[Libreoffice-ux-advise] [Bug 157116] Pre-calculating formulae as they are entered

[bugzilla-daemon at bugs.documentfoundation.org]

https://bugs.documentfoundation.org/show_bug.cgi?id=157116

--- Comment #6 from Colin <that.man.colin at gmail.com> ---
(In reply to ady from comment #4)
> While typing-in a function, we (users) already have a tooltip (on the input
> box bar)

Which is often a yard away from the cell I'm working with

> After the opening parenthesis, the
> tooltip helps with the arguments. IIRC, these tooltips can be configured
> (ON/OFF).

I need to find and evaluate that facility but if it's in the input box bar then
it's still potentially a yard away

> Adding yet another tooltip could be a plus to some users, but unwanted for
> others, depending on the combination of tooltips and location of them (e.g.
> input bar; near the cell,...). 

The Google one as - can be seen from the screen image - is directly in the line
of sight which is what makes it so user-centric. We always run into the
scenario where we are editing or inputing a formula and it obscures adjacent
cells - sometimes we want to click the obscured cell as an input reference but
just have to live with the fact that we can't always have everything we desire.

> OTOH, showing the (future) result while
> typing-in a function/formula would require to introduce (at least) the
> non-optional arguments, so in some cases the tooltips would not be presented
> simultaneously.

As identified  - Google only presents results when it's possible to provide
them
> 
> Beware: the location of the newly-suggested tooltip (in relation to the
> cell) is very relevant. Just think about editing a formula in the input box
> bar vs. editing a cell by pressing F2 (which shows the current content
> spread around or near the cell itself).

If the user isn't a "touch typist" they are usually fixated on the keyboard and
their target cell - which is conveniently accessible by double clicking that
cell. Most users are "touch mouse proficient". If the feture is "switchable"
then perhaps the toggle could also define the user's location preference for
the tip.

Additionally, there already exists a bug report where tips don't always layer
on top of everything. That would also need consideration.

> In any case, there should be an option to either display it or not.

I agree wholeheartedly

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