Weird focus state after scrolling in Quick view

[egmontkob]

Is there an existing issue for this?

• I have searched the existing issues

Midnight Commander version and build configuration

4.8.33-541-g885426ac7

Operating system

Linux

Is this issue reproducible using the latest version of Midnight Commander?

• I confirm the issue is still reproducible with the latest version of Midnight Commander

How to reproduce

Cursor is in the left panel. Left panel has regular file listing.

F9 -> Right -> Quick view.

Scroll with the mouse wheel over the Quick view panel. The button bar switches to the viewer's actions (e.g. F2 UnWap, F4 Hex, F5 Goto). Yet the file in the left panel still has the highlight.

Some actions, e.g. F4, work in the right panel's viewer (switches to hex mode).

Some other actions, e.g. Up/Down arrows, work in the left panel's file listing (move one file up/down).

I find this very confusing. Feels like there's two cursors, or two focused widgets, and it depends on the action which one will take it.

I think there should only be one focused thing, and all the actions should correspond to that.

I don't think that a mouse scrolling should move the focus to the quick viewer (generally, not just in mc, scrolling doesn't focus that widget). But if we decide to focus it then it should be communicated clearly, by removing the current file's highlight from the left panel, un-emphasizing the directory in its top-left corner, and making subsequent arrows or similar keys also function on the Quick view.

Expected behavior

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Actual behavior

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Additional context

No response

[github-actions]

The changes in the branch associated with this issue are ready for review.

[zyv]

I think what this does is to allow scrolling only if the Quick View widget is focused, which solves part of the problem. However, there is still no indication that the widget is active (other than the cursor disappearing from the opposite panel).

Do you agree that there should be an indication, or do you disagree with that? If you agree, I wonder what we can do. Maybe make the top bar of a different color for non-focused Quick View widget?

[egmontkob]

@mc-worker Thanks for your work! While it indeed fixes the bug, I don't think it's the preferred solultion.

Generally (across all software and all kinds of widgets out there), mouse scroll events work on whichever widget is under the mouse pointer, without giving it focus. That is, preferably they should still scroll the Quick view, but keep the focus wherever it is.

Do you think it's reasonably doable?

@zyv

there should be an indication

I agree with you, but I think this should be moved to its own issue, not necessarily addressed right now.

[mc-worker]

all kinds of widgets out there), mouse scroll events work on whichever widget is under the mouse pointer, without giving it focus

No. For example, scroll doesn't work in inactive file panel. To make scroll events working on unfocused widgets, the deep redesign of mouse event handling is required.

Maybe make the top bar of a different color for non-focused Quick View widget?

I propose to make a header like "Quick view" (like "Information" and "Directory tree"

I agree with you, but I think this should be moved to its own issue, not necessarily addressed right now.

I agree. Moreover, the Tree panel doesn't changes the title color when gets focused.