Click and drag text/number field entry changes values

#1

I’m not sure if this is a design ‘feature’ or a bug but when I go to click and drag over an input field, instead of highlighting (selecting) the contents of the input field, the numbers themselves are changing.

This is really off-putting as I am trying to change the value inside of an input field, not completely override it. Years (decades) of GUI muscle memory is being broken for me unfortunately. It looks like an input field, so I am expecting it to behave like one.

Observations below:

  • Click the input field: Highlights, okay I can just type-over whatever is in there, instantly I am thinking great this is a regular input field.
  • Click and drag from the right side toward the left so that I can just edit the final part of the field, Nope now it is changing the number? wtf?
  • Push the arrow keys, okay now it repositions the cursor, checks out.
  • Click the input field a second time, nope just stays highlighted, any attempt to set the cursor position within the input field just results in re-highlighting the content of the input field?

Any attempt this click and drag to adjust the value is actually getting in the way of me being efficient. Often times I know the value I want to enter rather than the need to eye-ball the value or I just want to add on say .5 or remove .5. Well, it seems my best option here is type the whole number in again :expressionless:

If I could suggest another way around this:

  • Have some kind of GUI widget beside the input field that is the target for this click and drag adjusting behavior and leave the input field to respond like a normal input field (possibly the easiest option).
  • Click and drag the accompanying text header for the field (provided there is one I guess), leave the input field to behave like an input field.
  • Alter the way the input fields currently work so they are more of a hybrid.
    • While the input field is unfocused, click and drag adjusts the value directly
    • Click (but no drag) highlights the input field ready to be typed over
    • Click a second time positions the cursor

I can provide some images of what I am trying to explain here if needed to facilitate what has been discussed.

#2

Thanks for good recomendation!

#3

The input fields in Silo have always behaved like this. You’ll probably just have to get used to it.

What I would like to see implemented is some basic math functions - so if I want to make an object, say, 0.5m wider I can insert my cursor and type +.5 to add it to the existing value. To me that would be preferable to adding switches to the UI or altering the existing behaviour that we (long time users) have got used to…