In XMLmind XML editor, when the Find function locates an expression, the
next line (below the expression) is typicall hidden behind the statusbar
(or what we should call it) at the bottom of the document window. Only
if the found expression is inside the current view, is one (typically)
able to see the line before and after the found expression.
This goes against elementary common usability expectations - and
implementations. For instance, in Apple’s rather simple, built-in
word/text processor, the TextEdit.app, if the found expression is
located on the ‘next page view’, then TextEdit.app will of course
browse to the next page **and** it will place the found expression in
the middle (vertically speaking) of the view. Thus the user gets to see
both the lines before and the lines after the found expression. In
short: The user gets to see the context of the finding.
TextEdit.app is not, in my view, 100% perfect: If the found expression
appears on the last line of the current view, then the view will simply
stay as is (as opposed to moving the line with the found expression to
the middle of the view), but at least it behaves decently most of the
time.
Not so in XMLmind XML editor: There the editor will simply jump to the
found expression, with the result that the next line is hidden behind
the statusbar/bottom bar. And this is an issue not only for the Find
text tool but also for the Find element tool.
I have mentioned this before - but perhaps from a slightly different
angle. I think you, Hussein, said something about replacing the Find
tool with a better tool. Anyway, I mention it again to went my
frustration and to keep the topic hot ... The current behavior is
especialy problematic in such documents as the localization file for the
XMLmind XML editor (and similar long and technical documents with
multiple short lines).
PS: in TextEdit.app, this behavior does not seem to be a feature of the
Find tool - it is rather linked to the way page views operates. For
instance, if you have a document that fills 2-3 page views, and if you,
while in the first page, start to type on the last line of the current
view, then - as soon as the typing brings you to a new line,
TextEdit.app will not simply let you see the next line - but will,
instead move the current line to the middle of the page view. I mention
this because it indicates that fixing the problems does, in principle,
not need to be linked to the Find tool.
--
leif halvard silli
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