Mouse learning curve

From Fs_wiki

The number of mouse clicks and modifer keys can be daunting to a new user. A possible method of fixing this is to have suitable status bar messages. To limit the required amount of information in them, these would have to be context sensative. There are three main types of operation in Tunnel, drawing (left clink) moving the view window (middle click) and selecting things (right click). Each of these have various key modifications. In order to guide the user, the program first needs to know the broad catagory of interaction, such that it can then offer advise on the subcatogries.

I propose that the three main modes are selected using modifier keys:

No modifier: Draw

shift: Select

control: Move

These three modes could be displayed at the left hand side of the status bar. The current mode would be highlighted, and each would have some sort of help for telling the user how to get into that mode. Clicking on them would change to that mode, however pressing shift or control would revert to normal operation. This may make things simpler on Macs, which may otherwise require to modifier keys to be pressed at once.

The rest of the status bar would be split into three pieces of context sensative help:

Left: event description

Middle: event description

Right: event description

If such a change is happening, it should probably be done once, and done correctly. I suggest the following:

Draw (not drawing, nothing selected):

Left: New line

Right: New line from node

Draw (not drawing, line selected):

Left: New line

Middle: New line from path

Right: New line from node

Draw (drawing):

Left: Add point

Middle: Finish line

Right: Finish line on node

Select (not drawing):

Left: Select contiguous lines

Middle: Select areas

Right: Select non-contiguous lines

(When a non-valid selection is made all slections are cleared)

Select (drawing):

None

Move:

Left: Pan

Right: Zoom

Middle: Rotate