While I was reading this topic: http://forum.simutrans.com/index.php?topic=11234.0 (http://forum.simutrans.com/index.php?topic=11234.0), I remembered a feature that I found in a another program and it could be of some use in Simutrans:
If you left-click a button, it will activate a tool, as usual.
If you right-click the same button, it will open a small window next to the button showing some additional info about the tool and, if there is any, its settings.
In Simutrans this small window would have the info that wouldn't fit in those very tiny tooltips or even in the button itself, such as:
- Short description
- Categories: Type of transport, type of freight
- Properties
- Costs
- a help button
- Author/painter (if desired)
- Settings (if there is any, as in signals)
I think the good point of it is the consistency: if I can do it on a button, I would do it on any other to learn about the button and to configure it.
IgorEliezer
Your idea make problem then the user they have a mouse with only on Button. ???
Ctrl+click? ;)
Ctrl click would be an alternative, especially considering that e.g. signals and sliced underground view buttons have already a ctrl+click behavior, which could be merged with proposed dialog.
More generally, Simutrans could let you configure 5 mouse behaviors
Left click & drag
Right click & drag
Middle click & drag
Ctrl + click & drag
Shift + click & drag
And associate them to actions.
E.g. I could replace right drag with middle drag to navigate the map (as many programs have as a standard) and use right click instead of ctrl+click.
On the PC platform, three mouse buttons seem to have become fairly standard for external mice, but laptops still often have just two buttons. Other platforms might have even less. How are those supposed to work?
Eh, to be honest, I don't mind much about how this mini window could be opened, if by mouse clicks or keys or whatever. I'd like to focus on a way to show more info about the tools without clogging up the tooltips and the buttons. I proposed the right-click for being more intuitive.
Platform issues could be addressed by being able to map a given mouse button as modifier + left button and the other way around as I suggested above.
We just need to make sure not to rely on more "mouse behaviors" than the lowest amount available on the supported platforms (or potentially supported platforms). I don't have experience with non-PC platforms, so I don't know what that number would be. Perhaps as low as 3 ways to click and 3 ways to drag, maybe even lower.
or maybe let the user (easily) bind it themselves?
I know it's possible for the user, or even pakset designer to change it themselves, but it's far from user friendly.
alternatively, a mouse-over query, like mouse-over convoy tooltips, may be better?
I am rather not understanding what to show at all, Currently only the signal and the station extension coomand has an additional dialoge. All other relevant properties are in the tooltip. ANd the waytype is evident from the toolbar you just opened.
I could understand a request to allow the right mousebutton to open the tool with settings, if there are any, instead of relying on control.