Making a selection from a drop-down list using the keyboard

[HarryT]

Is there a keyboard interface for selecting an item from a drop-down list in Calibre? Eg, if I type in the first few letters of a series name while editing metadata, and a drop-down appears with all the matching values, my natural reaction is to highlight the desired value in the list using the arrow keys, and then press <enter> to select it, but that doesn't work in Calibre - I end up with the letters I've typed in, not the selected value. Is there a way to select the highlighted value using the keyboard?

Thanks,

[theducks]

Originally Posted by HarryT

Is there a keyboard interface for selecting an item from a drop-down list in Calibre? Eg, if I type in the first few letters of a series name while editing metadata, and a drop-down appears with all the matching values, my natural reaction is to highlight the desired value in the list using the arrow keys, and then press <enter> to select it, but that doesn't work in Calibre - I end up with the letters I've typed in, not the selected value. Is there a way to select the highlighted value using the keyboard?

Thanks,

Harry
(on W7: Tags)

If I type the first letters:
Then use the arrows to highlight the selection:
Then hit Enter

It uses the selection

If I don,t arrow , no highlight

[HarryT]

That's exactly what I'm doing, duckie. Arrow keys to highlight the selection, enter to select it, but no joy. This is specifically in the series name field in the metadata editor. I'm running 32-bit Calibre on 64-bit Win7.

[kovidgoyal]

Selecting items with arrow keys and pressing enter is the intended usage model and it works for me.

[HarryT]

Hmmm, strange. I'll do some more experiments and get back to you.

Thanks!

[HarryT]

Sorry, I've identified what it is I'm actually doing now (I do it so automatically that I have to actually watch what my fingers are doing to find out ). I'm trying to select from the list using <tab>, not <enter>, because that's what works in most other Windows applications. You're right - using <enter> does work.

No chance of making <tab> work too, as a list selector, is there?

[theducks]

Originally Posted by HarryT

Sorry, I've identified what it is I'm actually doing now (I do it so automatically that I have to actually watch what my fingers are doing to find out ). I'm trying to select from the list using <tab>, not <enter>, because that's what works in most other Windows applications. You're right - using <enter> does work.

No chance of making <tab> work too, as a list selector, is there?

I think I do the Tab thing other places, I must have trained myself out of it in Calibre.

I use Tab to jump between fields on most forms.
Might be because I started using computers before MSDOS and before mice.

[HarryT]

Same here . Tab always used to be the standard key to move between fields.

[kovidgoyal]

https://github.com/kovidgoyal/calibr...432d5b7ee1d0bc

At least in calibre you can still use tab to jump between fields in a form.

[unboggling]

I'm still looking for the long shiny carriage return lever and listening for associated sound effects. To no avail. Early habits die hard.

[theducks]

Originally Posted by kovidgoyal

https://github.com/kovidgoyal/calibr...432d5b7ee1d0bc

At least in calibre you can still use tab to jump between fields in a form.

The only difference was tabbing of a highlight, completed the selection as well.

I can see issues that possibly need to be addressed:
Tag like,Authors: the first tab only accepts (and returns to the field), the second would move to the next field in the Tab-order
Single entry fields like Series would just accept and move to the next field

[HarryT]

Originally Posted by kovidgoyal

https://github.com/kovidgoyal/calibr...432d5b7ee1d0bc

At least in calibre you can still use tab to jump between fields in a form.

Thank you so much - you're a star .

[Terisa de morgan]

Thank you very much, I use to have the same problem

[BetterRed]

Originally Posted by kovidgoyal

https://github.com/kovidgoyal/calibr...432d5b7ee1d0bc

At least in calibre you can still use tab to jump between fields in a form.

Will this have any impact when editing in book list cells.

After entering initial char(s), I use Arrow keys to get to the desired item in list, then Enter to select it, then Tab to move to next cell and remain in edit mode (Enter at this point will put me into display mode). For me at least, the current implementation works perfectly in this scenario.

I raise it because I suspect not many users edit metadata in the booklist cells.

BR

[jackie_w]

Originally Posted by BetterRed

... I suspect not many users edit metadata in the booklist cells.

I must be one of the 'not many users' then