Problems with input mode drop down menu
The latest version of MU4 seems to have developed problems with the input mode menu - the thing which has the pencil icon at the top left of the score.
Previously it used to show several options, but now they seem to have disappeared.
I wondered if this was because I'd tried one of the nightly beta versions, but I get the same effect on several scores even if I open them explicitly in my latest stable version.
Comments
Right click on the pencil.
In reply to Right click on the pencil. by bobjp
Thanks - works.
Is that a change or just something I couldn't remember?
There doesn't seem to be much point in requiring a right click.
Behaviour in that area doesn't seem to have an obviously useful pattern.
Maybe it's a "safety" feature to make sure that users don't get into unexpected modes - with the side effect of making it harder when they really want to use extended options.
In reply to Thanks - works. Is that a… by dave2020X
The Handbook says press and hold Note Input button (the Pencil icon).
Seems odd that now we must press and hold the pencil icon (or right-click it) to select the various modes of Note Input.
@dave2020X wrote > Maybe it's a "safety" feature to ensure that users don't get into unexpected modes - with the side effect of making it harder when they really want to use extended options.
Indeed, perhaps a safety feature ... and the new "feature" brings a questionable lack of discoverability to the fore.
In reply to The Handbook says press and… by scorster
I wonder what the little black triangle in the bottom right hand corner of the pencil button is for. Elsewhere clicking on such a triangle reveals a drop down, but not here - unless you press and hold or right click (just like anywhere else on the icon).
In reply to I wonder what the little… by SteveBlower
@SteveBlower Good point about the arrow in the corner of the Note Input menu icon—it suggests "all's normal here."
Maybe a Note Input icon with a lock would give the user a fighting chance ... assisted by a tooltip that explains that holding is required, and why.
Or revert the behavior to the way it was previously.
The 3.x Button menu made everything obvious: the larger left portion toggled Note Input ON/OFF; the narrow right side provided more obvious access to the dropdown.
From what is MuseScore protecting us? Have an overwhelming number of users accidentally opened the Note Input menu when trying to click the 64th note icon and then collectively and successfully petitioned for the change?
In reply to @SteveBlower Good point… by scorster
"From what is MuseScore protecting us"
I seem to remember that it was to stop users from using the Insert input mode too easily, which was quite often misunderstood and used indiscriminately. There were a lot of messages to that effect. The long press on a small triangle was an attempt to respond. I confess I hadn't noticed that a right-click gave access to this list of input modes (which is perhaps less intuitive?)
That said, in V4, a shortcut was created by default (Ctrl + I) to switch from Insert mode to the default input mode. And believe or not, I see now messages from users who have switched to Insert mode without understanding why or how...!
As Ctrl + I is such an easy shortcut and so similar to Ctrl + L (lyrics), it's easy to type next to the desired target...
In reply to "From what is MuseScore… by cadiz1
@cadiz1 wrote >
I seem to remember that it was to stop users from using the Insert input mode too easily... There were a lot of messages to that effect. The long press on a small triangle was an attempt to respond. I confess I hadn't noticed that a right-click gave access to this list of input modes (which is perhaps less intuitive?)
Thanks for the historical perspective.
That said, in V4, a shortcut was created by default (Ctrl + I) to switch from Insert mode to the default input mode. And believe or not, I see now messages from users who have switched to Insert mode without understanding why or how...!
So the new road led to new issues.
Selecting the arrow in the lower right works. But you have to hit it just right. Possibly just above it.
Not a concern for me. I just do what I need to to get what I want.