed > to be read to VI users. An instruction or a description? I think most tooltips should be the latter. However, these do have labels above them, so it would be redundant and pointless to have the tooltip be, e.g., "Selection Start". I changed it to "(Use context menu to change format.)" Parens to emphasize it's instruction, as for others (see below). > > "Right-click" was probably avoided so as not to offend Mac > sensibilities. "Use right mouse button" is surely just as offensive. > > The usual term is "menu key": > http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Menu_key > That's more Windows-specificity that should not be in a cross-platform tooltip. > FWIW all my standalone Windows and net/laptop keyboards have > this key. My XP laptop does not. So it's not just Windows-specific, it's keyboard-specific. Bad. > > >>> If anything, it should just say "Use Context Menu to change Sample >>> Format". But again, I think it should be description, not instructions. > > Would "Selection Format" be better than "Sample Format"? "Selection > Format" is the term used in the Manual. > Typo. I meant Selection, of course. Thanks for noting it. > >>>>>>> Tool tips are usually a name or short description of what the control >>>>>>> does, not instructions. >>>>>> >>>>>> Another very long Tool tip is: >>>>>> "Cannot control input volume; use system mixer." >>>>> >>>>> Where does that occur? What's a good fix for it? >>>> >>>> It's the tool tip over the Mixer Toolbar input slider if Audacity does >>>> not have control of the sound device's input level. >>>> This message is probably useful as there is no other indication of why >>>> the slider is unavailable or what a user should do about it. >>>> It could possibly be shortened to something like: >>>> "Unavailable: Use System Mixer" >>>> though the current wording does also provide the name of the control. >>> >>> +1. > > Some hover message is essential IMO and was agreed at the time. OT. Nobody said anything about getting rid of it. > > For example, that slider will normally be greyed out on Mac for any > USB device. And quite often greyed for cheap USB turntables. > > It appears that when the Input Slider is disabled you cannot tab > into it, so VI users would be unaware the Input Slider is there. > If that is correct, "Unavailable: Use System Mixer" would seem > cleaner. > Except that when I looked at the code, the tooltip for when enabled was "Input Volume Slider". That is a description, not an instruction. (Yay!) I think including the type of control is inappropriate. We don't use it most other tooltips, e.g., it's "Pause" not "Pause Button". So I changed that to "Input Volume". Then for the disabled state, I made it "Input Volume (Unavailable; use system mixer.)". Parens for instructions/modifiers. Used ';' instead of ':' because it's grammatically more correct, and was what the existing messages actually used. Also didn't change "use system mixer." to "Use System Mixer" -- it's not a title, it's part of a sentence. And likewise for corresponding ones for output volume. I noticed a few other tooltips in the main interface have instructions/modifiers, e.g., Record and Play buttons, but the parentheticals on those are non-sentential and not instructions, so I think they're fine. But I changed "Input level meter - click to monitor input" to "Input Level (Click to monitor.)" and "Output level meter" to "Output Level". Committed in r11872. I noticed a lot of these in the ExportFFmpegOptions tooltips. They are capitalized inconsistently, some as if sentences when they are actually titles (e.g., "Bit rate (bits/second)...") , and some are capitalized as titles (e.g., "Sample Rate (Hz)..."). There's also a lot of punctuation inconsistency among them. But there are many, and they're not as prominent in the interface, so P4 -- and not a good use of my time right now! ;-) Otherwise, a quick review of all 85 calls to SetToolTip are now pretty much in line with what I think they should be. - V |
From: Vaughan J. <va...@au...> - 2012-07-25 22:36:32
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Noticed that with these changes, we now have, e.g., "Output Volume" (slider) and "Output Level" (meter). I think we should be consistent as to what they're controlling/displaying. I think "level" is more accurate, so I prefer it, but it may not be as good for less sophisticated users. I propose "Output Level Meter" and "Output Level" (slider). - V On 7/25/2012 3:33 PM, Vaughan Johnson wrote: > On 7/25/2012 1:22 PM, Gale Andrews wrote: >> >> | From Vaughan Johnson <va...@au...> >> | Wed, 25 Jul 2012 12:05:14 -0700 >> | Subject: [Audacity-quality] "Context Key"? >>> On 7/25/2012 11:48 AM, Vaughan Johnson wrote: >>>> On 7/24/2012 8:32 PM, Steve the Fiddle wrote: >>>>> Cc: to audacity-manual@ >>>>> >>>>> On 25 July 2012 03:20, Vaughan Johnson <va...