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All sub-menus only open during mouse movement

Posted

Software Version: Synfire 1.8.5 build 5
OS: Windows 10
Bug: Usability
Reproduce-ability: 50%
Reproduction steps
This can be reproduced in any menu, I will only document one example

  1. Start new Arrangement
  2. Create new rack module in Sounds->Rack tab
  3. Click "Load Plug-in"
  4. Move mouse over Instruments (VST) in the menu, a sub.menu of all existing VST plug-ins appears (in my case 17 modules)
  5. Move the mouse slowly to the below menu Effects menu item and back to Instruments
  6. Sometimes the sub-menu opens, sometimes not
  7. If menu does not appear, you need to move the mouse forth and back until it opens

Expected behavior
Sub-menus should always open if mouse is above parent menu item
 


Wed, 2018-05-16 - 12:35 Permalink

Thanks for reporting.

If you move the mouse over the left half of the parent menu, submenus will open immediately.

The delay on the right half is intended to prevent submenus from closing prematurely while the mouse is moved in a diagonal direction to the submenu. This kind of gesture tracking is very tricky. We did not yet find a better way to implement it.

Wed, 2018-05-16 - 23:36 Permalink

I have found that when the sub menu appears on the left (e.g. if you're on full screen and you're selecting the Harmony templates), the required parent menu is sometimes difficult to hit, i.e you move the mouse up or down and nothing changes. It's a bit frustrating sometimes.

Sat, 2018-05-19 - 10:35 Permalink

Ah, I found the problem.
If I have the mouse on "Menu A" and the sub menu is open, I move the mouse down to "Menu B", but I do not move it only vertically but a little bit horizontally.
If the mose moves horizontally, even a bit, it triggers that the sub menu will not open.
At the end the mouse stays over "Menu B" but sub menu A is still open. It will not open.
If mouse stops and stays on Menu, sub menu should open eventually.

I hope this is not easy to reproduce.

Sun, 2018-05-20 - 00:14 Permalink

This is what I meant, not sure if it's exactly the same as kunterbunt is experiencing. This is done in full screen so that the sub menu appears on the left of the parent menu.

Attachments

Mon, 2018-05-21 - 21:40 Permalink

This is very annoying.  And confusing.   Even Andre's description isn't quite what happens for me.  When on the left side of the parent menu , child menues expand immediately, except when I get up to the top item!  Argghh!

Another program I have implements this perfectly.  As you enter a parent item, the child menu expands after a   tiny delay.  When you leave the parent it disappears after a tiny delay.  The delay is long enough to be able to move from parent to child without loosing the child.  And not long enough to get in the way.  Works perfectly!

Tue, 2018-05-22 - 22:01 Permalink

I've added a note to the GUI todo list that submenu behavior should be reviewed. Thanks for your input.