[suggestion] Add percentages to the list of selectable units on the rulers

[Jensen Head]

Only the following options are currently available:

• Centimeters
• Inches
• Millimeters
• Picas
• Points

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Adobe Photoshop:

2022-02-04_19-13-32.png (2.43 KiB) Viewed 1075 times

[Paul - Tracker Supp]

Hi Jensen Head,

if this related just to the rulers I can see the usefulness if the percentage was of the page dimensions. So half way across a given page would be 50%.

But the units used are for much more than just the rulers and a percentage makes no sense for the page size for example.

I am not sure if it would be practical to add this just to the rulers.

[Jensen Head]

if this related just to the rulers

Yes, this offer only applies to the rulers.

the percentage was of the page dimensions. So half way across a given page would be 50%.

Exactly. I haven't seen any other use of rulers with percentages. And you?

But the units used are for much more than just the rulers

You say that the units of measure on the displayed rulers serve more than just displaying the units of measure on the rulers. I do not understand.

a percentage makes no sense for the page size for example.

Of course. That is why there is a choice between different units of measurement displayed on the rulers, both in your application and in others.

I am not sure if it would be practical to add this just to the rulers.

I don't mind discussing a list of places where percentages can be added. But for starters, I suggest adding them, at least, to the rulers.

[Paul - Tracker Supp]

It's just hat at present we set the units in one place and it gets used in many.

Doing this would require a separate setting for just the rulers. Or am I missing something?

[Jensen Head]

It is currently not possible, for example, to set the guides to about 10% to the left and right of the edge of the page, or to about 50% without doing the arithmetic of multiplying the side length by 0.1, 0.5, or 0.9. It would be much easier to drag the guide to the numbers 10%, 50% and 90%. Don't you find? Also, objects that need to be centered are much easier to move around using percentage rulers than Centimeters, Inches, Millimeters, Picas, or Points.
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2023-02-06_15-10-55.png (33.92 KiB) Viewed 824 times

[TrackerSupp-Daniel]

Hello, Jensen Head

The issue is with the fact that the selected unit type is referred to in numerous locations unrelated to the rulers:

While It would be possible to add a percentage option to this, and calculating the mouse x/y position in two separate percentage values would be possible, using a single percentage "length" value which may be diagonal would be considerably more problematic and confusing for the average user.
As such, if we do decide to consider this possibility, it will require a rework of how we handle these selections and provide this the information in countless dialogs, not only the rulers/properties panes themselves.

For that reason, while the dev team has been informed of this request and many of us on the support team can see the merit, I do not expect this to be something that you can expect in any short timeframe, nor can I promise that it will be implemented.

Kind regards,

[Paul - Tracker Supp]

HI Jensen Head,

I went ahead and made a formal Feature Request for this. The devs never approved nor rejected the suggestion so I formalized it with RT#6389: Feature Request :: Editor :: add percentages to the list of selectable units on the rulers.

This is not a promise to deliver the feature, it simply means it will be formally considered. When if a decision is made about it we shall notify you here.

I hope that helps.

[Paul - Tracker Supp]

Hi, Jensenhead

I am afraid the feature request was formally rejected with the explanation:

they are not going to implement that. There is a possibility the
users would like to measure everything and everywhere in % but there are cases
where it is not possible.

sorry about that.

Kind regards,
Paul - Tracker Supp

[PHK]

There might be another argument in favor of Jensen Head's suggestion. PDF-XCE already uses a percentages option for ruler metrics in the Split Pages funciton (so it must not be 'impossible') and it would be useful to be able to look at a document in the usual document window but with percentage metrics rather than those now offered as part of a splitting-pages operation.

To elaborate, suppose I am contemplating splitting pages in a document but I want to get the split lines thought-through whilst looking at the document before I call up the Split Pages function for whatever reason. If the rulers' units were percentages, I could take note of where those split lines should be with great precision in the document window and then when I actually go into Split Pages mode, I can enter those criteria with some exactitude. This could reduce some UI redundancy, allowing the user to make page-splitting decisions once in the document-viewing window wiithout having to repeat those again in the Split Pages pop-up window.

I hope this is worthy of reconsideration. The response, "there is a possibility the users would like to measure everything and everywhere in % but there are cases where it is not possible," is unpersuasive.

[Paul - Tracker Supp]

Hi, PHK

I appreciate the added explanation of the use case. I personally can see the usefulness, however it is not up to me. The devs are far more aware of what is involved and from what I saw the feature has some challenges to implement.

Right now the devs are severely overloaded and have a huge workload on their heads. It's not as easy these days to find the right staff for our needs and we have to make do with the resources available to us. I will ask the Dev Team leader to consider again your points made here, the best I could hope for is to agree to look at it in the long term. He may agree to do something down the road, but I cannot promise this.

Lets see how that goes. I'll post back here after we chat.

Kind regards,
Paul - Tracker Supp

[Paul - Tracker Supp]

Hi, again

on further discussion the request was again rejected I am afraid. There was a very detailed explanation that honestly seems to involved and detailed for here.

I am afraid that with the best will in the world, this request remains rejected and is not going to change.

Kind regards,
Paul - Tracker Supp

[PHK]

I fully understand, Paul, no problem.

[TrackerSupp-Daniel]

Hello, PHK

Glad to hear it, and I am sorry that it couldn't be another way.

Kind regards,