@au...> wrote: >>>>>> On 7/24/2012 5:39 PM, Steve the Fiddle wrote: >>>>>>> On 25 July 2012 01:19, Vaughan Johnson <va...@au...> wrote: >>>>>>>> What is a "Context Key"? It's not standard terminology to my knowledge >>>>>>>> (plus web search), but it's in the over-long tooltip for TimeTextCtrl >>>>>>>> ("Use right mouse button or context key to change format") and the manual. >>>> >>>> Notice also that in this discussion, we say "right click". "Use right >>>> mouse button" is too wordy, non-standard , and "use" doesn't even >>>> necessarily mean "click". :-) >> >> I don't like the length but understand that something is needed >> to be read to VI users. > > An instruction or a description? I think most tooltips should be the > latter. > > However, these do have labels above them, so it would be redundant and > pointless to have the tooltip be, e.g., "Selection Start". > > I changed it to "(Use context menu to change format.)" Parens to > emphasize it's instruction, as for others (see below). > > >> >> "Right-click" was probably avoided so as not to offend Mac >> sensibilities. > > "Use right mouse button" is surely just as offensive. > > >> >> The usual term is "menu key": >> http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Menu_key >> > > That's more Windows-specificity that should not be in a cross-platform > tooltip. > > >> FWIW all my standalone Windows and net/laptop keyboards have >> this key. > > My XP laptop does not. So it's not just Windows-specific, it's > keyboard-specific. Bad. > > >> >> >>>> If anything, it should just say "Use Context Menu to change Sample >>>> Format". But again, I think it should be description, not instructions. >> >> Would "Selection Format" be better than "Sample Format"? "Selection >> Format" is the term used in the Manual. >> > > Typo. I meant Selection, of course. Thanks for noting it. > > >> >>>>>>>> Tool tips are usually a name or short description of what the control >>>>>>>> does, not instructions. >>>>>>> >>>>>>> Another very long Tool tip is: >>>>>>> "Cannot control input volume; use system mixer." >>>>>> >>>>>> Where does that occur? What's a good fix for it? >>>>> >>>>> It's the tool tip over the Mixer Toolbar input slider if Audacity does >>>>> not have control of the sound device's input level. >>>>> This message is probably useful as there is no other indication of why >>>>> the slider is unavailable or what a user should do about it. >>>>> It could possibly be shortened to something like: >>>>> "Unavailable: Use System Mixer" >>>>> though the current wording does also provide the name of the control. >>>> >>>> +1. >> >> Some hover message is essential IMO and was agreed at the time. > > OT. Nobody said anything about getting rid of it. > > >> >> For example, that slider will normally be greyed out on Mac for any >> USB device. And quite often greyed for cheap USB turntables. >> >> It appears that when the Input Slider is disabled you cannot tab >> into it, so VI users would be unaware the Input Slider is there. >> If that is correct, "Unavailable: Use System Mixer" would seem >> cleaner. >> > > Except that when I looked at the code, the tooltip for when enabled was > "Input Volume Slider". That is a description, not an instruction. (Yay!) > > I think including the type of control is inappropriate. We don't use it > most other tooltips, e.g., it's "Pause" not "Pause Button". So I changed > that to "Input Volume". > > Then for the disabled state, I made it "Input Volume (Unavailable; use > system mixer.)". Parens for instructions/modifiers. > > Used ';' instead of ':' because it's grammatically more correct, and was > what the existing messages actually used. Also didn't change "use system > mixer." to "Use System Mixer" -- it's not a title, it's part of a sentence. > > And likewise for corresponding ones for output volume. > > > I noticed a few other tooltips in the main interface have > instructions/modifiers, e.g., Record and Play buttons, but the > parentheticals on those are non-sentential and not instructions, so I > think they're fine. > > But I changed "Input level meter - click to monitor input" to "Input > Level (Click to monitor.)" and "Output level meter" to "Output Level". > > > Committed in r11872. > > > I noticed a lot of these in the ExportFFmpegOptions tooltips. They are > capitalized inconsistently, some as if sentences when they are actually > titles (e.g., "Bit rate (bits/second)...") , and some are capitalized as > titles (e.g., "Sample Rate (Hz)..."). There's also a lot of punctuation > inconsistency among them. But there are many, and they're not as > prominent in the interface, so P4 -- and not a good use of my time right > now! ;-) > > > Otherwise, a quick review of all 85 calls to SetToolTip are now pretty > much in line with what I think they should be. > > > - V > > |
