Jump to content

Contextual menus


Joe Weaks

Recommended Posts

I looked around and I can't find another app I use on my computer that doesn't have them, Carbon or Cocoa.

This thread on clicking for a definition

illustrates the problem of knowing that one gets different functions when clicking on text using modifier keys. Control click, command click, option click, regular click??? These are exactly the type of distinctions made in a contextual menu in any decent OS X app, Carbon or Cocoa.

 

Users don't make use of all these different clicking functionalities because we can't see them.

 

Consider the convenience of a control/right clicking a word.

 

| Copy ------------------> "In the beginning was the Word,"

| Lookup definition

| General Tool

| English Tool

| Mark Selection

| Add Selection to...

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I add my "Amen" to the request for contextual menus. I like shortcuts and use them extensively. The contextual menus would give us an alternative when memory is confused or the partiular shortcut is needed too infrequently to be committed to memory.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Actually, Joe, I'm glad you mentioned it. Contextual menus are very high up on my wishlist for version 7. Shortcuts are exceptionally helpful when you master the program, but adding context-sensitive menus would be a great asset. It's all about productivity and ease of use, so I'm all for it!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I think contextual menus could go a long way in adding convenience and ease of use. I dont know how diffcult they are to implement, but they could potentially revolutionize some aspects of the interface. Here is an obvious upgrade that doesnt require new technology or license fees.

 

I wonder if it might cause conflicts with current keyboard shorttcuts that aready use the control key. On the Mac, the control key and click is equal to the right click of a two button mouse. So, if Accordance already has a lot of things mapped to the control key, maybe this would mean having to rework everything.

 

Dan

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I think contextual menus could go a long way...I wonder if it might cause conflicts with current keyboard shorttcuts that aready use the control key

 

Control click is only used on the palette when opening a new window... it indicates that you want the new window to open as a separate window instead of inside the current workspace. And to illustrate the non-implementation of right-clicking, doing a right click on the palette doesn't recognize it as a control click, but just as a regular click. ;)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I would certainly like to add my "Amen" to the growing list of others who have expressed their wish for "contextual menus." I can definitely see the value of those, and have often wished Accordance would provide more of them.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 3 weeks later...

Yet another voice for contextual menus in version 7. I'd LOVE to see a menu selection for: "Print..."

 

Ron Tavalin

Bible Department

Moody Bible Institute

Chicago, IL

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Give DejaMenu 1.2 a try. It gives you contextual menus in Accordance. It's free. It's simple. It has been recently updated for 10.4

 

It uses a user definable keyboard shortcut to launch. Or easier leave in the dock to click on it for instant contextual menus.

 

Autor states: If your mouse can simulate key-presses, DejaMenu becomes even more useful. For instance, on my 4-button trackball, I have the fourth button set to bring up DejaMenu by simulating shift-cmd-m when clicked. (USB Overdrive and Kensington Mouseworks both allow mapping of keys to button presses).

 

http://homepage.mac.com/khsu/DejaMenu/DejaMenu.html

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 2 weeks later...

Contextual menus are wonderful, and my memory isn't. So I, too, would love to see all the relevant shortcuts assembled for easy access in contextual menus for the memory impaired (like me).

 

And Mick, thanks for the Deja Menu tip -- looks great! (But it doesn't exactly replicate what context-sensitive contextual menus would do if implemented in Accordance.)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 1 month later...

Apple Mighty Mouse

 

Two button mouse & more available from Apple, up to four programmable buttons. This will allow DejaMenu to mimic contextual menus easily.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Cool! Apple released this just in time to coincide with the release of Accordance 6.7, which lets you right-mouse-click an item on the Resource palette to open it rather than amplify to it. And if you get the Mighty Mouse today, that investment will pay even greater dividends with a future release of Accordance. . . ;)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

And if you get the Mighty Mouse today, that investment will pay even greater dividends with a future release of Accordance. . .  ;)

Now that is an interesting comment on this particular thread :)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 3 weeks later...

EVERY mouse is now a two button mouse.

One Finger Snap is a Preference Pane that brings up the contextual menu whenever you click and hold down the mouse button. This means that you can do everything with a single-button mouse that you can do with a 2-button mouse.

Free Trial ....

http://www.oldjewelsoftware.com/products/onefingersnap/

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Archived

This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.

×
×
  • Create New...