Dear Michael,
Thank you for CellWriter.
I've installed it on Unbuntu (as per https://github.com/risujin/cellwriter/wiki/Install-on-Ubuntu-18.04).
Situation
- With default configuration, start CellWriter. By default, it shows always on top (right click at its window bar > 'Always on Top' was checked already).
- Switch to 'Keys'.
- Open Setup. Note that 'Setup' window shows up in the top half of the screen.
- In Setup > Window docking > change to 'Top.' That altogether brings a problem:
On-screen keyboard becomes large. There are no controls to hide it or switch docking back to 'disabled'. Even worse, on a medium laptop screen it completely (or almost completely) hides the Setup window. Hence the user can't click back at the Setup window to change the docking to 'disabled.' I was lucky that Setup window bottom showed up a few pixels below on-screen keyboard and I could switch back.
Additionally, on-screen keyboard doesn't show up in the list of running applications. (Neither it shows up in hand-writing mode). Only Setup window does, but not the keyboard/handwriting window itself. Therefore Alt+TAB or 'GNOME Activities' menu can't "switch" out of it. It can't switch to it either, hence standard shortcuts like Alt+F4 can't shut it down. If a user has unsaved documents in applications, even if she or he knows keyboard shortcuts to save (such as Ctrl+S) and to quite safely (Alt+F4), she or he can't easily save them, because on-screen keyboard prevents her from seeing where to save (directory selection). Very upsetting.
Possible fixes, in order of usability
- Make on-screen window (docked or undocked) have a minimize button, even if Always on Top (if possible).
** Even better: Not a standard minimize button, but its own minimize/restore toggle button, which would switch it between standard size and a small icon/button.
*** If "minimized" into an icon/button, allow the user to move the icon/button. Remember the position and apply it at the subsequent restore/minimize cycle.
- Have larger versions of undocked on-screen keyboard, so that it works with touchscreens, too.
Dear Michael,
Thank you for CellWriter.
I've installed it on Unbuntu (as per https://github.com/risujin/cellwriter/wiki/Install-on-Ubuntu-18.04).
Situation
On-screen keyboard becomes large. There are no controls to hide it or switch docking back to 'disabled'. Even worse, on a medium laptop screen it completely (or almost completely) hides the Setup window. Hence the user can't click back at the Setup window to change the docking to 'disabled.' I was lucky that Setup window bottom showed up a few pixels below on-screen keyboard and I could switch back.
Additionally, on-screen keyboard doesn't show up in the list of running applications. (Neither it shows up in hand-writing mode). Only Setup window does, but not the keyboard/handwriting window itself. Therefore Alt+TAB or 'GNOME Activities' menu can't "switch" out of it. It can't switch to it either, hence standard shortcuts like Alt+F4 can't shut it down. If a user has unsaved documents in applications, even if she or he knows keyboard shortcuts to save (such as Ctrl+S) and to quite safely (Alt+F4), she or he can't easily save them, because on-screen keyboard prevents her from seeing where to save (directory selection). Very upsetting.
Possible fixes, in order of usability
** Even better: Not a standard minimize button, but its own minimize/restore toggle button, which would switch it between standard size and a small icon/button.
*** If "minimized" into an icon/button, allow the user to move the icon/button. Remember the position and apply it at the subsequent restore/minimize cycle.