Index Select Operator doesn't let you type "max"

[JustinPrivitera]

You're not allowed to type max once you've deleted it. You can only type numbers. To get max back, you click reset. Then you lose all your progress.

VisIt3.4.2.

[brugger1]

If you enter "-1" and hit tab or return you get max back. What? isn't that obvious? 🤣

[JustinPrivitera]

Thanks Eric! That is good to know. But yes, not obvious. I am in favor of some kind of change, either a note in the window itself or allowing users to write letters and dealing with the consequences.

[biagas]

max is specialValueText for the QSpinBox used by IndexSelect. Since the values in the spin box are integers, one cannot type max. One can get there by using the down arrow, or as @brugger1 suggested, by entering the minimum allowed value for the spinbox. In this case: -1.

The Index Select docs actually specify that you can enter max which is wrong and should be updated.

If we add an instructional text label to the widget, where should it go and what exactly should it say, or would it suffice to update the docs?

[JustinPrivitera]

Maybe we need to discuss further as a team. My preference is the following:

• make some kind of change that allows users to type whatever, and then parse. If it isn't max or min or an int, pop up an error message.
• if that's not possible, then add a note to the index select window somewhere that says how to use -1 to get to max or min. Not sure where it should go; probably whoever works on this can make a choice and solicit feedback from the rest of the team. Maybe others have strong opinions.
• if that's not possible, then update the docs to reflect reality.

I think bringing people the information where it is needed is better than just updating the documentation.

[markcmiller86]

I don't think we should require user to type "m", followed by "a", followed by "x" to get there. An "m" or "M" keypress should be sufficient. They would naturally be inclined to start typing those characters and "max" would magically appear after the first key stroke. We just need to intercept a keypress event there and if its an 'm' or 'M', set it to max.

I asked ChatGPT about this. We could do this by subclassing QSpinBox (which I don't really like) or by adding an event filter.

I think it would go like this...

1. QvisIndexSelectWindow::CreateWindowContents for each QSpinBox add a call to spinBox->installEventFilter(this);
2. And add this event filter logic...

   bool QvisIndexSelectWindow::eventFilter(QObject *obj, QEvent *event) {
       if (obj == spinBox && event->type() == QEvent::KeyPress) {
           QKeyEvent *keyEvent = static_cast<QKeyEvent *>(event);
           QString keyText = keyEvent->text();
           if (keyText == "m" || keyText == "M") {
               spinBox->setValue(spinBox->maximum());
               return true; // Event handled
           }
       }
       return QWidget::eventFilter(obj, event); // Pass to base
   }
   

[markcmiller86]

Well, the if obj == logic of that event filter needs to handle all the max spin box objects.

[JustinPrivitera]

Why not allow them to type anything? If you don't know to type "m" to get "max" or "min", then if you can type anything and click apply, you can get a helpful error message saying that only max or min or ints are supported. If you only allow ints and "m", then you never see any helpful messages guiding you in the right direction.

[markcmiller86]

I don't think min means anything in the max box, does it? I don't think allowing any non-digit key stroke causing it to reset to max makes sense because they could accidentally hit a key too. I think we want to be sure they are trying to reset to max.

I think if we support "m" and it triggers resetting to max state, I think we're good. Why? Because user's see 'max' there by default. If they want 'max' to appear there again, most reasonable users would simply try to type it. That said, a 'reset to max' button also makes some sense.

We don't have the same problem with min. Why? Because 0 is a synonym for min. And, because we don't display min when at 0. We display 0.

[biagas]

then if you can type anything and click apply, you can get a helpful error message saying that only max or min or ints are supported.

What about all the other widgets that allow typing, are you also advocating for that kind of validation and messaging for them?

[JustinPrivitera]

What about all the other widgets that allow typing, are you also advocating for that kind of validation and messaging for them?

I wasn't really thinking about other widgets. I just think that if we allow users to type whatever, we should help guide them to the answer.