Apache OpenOffice (AOO) Bugzilla – Issue 108613
Grid snapping is differnet for mouse and keyboard editing
Last modified: 2014-09-24 18:59:05 UTC
OOo runs on Linux openSuse 11.2 x86_64 Why is mouse grid subdivision snapping different to keyboard subdivision snapping? Is this wanted or is it a bug? I describe it on example: 1. I draw a simple rectangle on a new draw sheet. If I move whole rectangle with mouse, snapping works OK with snapping to defined grid and its subdivision (grid settings is 1 cm and has 9 subdivisions). 2. If I select this rectangle, I can move whole rectangle by pressing arrow keys on my keyboard. Keyboard movement snaps OK, it moves rectangle with 9 subdivisions. (grid settings is unchanged 1 cm and has 9 subdivisions) 3. I change (Tools/Options/OpenOffice.org Draw/Grid) grid subdivision to 4 subdivisions (= grid settings is 1 cm and has 4 subdivisions) . If I use mouse to move whole rectangle it snaps to new grid subdivisions = 4, but if I do the movement of whole rectangle by keyboard arrows it still snaps to grid subdivision = 9! I would expect that keyboard moving snapping is the same as actually set grid subdivision = the same as mouse snapping. (Mouse snapping is OK, keyboard snapping is in my oppinion wrong) I have this problem with OOo Draw long time, it is not only problem of new version 3.2.0.
Moving objects with the arrow keys always moves them for 1 mm no matter what grid settings you have made. By the way: pressing the ALT-key while moving an object with the arrow key lets you move it with smaller steps to get a fine-arrangement. Reassigned to requirements.
Thank You. I would accept 1mm constant key movement step in text editor, but in vector oriented drawing editor it is hard to use. I must work in a grid and sub-grid, and if I select more objects in complex picture and I want to move it precisely, it is difficult to do the movement by mouse because of less accuracy when zoom is small. Then keyboard would be helpful. I saw in Ooo suggestions other wishes to make from Ooo.Drawing something closer to other technical oriented drawing tools and really to use grid and exact measurement. Of course I accept OpenOffice decision in this. Thanks for all you do, its really great as it is, and Ooo makes my live really happier, so please do not think I complain, I just want to improve it even more to my way of use.
wg states: "Moving objects with the arrow keys always moves them for 1 mm no matter what grid settings you have made." This is awkward in many regards; her are some of them: (1) When the grid is set to 1 inch (1 inch = 25.4 mm), the arrow keys will move the objects off the grid, e.g. you then cannot use the arrow key in order to move an object by exactly one inch! (2) If the this grid has 11 subdivisions (which is quite convenient) you cannot replace the use of the mouse by the keyboard in order to move objects stepwise by 1/12 inch. (3) The same problem occurs if the grid is set to 1 cm (1 cm = 10 mm) with 2 subdivisions because now the mouse will move objects by 1/3 of a cm but the arrow keys will not. In all other vector graphics environments which I know, the arrow keys respect the grid and its subdivisions. And of course all users expect OpenOffice.org to obey this convention. Otherwise there won't be so many false suggestions in the various OpenOffice.org fora. This is a really serious issue.
This behavior is very strange for me as well (i know already plenty of CAD drawing tools and did never experience such a behavior). All CAD tools have the concept that mouse and keys behave identical. i like to encourage you to provide at least a possibility to select a setting where the arrow keys also does snap to grid! i found a compromise for me to avoid partly of grid drawings (12mm major grid with division of 4) notice : i just started to use draw for documentation : a great tool i used visio for two days : not usable i will continue using draw : you provide a very usable tool the above topic was the only thing i investigated, because the behavior was so annoying.
You need, that the mouse behaves different, when you move objects while you have zoomed in. For example, with a zoom of 3000% and the pixel wise movement of Alt+Arrow you can adjust a point very exactly without the need to set a snap point. BTW, in my Corel Draw move by arrow key does not snap to grid and has not the same steps as the grid.
Regina, you are missing the point: When you are up to fine-tuning, you will use an Alt+Arrow combinationto move objects pixel by pixel regardless of the zoom chosen. Alright. However, that's what you don't want to do in most cases. You'd like to have a grid set up to your needs and move things accurately in steps of this grid without dragging the mouse all the time. What I mean is: You are setting up a grid ONLY BECAUSE you want to use it to draw objects fitting to this grid and snapping to it while moving them. But you will need to use the mouse with tiring effects to your arm when you want to follow your idea; you won't be able to replace the mouse by arrow keys since it is impossible to move objects by the use of them according to this grid (1 cm subdivided into 3 parts)! That is really bad. Sorry, I must say it again. aauv. p.s. Please refer also to my comment from the 5th of September 2010.