Path: utzoo!attcan!uunet!zaphod.mps.ohio-state.edu!ncar!ico!attc!marbru
From: marbru@attc.UUCP (Martin Brunecky)
Newsgroups: comp.windows.x
Subject: Re: Re: Toolkit for Open Look *and* OSF/Motif Look and Feel [why I don't believe]
Message-ID: <1206@attc.UUCP>
Date: 2 Mar 91 18:10:29 GMT
References: <910224211300.1528@alphalpha> <100920304@hpcvlx.cv.hp.com>
Reply-To: marbru@auto-trol.UUCP (Martin Brunecky)
Organization: Auto-trol Technology, Denver
Lines: 50

In article <100920304@hpcvlx.cv.hp.com> ben@hpcvlx.cv.hp.com (Benjamin Ellsworth) writes:
>
>The traversal model provided needs work.  I think that a well written
>traversal interface coupled with a keyboard proficient operator will
>beat a mouse interface every time.
>
>Unfortunately the style that Motif emulates in this regard is not what
>I consider very good (barely adequate is my opinion).
>
    Well, better something than nothing -).

    Without digging in your broad parallel, I have done something that
    may be close to your suggestion of moving the keyboard focus with 
    the user's attention focus.
    I have written (several)subclasses of XmPushButtonGadget and other 
    widgets which attempt to "merge" the "Explicit" and "Real Estate" 
    focus models. 
    For lack of better names, the resource which controls this behavior 
    is called WsNpointerTraversal.
    
    How it works. 
    Focus is controlled with Motif traversal in "Explicit" mode, i.e. one
    object in my application has the focus and I can use arrow and tab keys
    to move focus from one object to another. Normally, Motif in this
    mode ignores mouse/pointer motions (unless I click == select something),
    and keyboard input is delivered to the "focus" object no matter where
    the pointer is.

    With "pointerTraversal", when I manage to find a mouse on my cluttered
    desk and move the pointer to another traversable object, the focus
    "moves with a pointer" - without clicking/selecting. But contrary to
    the "real estate" driven focus model, the focus ONLY moves to traversable
    objects. If no such object is hit the focus remains unchanged. The latter
    prevents situations like one where you want to enter data into a text
    field, but your pointer "slid" into it's prompt (label) which does not
    take it.
    Note that as soon as I quit moving the mouse, I can revert back to my
    keyboard and do the further focus moves with the keyboard. Which allows
    me to use mouse as an "accelerator" - to move fast where the kyboard
    traversal would be slow, difficult or not intuitive - and use the
    keyboard traversal for fine, local control.


    Gee. This is just an *idea*. But I should probbaly patent it, so I can
    later sue the company owning the Backing Store in case it catches on.
-- 
=*= Opinions presented here are solely of my own and not those of Auto-trol =*=
Martin Brunecky                           {...}sunpeaks!auto-trol!marbru
(303) 252-2499                        (sometimes also:  marbru@auto-trol.COM )
Auto-trol Technology Corp. 12500 North Washington St., Denver, CO 80241-2404