Re: lynx-dev non-sticky text inputs

[Heather Stern]

Klaus Weide wrote:
> On Wed, 28 Jul 1999, Heather wrote:
> 
> > Setting the "pop-open text fields" option would provide similar modality
> > to textfields.
> 
> There's nothing that pops open, and there shouldn't be - more like the
> visitor popping *in* into the field, rather than the other way...

The field becoming usable "popping open" -- or the visitor becoming capable
"popping in" -- no big difference except wording.

> > > >        MODAL           fields "sticky" - act like editor, not like lynx.
> > > >                        (pls make sure it's documented how to leave the 
> > > > field!)
> > > 
> > > I don't understand what this means.  "Act like an editor" - in which 
> > > respect?
> > 
> > Okay, let me describe by example.
> > [ ... ] 
> > Key to get in, and key to get out, must be assigned.  Enter is an okay 
> > choice for single lines, but terrible as exit key for textarea fields,
> > since it's pretty common to want to do a paragraph or two in those.  I'm
> > sure that's all been argued out on entirely different threads before.
> 
> Thanks for answering, I didn't realize that 'editor' is synonymous with
> 'vi' for you. :)

Well, it isn't really. In this case it's "whatever's built into lynx" 
analogous with Elm's +BUILTIN, but the vi description did help explain 
the modal nature, didn't it?

> > > >      >  F_TEXT_SUBMIT_TYPE  ?
> > > > 
> > > > Is this different from the submit button?
> > > 
> > > As an example, go to <http://www.freshmeat.net/>.  Move to the
> > > only input field, type "lynx" then enter.  "It submits", although
> > > there is no submit "button".
> > 
> > So this F_TEXT_SUBMIT_TYPE is used by lynx on a text field when there's
> > no submit-button. 
> 
> ... and if it's the only form field (with maybe some exceptions).
> 
> > What if this weenie's form has more than one text
> > field?
> 
> Then it needs a submit button or some other INPUT field that
> acts in that capacity, or lynx cannot submit it.
> 
> (Which weenie?)

weenie = the web author who assumes all browsers have auto-submit features.

Um, so it only works for sure if it's the modern (myopic) equivalent of 
searchable index pages.  Okay.

> > (this is all a sideline, though.  No particular relation to
> > pop-open text fields, except that they might also have to be submitters,
> > so that shouldn't get broken.)
> 
> Yes.
> 
> That means two ENTERs are necessary for submitting.
> 
> More reason to make 'current'+'activated' look obviously different
> from 'current', so a user won't accidentally submit because he assumes
> the next ENTER is a first ENTER when in fact it is the second ENTER.

I think it ought to be pretty clear if a field is hotlink color instead
of edit color, that something is going to happen when they hit ENTER.

Um, come to think of it, now I'm confused.  A text field can also have 
a default value.  So I would have to activate the field even though I don't 
want to edit it, to get into a mode where I can submit.  Yes?

How to tell if there's no colors?  That curly brace stuff that was suggested?
How about current/inactive text fields grow brackets?  People pretty much
know brackets go around hotlinked things by now.

* Heather