Zim-desktop-wiki: Automatically move checked checkboxes to bottom

[sojusnik]

Checked entries (OK and NOK) within a checkbox list could be moved automatically to the bottom of the list.

This would declutter the chekbox list.

[Osndok]

It's hard to imagine this being "correct" without distinguishing between ordered an unordered checkbox lists... :)

And to me... moving them to the top would make a bit more sense than the bottom... but in any case... how would you propose handling nested checkbox lists?

[sojusnik]

It's hard to imagine this being "correct" without distinguishing between ordered an unordered checkbox lists... :)

Can you give an example for an ordered and unordered list?

Moving to top or bottom is for me a question of preference. Both options could be offered in the settings.

I'll try with the following example to bring some light into nested checkboxes:

how to make a sculpture

[] have the right intention
[] a kiss of a muse
[] a place in nature
[] errands
      [] a huge stone
      [] a chisel
      [] lucky hat
[] patience
[] chisel away everything, that doesn't look like your imagined sculpture

Now I tick off a "normal" entry:

[] a kiss of a muse
[] a place in nature
[] errands
      [] a huge stone
      [] a chisel
      [] lucky hat
[] patience
[] chisel away everything, that doesn't look like your imagined sculpture
[v] have the right intention

Then a nested one:

[] a kiss of a muse
[] a place in nature
[] errands
      [] a chisel
      [] lucky hat
      [v] a huge stone
[] patience
[] chisel away everything, that doesn't look like your imagined sculpture
[v] have the right intention

A normal one:

[] a kiss of a muse
[] errands
      [] a chisel
      [] lucky hat
      [v] a huge stone
[] patience
[] chisel away everything, that doesn't look like your imagined sculpture
[v] have the right intention
[v] a place in nature

And finally a nested one:

[] a kiss of a muse
[] errands
      [] lucky hat
      [v] a huge stone
      [v] a chisel
[] patience
[] chisel away everything, that doesn't look like your imagined sculpture
[v] have the right intention
[v] a place in nature

Hope this helps!

[Osndok]

Ahhh.... that does help; I see, now, why you want them at the bottom too....

In hind-sight, I think what I was referring to is "checkbox lists that should not be reordered", but I am not sure now.

There could still be an issue wrt mixed list types... or at least that would make programming this harder, but I think this could be fun and useful.

If I find the time, I might look to see if this can be done with a plugin.

[Osndok]

After mulling over this for some time, I think what I'd like is this:

• zim should test for modifier keys when clicking a checkbox
• holding 'shift' behaves like "shift-f12" (it toggles the clicked checkbox between the exed & unchecked states; and having both options use the 'shift' modifier, would be a memetic gain, I think)
• holding 'alt' will similarly toggle between the newer deferred/promoted state

In this way, the power-user will find setting and unsetting a checkbox to a particular/desired state both faster & more effecient (especially when compared to cycling through all four of the FSM states and the interference of the double-click detection), or having to use the context menu & retargeting on a menu option.

Then, if we 'hide' this requested line-shifting functionality behind a different modifier set (like "ctrl"), it works around the problem of "which outlines should be reordered", and can be baked right into zim as another one of it's productivity-enhancing documented-yet-you-didnt-know-about-it easter eggs because it would not interfere with normal usage... and doing so would be easier (methinks) than creating a new plugin framework/system/convention specifically for checkbox modifier key checking.

[Osndok]

I've also considered that there might be some value in appending the time to the end of the displaced line, at least in my use cases.

[Osndok]

...and I suppose that the "inverse" operation (that happens when you control-click on an already-checked checkbox), would be to:

1. uncheck the box (of course), and
2. move that line above any checked lines in the current outline group

[sojusnik]

Totally agree to @Osndok, although the time at the end of the displaced line should be optional, IMHO.

[jaap-karssenberg]

If you are interested in this, please consider contributing a plugin that implements the behavior.