Wishlist - flexible # of lines in tag box

[asilan 0]

Having just increased the size of the screen fonts to give my eyes a break, I now find that not enough info is displayed in the tag box. I tried adjusting the number of lines, but then it annoys me that some tags get far more space than they need. And the 'tool tips' type effect is driving me mad with all that extra clicking to change the focus person.

 

Some may think I am hard to please, but I do know what I want! I want the number of lines displayed for each tag to be automatically flexible - a "fit to text" option.

 

Of course, it would need to have a (user-defined?) maximum number of lines to account for those instances when I feel moved to write a whole essay in the memo field!

 

How about it?

 

Alison

[Jim Byram 0]

And the 'tool tips' type effect is driving me mad with all that extra clicking to change the focus person.

So turn it off. Right-click in the Tag Box and uncheck 'Show Item Tips on the Person View'.

[asilan 0]

Jim,

 

all I meant was that I don't find the "show item tips" a satisfactory solution to the problem of seeing as much of the tag detail as I would like. I know how to turn it off. Just hoped there was a chance of a little more flexibility in the future. Please?

 

Alison

[Virginia Blakelock 0]

Hi, Alison -

 

Yours is not the first request for such a feature; see the archived 2002 discussion at:

 

http://archiver.rootsweb.com/th/read/tmg/2002-06/1024267270

 

Possible workarounds:

 

- use item tips in the Details window but not in the children and siblings windows - and use the latter windows for changing focus where feasible.

 

- for a smoother focus change when item tips are enabled, first click once in the tag and then double click.

 

- to view a tag in its entirely, use shortcuts like Enter or F5 to open the tag (being mindful to use Cancel or X to close so as to not change the Last Edited date).

 

In the forum 'favorite layout' thread* it's interesting that only 2 out of about 25 layouts had multiple lines selected in the Detail window. With a lot of tags, single line does have the advantage of being able to see more tags without having to scroll down.

 

* the favorite-layout thread (4 pages!) is at:

http://www.whollygenes.com/forums201/index...4&hl=layout

 

Virginia

[GenerationGoneBy 0]

I prefer more tags on the view and using item tips, but I don't have the problem with getting a tag to open when item tips are on. I did at one time, and it can drive you batty, so I sympathize. I would like the option of manually picking per tag the number of lines to show. I tend to either have no memo, or a paragraph or more. (I tend to be wordy. <G>)

It seems silly to have more than one line for a tag when the memo is empty, so I can see how this request could be useful.

[asilan 0]

Virginia,

 

Thank you for your suggestions and for the links. The gallery of user layouts was very interesting and has inspired me to experiment this afternoon. By shifting and resizing windows and fields, I am very close now to a screen layout that matches the way I like to work and is a good compromise on how much I can see at a time

 

(Btw, maybe the fact that so few people use the multi-line option for displaying tags just shows that the feature is not quite right yet?? Teresa sees what I'm getting at!!)

 

Alison

[KimhereMKS 0]

Yes, I concur. There certainly does need to be a way of making the display more variable. I use memos for an easy look at my "citations", so my display needs generally vary from 1-4 lines. It certainly can be a bit annoying to switch back and forth constantly between varying lengths for an accurate overall comparative read, such as for spotting irregularities and possible mismatches.

I suggest adding a variable-line read as an option, in addition to the increase/decrease options currently available.

I remember an old rule from Sales: find out what the people want, then find a way of giving it to them, even if it means temporarily "losing control"; it's made up for in respect. This is, after all, a user-based set of products, I presume.

[Roy_Delos_Reyes 0]

I'd be *very* careful of what I wished for.

 

Should such a feature be implemented I'm sure the program would take such a performance hit that even those wanting this feature would find it completely unacceptable. Each tag would have to be re-calculated as to the number of lines every time you changed screens... sort of like the relationship calculator of old- before the toggle was implemented for it (and we all know how that affected performance; at least those of us who are pre-version 5).