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Balsamiq Community Discussion

Control appears active but is not

#1

Hi Guys,

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Here is a small usability item to consider: When I add controls via quick add, they appear to be immediately selected, but in fact I need to click on them to select them.

For example, if I add a control, I cannot simply click the arrow keys to move it, even though it appears selected. I must select it with the mouse first.

Similarly, if I want to delete the control, or send it below another control, etc. by using the keyboard, I must first click it. So I am going from keyboard (quick add) to mouse and back to keyboard.

Maybe it’s something you can look at?

#2

Hey @MikeH :slight_smile:

This is something we have discussed in the past, but I cannot remember what decision we came to. It was the camp you are in versus the “I want to add a bunch of controls at once” camp.

Definitely something we will discuss again. Thanks for the nudge, my friend. :slight_smile:

#3

Thanks once again for your quick response and explanation Brendan :slight_smile:

That’s interesting – I would rarely add more than one control at any time, but I guess I am a “power user”.

Even if I try adding a bunch of controls, I still think there is a usability issue – e.g. if I add 4 shape controls via Quick Add, the most recently added one looks to be ‘selected’ (see below) but it isn’t. I still have to click it.

– Mike

#4

fwiw I’ll jump into @MikeH’s camp. I’d rather get a control into at least an approximate desired location before adding another. If I’m adding multiple controls they’re usually of the same type so I’d be using the Duplicate function instead.

The only way I could see myself in the other camp is if Quick-Add placed new controls on the right side of screen - typically out of the way from whatever I’m working on (ultra-wide monitor user here).

#5

This has become a hot debate internally.

Not sure what it will result in, but it’s been a great discussion!

#6

Indeed.

The other thing that I think prevents me from adding many controls at once is the inability to drag items onto the canvas from the Quick Add search results list.