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new number pad?
https://www.calcudoku.org/forum/viewtopic.php?f=5&t=724
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Author:  jaek  [ Thu Sep 17, 2015 5:35 am ]
Post subject:  Re: new number pad?

On the whole I liked the new number pad. There are some things that are just vagaries of a different interface, neither better nor worse, but that would just need to be adjusted to. But in general I think it is an improvement. All this feedback is for an Android phone, btw.

- On the -3 to 3, 7x7 bonus puzzle, the number pad shows 1 to 7 even though it renders the numbers -3 to 3. So it's offset by 4.
- As nailhouse pointed out, when in pencil mode, there are 2 'X' on the number pad, one to switch from pencil to to regular mode and one to collapse the number pad. Would 'Pencil: on' and 'Pencil: off' be too cumbersome?
- On larger puzzles when the cell size is small, penciled guesses in the far right column will 'bleed over' the numbers of the number pad so that, for instance, if the far top right cell has penciled guesses, then trying to enter a '1' anywhere in the puzzle could too easily result in focus being placed on that far top right cell instead. Maybe a picture would help. http://imgur.com/7hIoKYQ

How weird would it be to have the number pad appear on the left-hand side? It seems counterintuitive, but it would solve that overlap problem

Author:  beaker  [ Thu Sep 17, 2015 10:02 am ]
Post subject:  Re: new number pad?

Number pad on right would probably make it easier for right handed users and the left side would be the same for left handed users.......personally, I never use the pencil feature, I only use the bold for a number/cell for which I am unsure.....but I do like having the numbers in a linear sequence and in one place during the puzzle solving as the number pad no longer overlays the puzzle [smile]

Author:  pnm  [ Thu Sep 17, 2015 11:32 am ]
Post subject:  Re: new number pad?

Thanks for all the feedback via forum / email / private message [drool]

So far, this is on the list:

v - change 'Bold on/off' to 'Bold' (question: should the Bold button also be a toggle, like 'Pencil' ?)
v - gaps appear at cell corners when number pad is opened
v - pressing 'Bold' empties any guesses in the cell
v - when Pencil mode is on, the button shows an 'X', should probably just be 'Pencil' still with green background
v - for -3 ... 3 puzzles (and puzzles from zero), the button number range is incorrect
v - add checkmark when Pencil mode is on
- for large puzzles (12x12) the guesses on the right hand side can spill into the number pad (make pad switchable to the left?)
v - for Sudoku and Killer: explanation box should disappear/become smaller when number pad is opened
v - for Killer: number buttons are too small
v - no-op puzzles need extra operator buttons
v - check puzzle + pad spacing when ads are shown
v - number pad should disappear when printing
- add hover and "press" effects

Ok time to get busy [scared]

Edit: marking the items that have been done with a bold v

Author:  bestbigsis  [ Thu Sep 17, 2015 10:47 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: new number pad?

Happy to test. I've noticed this morning that the pencil/x option always shows pencil, but does toggle between the entered number and the (small) number options. Hard to know which mode you are in till you overwrite the options. Will be a bit challenging when doing the larger puzzles!

Author:  beaker  [ Thu Sep 17, 2015 11:07 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: new number pad?

For -3...+3 and zero puzzles, it is not hard to figure out where they are hidden in the sequence of numbers.

Author:  pnm  [ Fri Sep 18, 2015 11:00 am ]
Post subject:  Re: new number pad?

bestbigsis wrote:
Happy to test. I've noticed this morning that the pencil/x option always shows pencil, but does toggle between the entered number and the (small) number options.

Yes, I changed it so it only switched the colour of the button.

Will add some more visual feedback (like a checkmark).

Edit: bestbigsis, I added you to the list of testers, you should be seeing the new number pad now :)

Author:  peteski  [ Fri Sep 18, 2015 6:19 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: new number pad?

pnm wrote:
bestbigsis wrote:
Happy to test. I've noticed this morning that the pencil/x option always shows pencil, but does toggle between the entered number and the (small) number options.

Yes, I changed it so it only switched the colour of the button.

Will add some more visual feedback (like a checkmark).

Edit: bestbigsis, I added you to the list of testers, you should be seeing the new number pad now :)


The color switches but doesn't remain that color so it can be confusing.

Author:  jaek  [ Sun Sep 20, 2015 5:23 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: new number pad?

pnm wrote:
v - change 'Bold on/off' to 'Bold' (question: should the Bold button also be a toggle, like 'Pencil' ?)

I vote no.
pnm wrote:
- for large puzzles (12x12) the guesses on the right hand side can spill into the number pad (make pad switchable to the left?)

On further review I think it is a matter of cell size rather than actual puzzle size. I can force the overlap on a 4x4 puzzle by adjusting the cell size.
pnm wrote:
v - no-op puzzles need extra operator buttons

I found that having three columns - numbers; 'clear', 'undo', 'bold', etc; operators - the number keys become very narrow. What about having the operator buttons at the bottom of the number pad? What about padding the number keys abit so they preserve some extra width. Fwiw, this is probably just a phone thing.

Author:  pnm  [ Mon Sep 21, 2015 11:48 am ]
Post subject:  Re: new number pad?

jaek wrote:
I found that having three columns - numbers; 'clear', 'undo', 'bold', etc; operators - the number keys become very narrow. What about having the operator buttons at the bottom of the number pad? What about padding the number keys abit so they preserve some extra width. Fwiw, this is probably just a phone thing.

I think the padding is a good idea. Others wrote of a similar issue with the twin puzzles.

The new todo list:

v - add "auto appear" of number pad to account settings (or maybe just remember previous setting in a cookie)
v - check spacing for 6x6 (and larger) twins, maybe move number pad to below the puzzle
- maybe move operator buttons (for no-op puzzles) to below the puzzle

unrelated, but still todo:

- check and fix visual feedback of the yellow "Last saved at:" box

Author:  pnm  [ Mon Sep 21, 2015 3:06 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: new number pad?

Ok, the new number pad has been enabled for all now.

So cue the messages: "I liked the old one better!" [scared] [lol]

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