Revert to earlier Task Attribute UI Topic is solved

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user0x
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Revert to earlier Task Attribute UI

Post by user0x » Thu Nov 14, 2024 3:28 am

In the newer versions of the software the user interface of the Task Attributes have changed from the earlier row style to the now stacked style. Is there any option to revert to the row style of Task Attributes ?

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abstr
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Re: Revert to earlier Task Attribute UI

Post by abstr » Thu Nov 14, 2024 8:02 am

Can you articulate the reasons for your request please?

In as much detail as possible...

user0x
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Re: Revert to earlier Task Attribute UI

Post by user0x » Fri Dec 27, 2024 2:01 am

It is mostly due to the screen space it occupies. The previous row style was compact and occupied lesser screen space while the stack style occupies substantial screen space. Also, the sequence/order of the fields in the stacked style are not customizable making it cumbersome, e.g., one needs to scroll through every time to enter a value.

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Re: Revert to earlier Task Attribute UI

Post by Ryan » Fri Dec 27, 2024 6:44 pm

@user0x

Are you aware that you can adjust the size of the Attribute field entry pane and also toggle it hidden/visible with the Ctrl-M hotkey?

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abstr
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Re: Revert to earlier Task Attribute UI

Post by abstr » Sat Dec 28, 2024 5:17 am

Sorry @user0x, I wasn't clear enough.

Could you attach some comparative screenshots to highlight the issues you are experiencing please?

zaphod
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Re: Revert to earlier Task Attribute UI

Post by zaphod » Wed Jan 01, 2025 10:34 pm

It's not just the visual differences, most of which I'm slowly getting use too today, but also the extra key strokes required to enter values. For example with the old format if I wanted to work down the task tree entering an estimated time I could enter the first one, F8, enter the next, etc. Now you have to hit Enter, enter time, Enter, F8, repeat which adds two more keystrokes per entry for the same task (roughly doubling depending on the number of digits in the time). This extra work and the inability to customize the order are the two reasons I still prefer the old format after working with the new for a while.

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abstr
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Re: Revert to earlier Task Attribute UI

Post by abstr » Wed Jan 01, 2025 11:03 pm

@user0x / @zaphod

The Attribute Editor is a new piece of work so, of course, there will be a period when it doesn't precisely work the way you might want.

However, there was also a very lengthy lead-in period (6 months+) in which you could have become involved in its design and implementation.

All that's available now is to make suggestions (as separate posts) for how the new Attribute Editor might be improved and see where that takes us.

And you could also revert to 8.3.14 and monitor the progress of 9.0 until it works for you.

barvetal
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Re: Revert to earlier Task Attribute UI

Post by barvetal » Fri Jan 03, 2025 8:10 am

I agree with author of this post and his arguments. Previous Task Attribute UI was much better. It would be nice maybe to make an option so users could select if they want to use new UI or the previous one.
Also, there is a problem appeared that now I can't use keyboard shortcuts to position at the specific field. And it's a big problem, because I liked Abstractspoon Todolist because I could work with it without mouse and it was very fast. Now it's impossible, and it's a stopper for me to use the app, unfortunately, because I loved it for more than 10 years.

Dzah80
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Re: Revert to earlier Task Attribute UI

Post by Dzah80 » Fri Jan 03, 2025 7:36 pm

First of all, thank you very much for creating and maintaining this extremely useful application. The Abstractspoon ToDoList is in fact one of the best and most useful pieces of software and the first one I install on every fresh system.

However, I fully support the author of this post and his arguments. The previous row style UI was, in my opinion, compact and much easier to observe. It occupied much lesser space and also required less mouse movements and keystrokes. All the task attributes were compactly visible and editable at the window bottom and it was very convenient.

It would be really great to have an option to keep the previous UI.

In any case - once again, thank you very much for your work.

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abstr
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Re: Revert to earlier Task Attribute UI

Post by abstr » Fri Jan 03, 2025 10:18 pm

@barvetal / @Dzah80

Unfortunately there is no way to preserve the old layout in 9.0+, too much has changed and trying to maintain two fundamentally different methods would be impossible.

Your only options are:

1. Work with me to develop the new Attribute Editor creatively to solve these issues one way or another
2. Revert to 8.3.14, which would unfortunately also mean no new features from here on.

As a show of good faith, I am prepared to continue fixing bugs in 8.3.14 until such time as everyone has migrated to 9.0.

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