Hi Lyxers,
Please ignore if already received - I had error messages earlier.
this is NOT a bug report, but rather an ease-of-use request, from
a very great fan of the Lyx idea and current implementation.
I LIKE Lyx, its a great program, but I think there ARE a few problems
left in the ease of use area. In particular, the key bindings tend
to be a very complex and steep learning curve - which does slow
down the use of the program.
I have one minor suggestion - to make keyboard entry simpler, why
not have the convention that there is JUST ONE KEY that `END's the
current environment, and hence puts you either:
a) into the NEXT instance of that environment - as in sections,
etc,
so you would just start typing the next heading without
having to do anything to the mouse or menu - OR
b) if the environment has no natural sequence it falls into,
(OR IF YOU HIT THE `END' KEY TWICE IN CASE (a) )-
into the environment ONE above, in the nesting sequence.
I would suggest that (for example) a Shift-Return could be used for
this. Otherwise, a normal return simply keeps you in the same
environment,
but gives you the next paragraph or line of that environment; note, this
does not always happen currently!
I guess the level of nesting could be indicated in the control bar, as
well.
This would mean that, in typing a list, you always stay at the same
level
of nesting when you use a normal return key; to change the level to the
next one up, you hit shift-return - (or escape), or something SIMPLER
than
the current system of meta-keys.
If you hit the `END' key, in the middle of an environment, it should
split
it into half, always giving you two instances of the one environment -
and in cases of type (b), putting you into the next environment above,
so
you can add text between the instances.
I'm a great believer in using one standardised convention for ease of
learning.
Does this make sense to any other Lyx users? What I mean is, the natural
way to treat an environment is in terms of its RELATIVE position with
regard
to the nesting sequence it is in.
yours, Peter Drummond.
--
Physics Department, University of Queensland, St Lucia 4072,
Queensland, Australia. Tel:+61-7-3365-3404 Fax:+61-7-3365-1242
[EMAIL PROTECTED]
http://www.physics.uq.edu.au:8001/people/drummond/drummond.html
