V 7 Changing Object Properties

[Arnold]

If I change the point size of a rectangle border using the Properties toolbar, I cannot then use the Escape key to deselect the rectangle. The same problem occurs if I change the opacity or the blend mode of the fill. However, if I change the border color or border style, the Escape key works fine. The behavior is not consistent.

Thanks.

[Radi - Tracker Supp]

Hello Arnold,

This happens because the focus changes from the main document area to the properties toolbar as you are prompted to enter a custom number for the point size or the opacity.

If you change the focus back to the document area by clicking on your object or the document tab, Esc key will be able to de-select the object.

I've contacted our developers about this and asked if this is the intended behaviour and if we can improve this in any way (in case this is the intended behaviour).
I'll post again as soon as I have further news on this subject.

Regards,
Radi

[Arnold]

I just checked it in version 6 in a portable install. It definitely works differently in version 6. After I enter a different point size, I press the Escape 2 or 3 times and the object is deselected. This seems to be consistent with all properties.

With version 7, it seems you have to click somewhere else in the document after altering certain properties. So the object cannot be deselected using only the keyboard after changing those properties. Those appear to be the Border Width, Opacity and Blend Mode properties.

Thanks.

[Tracker Supp-Stefan]

Hi Arnold,

Thanks for confirming this worked differently in V6.
This will definitely be taken into account when investigating the V7 behaviour!

Cheers,
Stefan

[Arnold]

This does not appear to be fixed in build 324.3 of the Editor. Just checked again and there is different behavior in Version 6. Both Windows XP and Windows 7.

Thanks.

[TrackerSupp-Daniel]

Hello Arnold,
I would not hope this is going to be fixed, after testing with V6 portable on my end here it does not appear to act any differently. No matter the field in the properties bar it still will not deselect the object.
As Stefan said this is its intended functionality, and we don't usually change our intentions unless multiple users ask for the same change.
Sorry Arnold, Have a good day!

[Arnold]

Actually I am not trying to change anything. I honestly don't understand where that idea came from. I just wonder why certain things function differently (and inconsistently) in v7 than in v6, especially when v6 seems more logical. Here are the easy steps to duplicate what I see over here.

Use the rectangle tool to draw a rectangle
Select the rectangle and change the border width (points, using Properties toolbar)
Press escape 3 times to completely deselect the rectangle (v6 portable)

Works perfectly in v6 portable 322.7 like it always has. Pressing escape does absolutely nothing in v7.

Then do the same thing with a rectangle, but change the color or the style of the border in v7 instead. Escape key works just fine like it always did.

I mentioned in one of my previous posts the behavior is not even consistent among different properties of the same annotation (see below). It just seems nonsensical to me. Same behavior happens on the Windows 7 machine.

>> If I change the point size of a rectangle border using the Properties toolbar, I cannot then use the Escape key to deselect the rectangle. The same problem occurs if I change the opacity or the blend mode of the fill. However, if I change the border color or border style, the Escape key works fine. The behavior is not consistent. <<

There is nothing to be sorry about Daniel. I was merely pointing out what I feel are inconsistencies in the behavior of the program. Maybe it is just my logical accountant thinking. You have a good day also.

[TrackerSupp-Daniel]

What I mean to say is that the functionality hasn't changed, It works the same way in v6 (322.7) as it currently does in v7 (324.3).
Pressing escape does not deselect the object in any instance on any property anywhere in either program, however if I've clicked on the object itself, without touching the properties pane, then escape will clear the selection.
I had assumed you wanted this to change based on how you phrased

This does not appear to be fixed in build 324.3 of the Editor

I've followed all the steps you provide and still find that while I may deselect the property, Ill never deselect the object itself.

[Arnold]

The Properties Pane does indeed work differently than the Properties Toolbar. The Properties Toolbar is what I have been referring to in all of my posts.

Thanks.

[TrackerSupp-Daniel]

ohh, whoops!
Though testing out the toolbar, I still don't find it deselecting anything here... are you using the default settings in the Portable?

[Arnold]

Here are the 322.7 settings. I reset v7 over here and tried it (see attached). Same thing Pressing escape does nothing. Tried it again in v6 portable with the settings file attached and once I change border width using the Properties Toolbar, 3 escapes works. Very strange it works differently over there.

Thanks for looking into it.

[TrackerSupp-Daniel]

I notice that in your settings the Properties menu is a dropdown box!
pressing esc will close out the dropdown box, loosing a selection, and thus acting as if you had the object itself selected.
So your UI customization has been causing all this hubbub,
Ahh well, it was fun!

[Arnold]

I do see that does make a difference. Don't understand the logic of it, but I see that it does.

Just out of interest, why does changing the color of the border act differently than changing the border width? Why does changing the fill opacity act differently than changing the fill color itself? All of this happens in v7 even after resetting to default.

That has been my basic question since my very first post 3 months ago.

[Arnold]

From what I can tell my customization was not causing the problem, merely masking the inconsistencies, as v6 and v7 work exactly the same. I saw one other thing in addition to the ones listed above. If I create a rectangle with default settings I can click in the document or press the escape key to deselect the rectangle. However, it works differently if I create the rectangle and immediately change the border width. At that point the only way to deselect the rectangle is to click the hand tool and then click in the document. Escape no longer works. That situation is exactly what first caught my attention.

I do agree with you though that there has been a lot of hubbub. I will not make any more posts to this thread.

Thank you.

[TrackerSupp-Daniel]

Regarding the first post the border color and width act differently because one is entirely a dropdown box, the other can also act as a text box, this is the same situation with the fill color and opacity. pressing escape will close out a dropdown from a toolbar, but will not deselect a text field in that same case.

As for the second one, This is because it is assumed you wish to continue editing the same shape once you've started working on it in a more detailed manner.

But yes, ill lock the topic for you so we no longer have to worry about this.