From: Bill W. <bi...@go...> - 2012-07-25 23:00:41
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On 25/07/2012, at 6:40 PM, Vaughan Johnson wrote: > Noticed that with these changes, we now have, e.g., "Output Volume" > (slider) and "Output Level" (meter). I think we should be consistent as > to what they're controlling/displaying. I think "level" is more > accurate, so I prefer it, but it may not be as good for less > sophisticated users. > > I propose "Output Level Meter" and "Output Level" (slider). The output slider does not affect the output meter, so I'd say using "Volume" for the slider and "Level" for the meter is reasonable. -- Bill > > - V > > > On 7/25/2012 3:33 PM, Vaughan Johnson wrote: >> On 7/25/2012 1:22 PM, Gale Andrews wrote: >>> >>> | From Vaughan Johnson <va...@au...> >>> | Wed, 25 Jul 2012 12:05:14 -0700 >>> | Subject: [Audacity-quality] "Context Key"? >>>> On 7/25/2012 11:48 AM, Vaughan Johnson wrote: >>>>> On 7/24/2012 8:32 PM, Steve the Fiddle wrote: >>>>>> Cc: to audacity-manual@ >>>>>> >>>>>> On 25 July 2012 03:20, Vaughan Johnson <va...@au...> wrote: >>>>>>> On 7/24/2012 5:39 PM, Steve the Fiddle wrote: >>>>>>>> On 25 July 2012 01:19, Vaughan Johnson <va...@au...> wrote: >>>>>>>>> What is a "Context Key"? It's not standard terminology to my knowledge >>>>>>>>> (plus web search), but it's in the over-long tooltip for TimeTextCtrl >>>>>>>>> ("Use right mouse button or context key to change format") and the manual. >>>>> >>>>> Notice also that in this discussion, we say "right click". "Use right >>>>> mouse button" is too wordy, non-standard , and "use" doesn't even >>>>> necessarily mean "click". :-) >>> >>> I don't like the length but understand that something is needed >>> to be read to VI users. >> >> An instruction or a description? I think most tooltips should be the >> latter. >> >> However, these do have labels above them, so it would be redundant and >> pointless to have the tooltip be, e.g., "Selection Start". >> >> I changed it to "(Use context menu to change format.)" Parens to >> emphasize it's instruction, as for others (see below). >> >> >>> >>> "Right-click" was probably avoided so as not to offend Mac >>> sensibilities. >> >> "Use right mouse button" is surely just as offensive. >> >> >>> >>> The usual term is "menu key": >>> http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Menu_key >>> >> >> That's more Windows-specificity that should not be in a cross-platform >> tooltip. >> >> >>> FWIW all my standalone Windows and net/laptop keyboards have >>> this key. >> >> My XP laptop does not. So it's not just Windows-specific, it's >> keyboard-specific. Bad. >> >> >>> >>> >>>>> If anything, it should just say "Use Context Menu to change Sample >>>>> Format". But again, I think it should be description, not instructions. >>> >>> Would "Selection Format" be better than "Sample Format"? "Selection >>> Format" is the term used in the Manual. >>> >> >> Typo. I meant Selection, of course. Thanks for noting it. >> >> >>> >>>>>>>>> Tool tips are usually a name or short description of what the control >>>>>>>>> does, not instructions. >>>>>>>> >>>>>>>> Another very long Tool tip is: >>>>>>>> "Cannot control input volume; use system mixer." >>>>>>> >>>>>>> Where does that occur? What's a good fix for it? >>>>>> >>>>>> It's the tool tip over the Mixer Toolbar input slider if Audacity does >>>>>> not have control of the sound device's input level. >>>>>> This message is probably useful as there is no other indication of why >>>>>> the slider is unavailable or what a user should do about it. >>>>>> It could possibly be shortened to something like: >>>>>> "Unavailable: Use System Mixer" >>>>>> though the current wording does also provide the name of the control. >>>>> >>>>> +1. >>> >>> Some hover message is essential IMO and was agreed at the time. >> >> OT. Nobody said anything about getting rid of it. >> >> >>> >>> For example, that slider will normally be greyed out on Mac for any >>> USB device. And quite often greyed for cheap USB turntables. >>> >>> It appears that when the Input Slider is disabled you cannot tab >>> into it, so VI users would be unaware the Input Slider is there. >>> If that is correct, "Unavailable: Use System Mixer" would seem >>> cleaner. >>> >> >> Except that when I looked at the code, the tooltip for when enabled was >> "Input Volume Slider". That is a description, not an instruction. (Yay!) >> >> I think including the type of control is inappropriate. We don't use it >> most other tooltips, e.g., it's "Pause" not "Pause Button". So I changed >> that to "Input Volume". >> >> Then for the disabled state, I made it "Input Volume (Unavailable; use >> system mixer.)". Parens for instructions/modifiers. >> >> Used ';' instead of ':' because it's grammatically more correct, and was >> what the existing messages