Automatically clear multi-selection after a move/paste operation is completed.
The structure plug-in allows users to select multiple, dis-contiguous issues using the multi-select mode, whereby the user clicks on the little radio button next to every issue they want to select. The selection can then be operated on as a whole, for example, to reposition the issues in the structure.
This feature works great, however, I find it annoying because the selection 'sticks', even after I've completed the operation I wanted to perform. Then, when I move onto select other issues, the previous ones, which are still selected, unintentionally come along for the ride.
Let me provide a use-case. Assume I want to move 3 issues in the structure using cut-and-paste. I select the 3 issues using multi-select mode, cut them, and paste them in the new location in the structure. Everything is OK so far. Now, I move elsewhere in the structure and start to select additional issues for another move. I start selecting the new issues using multi-select. Since the previous 3 issues remain selected, they are added into the new list I'm building. Since I've forgotten about the previous 3 issues, I don't notice that they are 'tagging' along for a ride in my new list. When I finally complete my new list and cut-n-paste, I find out that the 3 issues from my first cut-n-paste operation have come along for the ride. :(
I can't count how many times this has happened to me and it's frustrating. If I forget to clear the previous multi-select with "ESC" those issues will tag along in future multi-select operations.
Somehow, it would be nice if Structure could clear a multi-select after certain operations, like a cut-n-paste, or dragging to a new location.
Chris
shared this idea
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Chris, thanks for your follow-up. We'll need to think about the final design of the updated multi-selection, but we'll take everything into consideration for sure. (And believe me, a lot of time went into designing the current multi-selection!)
I should also say that this is not something we'll be able to address soon. We're now working on Structure 3.0, which will have large implications on the UI as well. Perhaps we'll fit the update to multi-selection there, but we can't make any promises as of now.
Kind regards,
Igor -
Chris
commented
Igor,
Thank you for your consideration and feedback.
I understand your concern about changing the fundamental behavior of the 'checkboxes'. However, I do not believe additional visual indicators would be the answer. As you pointed out, there's already an indicator and, at least in my case, it doesn't solve the problem. The rule problem is that there's a lot of precedence already in Windows (as well as Macs) for multi-selection (i.e. Shift-Click and Ctrl-Click). If your product could leverage that already built-in muscle memory, it would be more intuitive and easier for casual users to pick up.
Rather than change the behavior of the checkboxes, maybe you could just enable an additional multi-select mode? For example, now, when I click on a row, the current row is highlighted in blue. Maybe I can use Windows multi-select semantics to keep highlighting additional rows in blue? Then, I won't be using the persistent checkboxes at all.
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Chris, thanks for your feedback.
I understood the scenario that you described and how retained multiple selection gives trouble, however, I doubt that the solution you propose (holding Ctrl or Shift to add to selection) is the best one we could go with.
The little circles that indicate issue selection are like checkboxes. Checkboxes are usually independent items in a list, and selecting one checkbox does not clear other checkboxes. I think many users expect that.
We'll think about how to approach this in the best way. Right now we have an indicator in the footer area that tells you "N issues selected". Maybe we should add another visual indicator that some of the selected issues are not visible due to scrolling, with an option to clear the selection on them. Maybe we could add specific logic that resets the selection if you start selecting new issues after you've made a certain operation with the previous selection.
Thanks again for the detailed description of the problem.
Igor -
Chris
commented
In thinking about this more, it would be nice if multi-select worked more like it does in windows. If I click on an the multi-select button on an issue without holding down the control or shift key, it resets any previous selection and starts a new one. Then, I can extend the selection by clicking on other multi-select button with the Shift Key or Control Key pressed.
FWIW, the non-intuitive operation of the multi-select really makes Structure confusing for casual users. Even for power users like myself, I'm constantly getting bitten by this behavior.
