Some thoughts on the next version

[Subsim]

I use CSH a lot. I keep a lot of code and html, signatures and often used verbiage, and info in clips. I use it store password hints, and account emails and urls. I go and copy parts of CSH clips and paste into webpages, and visa versa. There a are a few major issues I have with CSH:

When I select a clip,  and highlight then ctrl-c a piece of the clip to place into a webpage or form, the CSH interface instantly shifts to some other, unrelated clip. I am no longer in the selected clip, and I have to find it and re-orient myself. What I would like to see is, when I highlight and copy, the interface stays the same, nothing happens. I am still in the selected clip, and my highlighted text is still highlighted.

Same when I have copied a bit of code or text from outside of CSH, and I go and select a clip and I want to paste it into the CHS clip. I should see the pasted text, in the selected clip, with not shifting and changing of the interface.

When I select a portion of a clip, I would like to be able to right click and get the copy paste menu, as with all the other Windows programs.

Also, when I go to a Group, it should have the windows vertical scroll bar at the top. As it works now, when I change groups, the scroll bar is at the bottom, even though I have the clips ordered. CSH is the only window or program where the scroll bar starts at the bottom.

The sub Groups: the clips in the sub groups are also in the parent group. I don't see why, I want the clips separate. I have sub groups under parent groups because they are related, but I don't want all the sub groups clips also duplicated in the parent group.

And I still cannot delete a selected clip. Never have been able to.

This is a terrific program, and I support your work.  I hope you can find time to add these improvements into the next version.

cheers
Neal

[IainB]

Yes, I would echo SOME of the above, but the way CHS seems to work at present is as a CIM (Clipboard Information manager), whereas I would rather be able to use use it as a CIM with integrated PIM (Personal Information manager) functionality, and the requirements for the two would not necessarily be one and the same.
Bearing in mind that @mouser has indicated that CHS was originally intended/designed as a PIM, but got reduced to being a CIM, I don't really expect my requirements to be met.

[Subsim]

Thanks for the input.    Right now, CHS works very well as a PIM at the level I need it, except for the funky behaviors listed above. I would certainly make an additional donation for an upgrade, I believe in rewarding work.

[mouser]

When I select a clip,  and highlight then ctrl-c a piece of the clip to place into a webpage or form, the CSH interface instantly shifts to some other, unrelated clip. I am no longer in the selected clip, and I have to find it and re-orient myself

ok that's a bug -- it's trying to switch to the NEW CLIP created by your ctrl+C, but im guessing you arent in the "NEW" group so it is getting confused. I will fix bug so that it doesnt change clips when you CTRL+C from within the program.

[mouser]

Also, when I go to a Group, it should have the windows vertical scroll bar at the top. As it works now, when I change groups, the scroll bar is at the bottom, even though I have the clips ordered. CSH is the only window or program where the scroll bar starts at the bottom.

-Subsim (November 15, 2015, 10:00 PM)

I can add an option for that.

Actually this is already an option, uncheck this:




IN FACT -- IF YOU UNCHECK THAT, DOES IT FIX THE PROBLEM WITH IT SWITCHING CLIPS WHEN YOU CTRL+C?

[Subsim]

Yes sir, I am usually working in a different group than New.

Edit: considering the issue I stated with sub groups, if that is a lot of work, I have a work around; that is, I don't use subgroups, I just add more Groups, and think of them as "subgroups".

[mouser]

The sub Groups: the clips in the sub groups are also in the parent group. I don't see why, I want the clips separate. I have sub groups under parent groups because they are related, but I don't want all the sub groups clips also duplicated in the parent group.

-Subsim (November 15, 2015, 10:00 PM)

This is by design -- and you'll notice the clips are colored differently based on whether they are in parent or child; the design idea was that clips should only be in leaf children, and that this would be a nice way of being able to filter/search/browse clips under a certain level of the hierarchy.  I can consider making this an option though.

[mouser]

And I still cannot delete a selected clip. Never have been able to.

-Subsim (November 15, 2015, 10:00 PM)

this surprises me -- can you tell me how you are trying to delete a clip and what happens?
can you experiment a bit and see if its really the case that you cant delete any clips or maybe it's just certain clips in certain circumstances?

[IainB]

When I select a clip,  and highlight then ctrl-c a piece of the clip to place into a webpage or form, the CSH interface instantly shifts to some other, unrelated clip. I am no longer in the selected clip, and I have to find it and re-orient myself

ok that's a bug -- it's trying to switch to the NEW CLIP created by your ctrl+C, but im guessing you arent in the "NEW" group so it is getting confused. I will fix bug so that it doesnt change clips when you CTRL+C from within the program.
______________________________

-mouser (November 16, 2015, 09:16 AM)

Thanks.      I had previously thought that was "normal" behaviour by design.

[mouser]

see my new note above about disabling that option about scrolling to bottom of clip group -- if you uncheck that does it solve the issue with Ctrl+C trying to jump to a new clip?

[IainB]

IN FACT -- IF YOU UNCHECK THAT, DOES IT FIX THE PROBLEM WITH IT SWITCHING CLIPS WHEN YOU CTRL+C?

-mouser (November 16, 2015, 09:19 AM)

Yes it does!   

