Mapper: Single (or any) hotkey for Connect/Unify tools

[yevhenmazur]

Connect path and Unify areas - two different tools for different conditions, but in user experience they do the same thing - merge few objects in to one. I've faced with situation when new user asked me why he should use different shortcuts for one action. And really, why?

Expected behaviour: Mapper should automatic detect which tool will be used, depending on the selected objects, and perform the merge when any hotkey (C or U) pressed.

[Symbian9]

They are different:

• Connect path - used for connect closest end points of two (o more) paths.
• Unify areas - used for merge two (or more) areas, that can partly cover each other.

In most cases unifying areas related to intersect path, but not to connect paths ends.

[dg0yt]

Probably the tools do something similar in mutually exclusive contexts (open paths vs. closed paths). But these shortcuts are also mnemonics for the operation. I suppose it very much depends on the actual language whether [C]onnecting path ends is regarded as very similar to [U]nifying areas.

The shortcuts are subject to translation. So it might already be possible to assign the same shortcut to both operations (untested). On the other hand, both actions may be enabled at same time at the moment.

I would be glad to see more discussion.

[Symbian9]

@dg0yt, maybe, in future, best way to solve similar issues is creating "Custom shortcuts" tab in setting dialog for custom key assignments, that could be modifyed by user.

[dg0yt]

Custom shortcuts would mitigate some issues, but it is not a solution here if there are two distinct actions.

[Symbian9]

Also, now keyboard input near replacing by touch or multibutton mouse interfaces, so there reasonable review pop-up and UI interaction instead of keyboard assignments.

As for me, it would be cool if we can use Mapper on desktop without keyboard and only by using mouse or touch.

[dg0yt]

Symbian9, your last comment is not relevant for this issue, and your first comment also didn't help. Keep focus. My time is too limited for going off-topic.

[yevhenmazur]

Ok, maybe single shortcut it is not good approach. Let's talk about single tool, like it is implemented in OCAD. One tool, one shortcut, one button on toolbar. No matter which kind of objects do you want to merge, just select them all and press the "magic button".

I can not imagine any situation where I'd like to have a separate tools for merging different types of objects.