actually used. Also didn't change "use system >> mixer." to "Use System Mixer" -- it's not a title, it's part of a sentence. >> >> And likewise for corresponding ones for output volume. >> >> >> I noticed a few other tooltips in the main interface have >> instructions/modifiers, e.g., Record and Play buttons, but the >> parentheticals on those are non-sentential and not instructions, so I >> think they're fine. >> >> But I changed "Input level meter - click to monitor input" to "Input >> Level (Click to monitor.)" and "Output level meter" to "Output Level". >> >> >> Committed in r11872. >> >> >> I noticed a lot of these in the ExportFFmpegOptions tooltips. They are >> capitalized inconsistently, some as if sentences when they are actually >> titles (e.g., "Bit rate (bits/second)...") , and some are capitalized as >> titles (e.g., "Sample Rate (Hz)..."). There's also a lot of punctuation >> inconsistency among them. But there are many, and they're not as >> prominent in the interface, so P4 -- and not a good use of my time right >> now! ;-) >> >> >> Otherwise, a quick review of all 85 calls to SetToolTip are now pretty >> much in line with what I think they should be. >> >> >> - V >> >> > > > ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ > Live Security Virtual Conference > Exclusive live event will cover all the ways today's security and > threat landscape has changed and how IT managers can respond. Discussions > will include endpoint security, mobile security and the latest in malware > threats. http://www.accelacomm.com/jaw/sfrnl04242012/114/50122263/ > _______________________________________________ > Audacity-quality mailing list > Aud...@li... > https://lists.sourceforge.net/lists/listinfo/audacity-quality |
From: Vaughan J. <va...@au...> - 2012-07-25 23:48:06
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On 7/25/2012 4:00 PM, Bill Wharrie wrote: > > On 25/07/2012, at 6:40 PM, Vaughan Johnson wrote: > >> Noticed that with these changes, we now have, e.g., "Output Volume" >> (slider) and "Output Level" (meter). I think we should be consistent as >> to what they're controlling/displaying. I think "level" is more >> accurate, so I prefer it, but it may not be as good for less >> sophisticated users. >> >> I propose "Output Level Meter" and "Output Level" (slider). > > The output slider does not affect the output meter, so I'd say using "Volume" for the slider and "Level" for the meter is reasonable. > Good point. Will leave as is. - V |
From: Gale A. <ga...@au...> - 2012-07-26 19:19:48
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| From Vaughan Johnson <va...@au...> | Wed, 25 Jul 2012 16:53:04 -0700 | Subject: [Audacity-quality] "Context Key"? > On 7/25/2012 4:00 PM, Bill Wharrie wrote: > > > > On 25/07/2012, at 6:40 PM, Vaughan Johnson wrote: > > > >> Noticed that with these changes, we now have, e.g., "Output Volume" > >> (slider) and "Output Level" (meter). I think we should be consistent as > >> to what they're controlling/displaying. I think "level" is more > >> accurate, so I prefer it, but it may not be as good for less > >> sophisticated users. > >> > >> I propose "Output Level Meter" and "Output Level" (slider). > > > > The output slider does not affect the output meter, so I'd say using "Volume" for the slider and "Level" for the meter is reasonable. > > > > Good point. Will leave as is. Or, you could use "Input Level" for the input slider and "Output Volume" (as now) for the output slider to make clearer the input slider affects the meter but the output slider does not. Gale |
From: Vaughan J. <va...@au...> - 2012-07-26 21:27:19
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On 7/26/2012 12:19 PM, Gale Andrews wrote: > > | From Vaughan Johnson <va...@au...> > | Wed, 25 Jul 2012 16:53:04 -0700 > | Subject: [Audacity-quality] "Context Key"? >> On 7/25/2012 4:00 PM, Bill Wharrie wrote: >>> >>> On 25/07/2012, at 6:40 PM, Vaughan Johnson wrote: >>> >>>> Noticed that with these changes, we now have, e.g., "Output Volume" >>>> (slider) and "Output Level" (meter). I think we should be consistent as >>>> to what they're controlling/displaying. I think "level" is more >>>> accurate, so I prefer it, but it may not be as good for less >>>> sophisticated users. >>>> >>>> I propose "Output Level Meter" and "Output Level" (slider). >>> >>> The output slider does not affect the output meter, so I'd say using "Volume" for the slider and "Level" for the meter is reasonable. >>> >> >> Good point. Will leave as is. > > Or, you could use "Input Level" for the input slider and > "Output Volume" (as now) for the output slider to make > clearer the input slider affects the meter but the output > slider does not. > But then both input slider and meter would have "Input Level", and people would be asking why the two sliders are named differently. - V |