[Subsim]

I can add an option for that.

Actually this is already an option, uncheck this:

-mouser (November 16, 2015, 09:19 AM)

Oh, outstanding, I should have seen that. 

This is by design -- and you'll notice the clips are colored differently based on whether they are in parent or child; the design idea was that clips should only be in leaf children, and that this would be a nice way of being able to filter/search/browse clips under a certain level of the hierarchy.  I can consider making this an option though.

I may be missing another setting, but where are clips differnet colors? All mine seem to be black text, white background.... I see under Options/Custom Appearance "Grid Child Row" but when I change that color, all clips, Parent and Child seem to take on the new color.

this surprises me -- can you tell me how you are trying to delete a clip and what happens?
can you experiment a bit and see if its really the case that you cant delete any clips or maybe it's just certain clips in certain circumstances?

Yeah, my work around for the last 2 years is, since I cannot delete a clip, to empty the contents and reuse it.     But I have been puzzled why I cannot delete.
When I try to delete a clip, I click on the clip, part of it is highlighted, and I click on the icon with the red X, "delete selected clip(s)"

But nothing happens. I also try using Edit, Deleted Selected Clip.

[mouser]

That is bizarre regarding the inability to delete.  anyone else have this problem?
If you go in the Recycle bin and its children, do you see any clips there?

If you right-click on recycle bin group and empty recyle bin group, anything happen to the clips you tried to delete?

[Subsim]

see my new note above about disabling that option about scrolling to bottom of clip group -- if you uncheck that does it solve the issue with Ctrl+C trying to jump to a new clip?

-mouser (November 16, 2015, 09:36 AM)

No sir, does not fix that for me. When I ctrl-C in a clip, it jumps to another clip.

I am using 2.32.

That scroll bar does keep the scroll bar at the top, though. 


Edit: yes, I do see clips in the Recycle Folder, 527 rows. Cannot delete from there either...

[mouser]

Edit: yes, I do see clips in the Recycle Folder

-Subsim (November 16, 2015, 09:47 AM)

well then some clips are being deleted..

[mouser]

An idea.. can you try downloading the PORTABLE version of chs, and exit normal version and run portable version (it should use a new empty database), and see if you can delete clips from there.  Assuming so we can try to figure out why your real installation isn't.

[Subsim]

I did right click the Recycle bin and emptied, and it did make them go away. Tried making a test clip in a normal group and deleted selected clip, still not deleting.

I will try that, with the portable version.


While I am installing the portable version and testing, let me add, the colors of child clips may be affected by my changes in Options/Custom Appearance/ Customize Main Fonts, I will play with that and see.

[IainB]

Note that I have updated my first comment above to read:

Yes, I would echo SOME of the above,...
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-IainB (November 16, 2015, 05:12 AM)

I don't have an issue with CHS for a lot of what the writer states - e,g,, I don't require a right-click menu when editing a clip, though I sometimes find that I would like an "Undo" history (Ctrl-Z) when wanting to backout edits in a clip, but for my priorities that's just a "C" priority ("Nice to have") thing, rather than an "A" ("Must have") or even a "B" ("Highly desirable").

[IainB]

@mouser - by the way, there is still this: User Requirements for CHS

It could be used to save repetition by different/new CHS users. I put quite a bit of effort into that. Have not updated it in ages as no-one seemed interested. I think I left it as public and editable.

[mouser]

Wow I did not remember that! I need to spend some time going through it..

[Subsim]

ok, exited the regular version, installed portable version. Clean database. Made a clip in Clipboard, and yes, it deleted it. Gone.

Made a new group, added three clips, and no, cannot delete every time.      I can right click the group and Delete All clips in this group, and they go....

Again, like Ian said, this is not a priority A for me, because I simply re-use clips instead of deleting them that's ok. If you cannot replicate the issue, don't worry about it, I can love with it.

The Cntrl+C jumping is the Priority A issue for me. I unchecked the scroll bar setting, but I still see the interface jump to a different clip when I ctrl+C in a clip....

Edit: I am testing regular version again for Ctrl+C, getting different outcomes depending on which Groups I use.

In some Groups, I select a clip and copy a portion of the text in the clip, and it does not jump to another clip.

In other Groups, maybe they have more clips, I still see the jumping.... strange

[mouser]

because I simply re-use clips instead of deleting them that's ok. If you cannot replicate the issue, don't worry about it, I can love with it.

-Subsim (November 16, 2015, 10:26 AM)

well i can't -- it's not acceptable for clips to not delete.. are you doing anything odd when you are creating new groups?

i may have to make you a debug version of the program to see if we can track down the problem.. any error message in the statusbar when you try to delete?

can you try this? empty your CHS recycle bin, then delete a clip that fails to delete, and look in recycle bin -- is it there?

[Subsim]

Ok, tried Emptying the Recycle bin, it's still empty

Deleted selected clip,

clip not deleted from the group, and not in the bin

[mouser]

Just focusing on the deletion issue in the new portable install -- do you see any rhyme or reason to the deletion problems?

Anyone else experiencing deletion problems?

SubSim, can you email me ([email protected]), i'd like to get you a debug version to track down the nature of this deletion bug.

[Subsim]

done