GNOME Bugzilla – Bug 760521
Ambiguity between "highlighted" and "selected"
Last modified: 2021-05-19 12:28:13 UTC
On switching to a message folder, the previously selected message in that folder is highlighted, however the message is not in fact selected until the user clicks on it, so that hitting an arrow key will jump to the next folder in lexical order, not to the next message. However hitting Reply *will* bring up the composer on the highlighted message. The situation changes once the user clicks on the message because now it is really and truly selected, but there is no visual change to indicate this. The potential confusion should be resolved either by making a visual distinction or by defining the highlighted message to be selected whenever it is highlighted.
On the two possible solutions posted above: personally, I would prefer to have the highlighted message selected, because I usually use the arrow keys to move between messages rather than between folders. Maybe this is the more frequent behaviour for the average user, too.
I agree, that's my own preference too, but let's see what other people think. I also never switch folders by typing the initial letter, but some people may do so.
Thanks for a bug report. The color in the message list changes for me when I focus out of it. Theme depended, but anyway, when the message list is focused, the selected background is blue; when it is not focused, the selected color is gray. The problem is that the folder tree doesn't change the background color of the selected folder when the folder tree doesn't have focus. It is not evolution's decision, it's decision of Gtk+ developers. This is done in a GtkTreeView, see bug #514359, currently resolved as NotABug. One option for the evolution would be to switch focus back to the message list when user changes folder in the folder tree. I can imagine other users will claim it a wrong behaviour, because they won't be able to change folders using keyboard. I think the right resolution for this will be to set is as a duplicate of the Gtk bug. I do not think I am able (or even willing to manage any code) to persuade the GtkTreeView widget to use proper selection colors when it is focused and when it is not focused from within the Evolution.
(In reply to Milan Crha from comment #3) > Thanks for a bug report. The color in the message list changes for me when I > focus out of it. Theme depended, but anyway, when the message list is > focused, the selected background is blue; when it is not focused, the > selected color is gray. > > The problem is that the folder tree doesn't change the background color of > the selected folder when the folder tree doesn't have focus. It is not > evolution's decision, it's decision of Gtk+ developers. This is done in a > GtkTreeView, see bug #514359, currently resolved as NotABug. > > One option for the evolution would be to switch focus back to the message > list when user changes folder in the folder tree. I can imagine other users > will claim it a wrong behaviour, because they won't be able to change > folders using keyboard. This is the solution I would prefer. It resolves the visual ambiguity and in my case makes no functional difference since I never (literally *never*) use keyboard navigation between folders. In fact it appears that the only real issue is with the arrow keys, whose function is overloaded between the two situations (folders versus messages). If that could be resolved by using different shortcuts for the two cases (e.g. up and down arrows between messages, left and right arrows between folders), the problem would go away.
(In reply to Milan Crha from comment #3) > One option for the evolution would be to switch focus back to the message > list when user changes folder in the folder tree. I can imagine other users > will claim it a wrong behaviour, because they won't be able to change > folders using keyboard. I agree with Milan, I would preserve the ability to change folders using keyboard for those who may prefer using it: would it be a good idea to have an option to "switch focus back to the message list when user changes folder in the folder tree" (set in the preferences or hidden in gconf with default to "no", to preserve the old behaviour)? Would it be easy to implement? (In reply to Patrick OCallaghan from comment #4) > > One option for the evolution would be to switch focus back to the message > > list when user changes folder in the folder tree. > This is the solution I would prefer. It resolves the visual ambiguity and in > my case makes no functional difference since I never (literally *never*) use > keyboard navigation between folders. In fact it appears that the only real > issue is with the arrow keys, whose function is overloaded between the two > situations (folders versus messages). If that could be resolved by using > different shortcuts for the two cases (e.g. up and down arrows between > messages, left and right arrows between folders), the problem would go away. Yes, but left and right arrows (and maybe other keys) seem to be already assigned and (maybe) difficult to change, if I understand correctly https://bugzilla.gnome.org/show_bug.cgi?id=105895. A configurable option would instead meet all users' preferences and (perhaps) be easier to implement.
Adding an option to "switch focus to message list when choosing folder" is not that hard, neither the functionality behind it, but it's another option. What about this (if I want to confuse users, then it a grand way): if the folder tree had been clicked by a mouse, and it received the focus and the chosen folder was different than the one previously set then change the folder and move focus back to the message list That way, if user clicks on an account name, or the same folder which is selected, then he/she will still be able to use keyboard to navigate between folders. By the way, are you aware of Ctrl+G? It doesn't focus message list, but it would make more sense there, I think.
(In reply to Milan Crha from comment #6) > Adding an option to "switch focus to message list when choosing folder" is > not that hard, neither the functionality behind it, but it's another option. I understand that the more options you make available, the more complex is their handling by the user... but I think that hiding the option in gconf would avoid the problem > What about this (if I want to confuse users, then it a grand way): > if the folder tree had been clicked by a mouse, > and it received the focus > and the chosen folder was different than the one previously set > then change the folder and move focus back to the message list > > That way, if user clicks on an account name, or the same folder which is > selected, then he/she will still be able to use keyboard to navigate between > folders. that's ok for me, as it would give me the behaviour that I prefer, but honestly I don't know if any user would complain about e.g. the missing feature to use the arrow key after clicking on a not-previously-selected folder. Anyway, I think it should be well documented, because otherwise it would be not so easy to understand :-) > By the way, are you aware of Ctrl+G? It doesn't focus message list, but it > would make more sense there, I think. Sorry I don't understand this. Ctrl+G does nothing to me (evo 3.16.0, too old?), and https://projects-old.gnome.org/evolution/keys.shtml (first result googling for "gnome evolution keyboard shortcuts") relates Ctrl+G to Calendar only...
(In reply to Andrea Vai from comment #7) > > By the way, are you aware of Ctrl+G? It doesn't focus message list, but it > > would make more sense there, I think. > Sorry I don't understand this. Ctrl+G does nothing to me (evo 3.16.0, too > old?), and https://projects-old.gnome.org/evolution/keys.shtml (first result > googling for "gnome evolution keyboard shortcuts") relates Ctrl+G to > Calendar only... 3.16.0? It's ancient :) Ctrl+G opens a dialog to change the folder in the Mail view. Since 3.18.0 (bug #263592).
(In reply to Milan Crha from comment #8) > (In reply to Andrea Vai from comment #7) > > > By the way, are you aware of Ctrl+G? It doesn't focus message list, but it > > > would make more sense there, I think. > > Sorry I don't understand this. Ctrl+G does nothing to me (evo 3.16.0, too > > old?), and https://projects-old.gnome.org/evolution/keys.shtml (first result > > googling for "gnome evolution keyboard shortcuts") relates Ctrl+G to > > Calendar only... > > 3.16.0? It's ancient :) Ctrl+G opens a dialog to change the folder in the > Mail view. Since 3.18.0 (bug #263592). I didn't know about Ctrl-G either. I wonder how many people realise this? If there's already a way to get folder navigation using Ctrl-G, that would strengthen the argument for leaving the arrows only for the message pane.
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