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List:       kde-usability
Subject:    Re: Fwd:Widgets for IP- and MAC-Address (was:KIPAdressInput Class)
From:       Christian Lavoie <clavoie () bmed ! mcgill ! ca>
Date:       2002-08-31 18:20:54
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On Sábado 31 Agosto 2002 14:20, Dylan wrote:
> On Saturday 31 August 2002 6:04 pm, Timo A. Hummel wrote:
> > > Maybe this is helpfull for your IP-Address Widget ..
> >
> > This is ok, but the widget I'm writing uses 4 different input fields
> > with automatic advancing (most people are too lazy to write even the dot
> > between the numbers :)
> >
> > If there are reason against this, I'd like to hear them.
>
> 1) I assume it will allow (and ignore) typing the delimiter?
> 2) How will your autoadvance cope with 1-, 2- or 3-digit decimal per
> segment?

Simple way to do just that is to autoadvance on delimiter pressing UNLESS the 
current field is completely empty (think of what typing 127.0.0.1 would do 
otherwise: 1 (still in first box) 2 (still in first box) 7 (now in second 
box) . (now in THIRD box) 0 (still in third box) . (now in fourth box) 0 
(still in fourth box) . (now in nonexistent fifth box) 1 (whatever happens)

But then you will have people complaining to type the delimiter to skip 
boxes... Or people trying to paste incorrect addresses (cut and paste 
"192.168.45.x" from a webpage and THEN modify it, in your custom widget) and 
complaining that the widget doesn't allow it right, etc.

From a usability point of view, I believe the 'right' way to do this is using 
a validator, and giving the user visual feedback until the ip address 
validates as something the widget can accept, like drawing the text in a 
light red hue until it's a valid ip address. 

A good usability rule in this case might be to make things flexible and tell 
the user if it's doing something wrong instead of forcing the user to do what 
we believe is the right way to entry an IP address.

Have fun,
Chris

-- 
I don't suffer from insanity, I enjoy every minute of it.

Christian Lavoie, clavoie@bmed.mcgill.ca
http://www.christianlavoie.com
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