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Bug 30532

Summary: Usability of "Step with filters" button
Product: [Eclipse Project] Platform Reporter: Nick Edgar <n.a.edgar>
Component: DebugAssignee: Platform-Debug-Inbox <platform-debug-inbox>
Status: CLOSED WONTFIX QA Contact:
Severity: normal    
Priority: P3 Keywords: usability
Version: 2.1   
Target Milestone: ---   
Hardware: PC   
OS: other   
Whiteboard:

Description Nick Edgar CLA 2003-01-29 14:18:24 EST 
build I20030115

I find that the new "Step with filters" button noticeably decreases the 
usability of the step buttons.  I think the reason has to do with their 
placement relative to the separators.  When there were three buttons, with 
separators to their left and right, I could use the separators as positional 
aids.  Step Into was next to the separator at left, Step Return was next to the 
separator at right, and Step Over was in the middle.
Now I find myself having to think more about where my mouse is placed: is it 
over Step with filters, or Step Into?

This may be partly due to just having to habituate to a UI change, but I think 
there's a deeper usability issue here.  I know when we've done menu 
reorganizations, it has been very helpful to put the most used commands either 
before or after a separator, and not in the middle of other items.

I recommend choosing which one of Step Into and Step with Filters is more 
common, and removing the other one from the toolbar.
Comment 1 Darin Wright CLA 2003-01-29 14:53:20 EST 
The button has been added to make the use of filters more prominent/simpler 
(which it does). As well, the idea of "stepping with filters" has be moved to 
the debug platform. I agree the placement of the action is not ideal. However, 
we do not want to hide this button. I propose adding a seperator after 
the "over, into, return" actions, and placing the "step with filters" button in 
its own group.

[As well, this action was requested to be made generic in the debug platform by 
the WSAD team that uses this function often].
Comment 2 Nick Edgar CLA 2003-01-29 15:00:03 EST 
I'm not sure moving it and adding another separator would be the best answer.
Let me play around with it a bit more to see if I can think of any better 
suggestions.
Comment 3 Darin Wright CLA 2003-02-06 09:22:36 EST 
No changes planned for 2.1 (Are you getting used to it yet?)
Comment 4 Nick Edgar CLA 2003-02-06 09:51:15 EST 
Kind of.  I tend to use the accelerators if I need to use them more than a few 
times in a row anyway.  It's still niggling, but I'm sure we have more 
important issues to focus on.
Comment 5 Darin Wright CLA 2004-06-23 14:18:54 EDT 
Step with filters is now a toggle displayed after a seperator.
Comment 6 Denis Roy CLA 2009-08-30 02:18:02 EDT 
As of now 'LATER' and 'REMIND' resolutions are no longer supported.
Please reopen this bug if it is still valid for you.