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Old August 8th, 2005, 11:06 PM
ogrig ogrig is offline
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Default selection tool issues

there are a few issues with the selection tool:

- inconsistent selection (see attachments).
The selection works in block mode or line mode based on the position you start from.
If you first place the cursor anywhere on a line of text you get the expected result, line mode selection (i.e. you can drag the mouse downwards and full lines of text are selected as a result).
But if your starting position is somewhere on an empty space, between paragraphs or after the end of a short line, the selection is made in block mode.

The block selection mode can be very useful, but the way it works now is very unexpected. You should probably use the CTRL + mouse drag for this function.

- block mode selection not working over page boundaries.
You can select data from more than one page in lime mode, but not in block mode.

- no large selection tools available.
You should be able to select large portions of a document using "select all" or "click followed by scroll and SHIFT-click".
When you drag the mouse outside the window borders, the window should scroll in the appropriate direction.

Right now the selection is limited to the visible view.
Attached Images
File Type: jpg line-mode.jpg (65.5 KB, 249 views)
File Type: jpg block-mode.jpg (64.2 KB, 242 views)
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Old August 10th, 2005, 07:21 PM
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arthur arthur is offline
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Default

Thanks for your report. We have forwarded your problem to the developers and add this to their to-do list.
Because Foxit Reader is trying to be exact in text selection, if you place your mouse cursor on an empty space, then it will only select choose character, which is much more accurate than Adobe. If you wish to select the whole paragraph, then select the whole one will do your job.
As for selecting text over page boundaries, you can place your mouse cursor on a line of text on the page of the previous page, then go down to the next page. By doing so, you can select text for over one page.
For select all option, our develoers might add this feature to the Pro version.

Last edited by arthur; August 10th, 2005 at 07:38 PM.
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Old August 11th, 2005, 05:24 PM
ogrig ogrig is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by arthur
Because Foxit Reader is trying to be exact in text selection, if you place your mouse cursor on an empty space, then it will only select choose character, which is much more accurate than Adobe.
This is not being accurate. It is just mixing two different features in an inconsistent and unexpected way. Which is a pity, since both features are useful.

More than that, there is nothing in the interface that suggests that the block mode selection is available. I know the shape of the cursor is slightly different, but you don't see this unless you try it first, and even then you probably won't notice it. I know it took me a whole day to realize it.

I bet that for normal users, without a developer background, the whole thing looks like a bug, not a feature.


Quote:
Originally Posted by arthur
If you wish to select the whole paragraph, then select the whole one will do your job.
I know how to select a whole paragraph, but I don't understand why it shouldn't work like in any other "normal" application I use: place the mouse somewhere above the paragraph I want to copy and drag it straight down till the whole paragraph is selected.
This requires less precision and mouse movement from my part and is consistent with 99% of the other editors and viewers out there (the "Principle of Less Surprise", or something like it). Even Acrobat Reader gets this one right, and Adobe has one of the worst interfaces you can imagine.


Quote:
Originally Posted by arthur
As for selecting text over page boundaries, you can place your mouse cursor on a line of text on the page of the previous page, then go down to the next page. By doing so, you can select text for over one page.
Yes, but not in block mode (i.e. starting from an empty place). Again, inconsistency.


Quote:
Originally Posted by arthur
For select all option, our develoers might add this feature to the Pro version.
"might add this feature to the Pro version"?!?
It's not my place to tell you what you should or shouldn't add to your free version, but I cannot see too many people paying anything for a tool with so many issues with printing and selection.

OK, printing is hard to get rigth with so many types and options and drivers, and configurations and so on out there, but selection?
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