Apache OpenOffice (AOO) Bugzilla – Issue 126105
type-ahead synchronization on User Field dialog
Last modified: 2015-10-07 00:29:28 UTC
Created attachment 84504 [details] Screen captures for "FromUserTyping" and "FromClipboard" In this use case there are over 2,200 User Fields (UFs) in the Text Document and growing larger every day. I would be very grateful for the following improvement to the GUI for User Fields. When the user clears the Field Name box and then starts typing a User Field name, perform type-ahead synchronization within the Selection box. See attached sequence of screen mimicking the feature. I do know that if focus is given to the Selection box a letter or two can be quickly type to position the Selection list. One or two letter is not enough for a list of ~2,200 User Fields. In parallel with the type-ahead would be the ability to paste from the clip board a User Field name and have the Selection box, Value, check icon and x icon be in synch. See the last two screen captures for a sequence of screen mimicking the feature.
Created attachment 84708 [details] Document with a lot of user defind fields.
Environment - Windows 10 – 64 Processor – Intel Core i5 4300U/ Microsoft Surface Pro 3 I tested out steps outlined in the report, and was able to pin-point the issue. For further simplicity, in order to allow other testers quickly and easily observe the steps necessary, I will list out the steps I took: 1. I opened Writer 4.2.0 2. I loaded the attached file (OO_Feature_Request_SandoxV0.1.odt) 3. I opened Insert > Field > Others (The shortcut is Ctrl + F2) 4. I cleared both the Name and Value text boxes 5. I proceeded to type in a few values to test type-ahead synchronization OpenOffice Writer 4.2.0 did indeed lack this feature and, considering the thousands of fields utilized by the reporter, I saw how manually navigating through all of them to work with each individual one could be a tedious process. To further evaluate the added value this feature could bring, I conducted a timed test that would help point out how much time type-ahead synchronization could save a user. I listed a stratified random sampling of 20 fields, and recorded, using a stopwatch, how much time it would take to navigate to each individual field manually, without type-ahead synchronization. My method involved highlighting any field in the Selection box and typing the first 1 or 2 letters for quick navigation to the fields beginning with these letter typed. This is the fastest possible means currently available. The fields chosen were: HTTP_Beta_log_FileSystem_size WBSF_pak02_filename WPS_Alpha_binary_install_responsefile_name JNDI_BPCObserverDatasource eMEDB_Msg_schema_ConnectIdPw Database_minor_version DB2_BPCDB_Tablespace JAAS_BPCObserverDatabaseAlias_password pMsg_BPC_schema_name SAN_Server_Hardware_Model. It took a combined 174 seconds to navigate through all fields and select each one. For comparing the potential FromUserInput functionality, typing the first letters required to effectively narrow down the fields’ terms took a combined 92 seconds. For comparing the potential FromClipboard functionality, copying and pasting each field individually into the text box and pressing the “enter” key took a combined 65 seconds (after allowing ample time for navigation across menus). From the results obtained, FromUserInput and FromClipboard type-ahead support could save approximately 47% and 63% of users’ time, respectively. Suggestion: A possible format of the type-ahead feature could immediately navigate to the matching field names as the text box is filled, or “autocomplete” the text box as it is filled and navigate after the “enter” key is pressed, similar to that which is used for the Font text box (picture attached below).
Created attachment 85005 [details] Type-ahead "autocomplete" functionality used in the Font Text field