Family Historian User Group

I don't know about you guys (and gals), but I tend to be much faster using the keyboard than the mouse, and I am being frustrated by the following (one example of many):
If I select 'Add Citation' from the Individual's Property window, the 'Select Source' window pops up, and I can start typing the name of the source. In doing so, the source is already highlighted, and the OK button is also highlighted and I would expect to be able to press 'Enter' to select the source and close the source window....Nope! The Enter key expands the source selection inside the window. Is there any way to change this? It would seem to me that either it should do what I expect, or the 'OK' button should not be highlighted in the first place.
It just makes record entry slower and more frustrating - perhaps there's a good reason for this action, but I can't think of one?

I believe it isn't configurable.

As to a reason why... I'm not sure, unless it's to minimise the risk of a source being cited by error (i.e. you have to click OK or Cancel as a definite choice). But that's just my speculation. And Enter is used everywhere to expand the details of a record, so it's consistent throughout the programme.

I agree the OK box shouldn't be highlighted until a selection of source is done (which doesn't happen just by filtering, but only by navigating to a source in the list that results from filtering). I've never noticed the issue because the filter box rarely if ever takes me to a single source so I have to make a positive selection using the mouse or mouse+arrow keys, and then double click or click OK. (It would be nice to have a keyboard shortcut to move to the list, and another to select -- maybe one for the wish list?)

Spencerdudeuk, whilst I agree OK button should not be highlighted if pressing Return doesn't activate it. There is a way round this for those who like to stick to keyboard.

Having arrived at and highlighted your required source, simply pressing Tab before pressing return will achieve what you want. The Tab will move focus to OK button, and a press of Return key will activate it. Annoying I know, but by using an single extra keystroke, you avoid having to use Mouse to highlight OK button before pressing it.

Rather than scrolling through the list to find the one you want, I think you'll find using the filter box a lot quicker, as the filter picks out characters from anywhere within the source Title.

For example, my typical 1911 census source looks like Census 1911 - RG14 Piece 00143 RG78 PN0005 RD002 SD02 ED04 SN076, so to find it I would need to search through all previous censuses (they are all similarly titled), before arriving at the 1911 ones. Using the filter box, I just start typing RG14 Piece.., and quickly arrive at what I want.

I have tried the Tab technique to move focus to the OK button, but cannot get it to work in that Select source dialogue. Can you double-check that it does work and give some more tips.

One tip to remember is that the Filter by default searches from the Start of Any Word but there are other options.

If using the Filter then the chosen record does NOT get auto-selected, and Tab just moves through the Filter boxes.
To select the Source record requires a mouse click, so you might as well double-click to auto-OK the selection.

Whereas if you just start typing it will auto-select a matching record, but Tab still does nothing.

Whoops, my mistake. I swear it worked when I tried it - honest Must be getting senile!

Agree. Tab does nothing in that instance. I do select the first few letters, which goes to the right place, and it's highlighted. I know it has the focus because the enter key then expands the selection - with the OK button still highlighted as well. When you're using both hands to type, It's a pain to have to come back to the mouse to select what should already be selected (IMO). If something is highlighted then it should have the focus...

Spencerdudeuk, even if I type in enough in the filter box to uniquely identify a source, it isn't selected (and return doesn't expand it) until I click on it -- how are you selecting it?

Helen, he is NOT using the Filter but just typing as soon as the dialogue opens.
That selects & highlights records by their leading Title characters.

Spencer, I tend to agree.
Report the scenario to Calico Pie using how_to:about#problem_reporting|> Problem Reporting method.
Take a look at the FH Help > Keyboard and Mouse Shortcuts and suggest a keystroke that could solve the problem.

Must be nice to have a list of sources uniquely identifiable by their initial characters

If I type anything more than a single character, it selects the first source beginning with the last character I typed -- useless. So how do you select a source based on the 'first few characters'?

ColeValleyGirl wrote:Must be nice to have a list of sources uniquely identifiable by their initial characters

If I type anything more than a single character, it selects the first source beginning with the last character I typed -- useless. So how do you select a source based on the 'first few characters'?

I agree, it will only work when you have very few sources. When your source count runs into the hundreds or thousands (I have over 10,000 and rising daily!) it becomes impossible.

You are typing too slowly. If you type quickly enough, then the whole string is matched to the start of the Title.

But yes, it still only works if most Titles are unique initially (that won't last long ).

Helen,
This quick typing also works for other lists as well, such as places names when you have map window open. Type Halifax reasonably quickly and it will go to Halifax, too slow it goes to first place beginning H, then first place beginning with A etc. Once you’ve got the hang of it, you’ll find you don’t have to be a speed typist, just don’t go too slow

I am a speed typist and still can't get it to work usefully. I'll stick to the filter box, I think.

I confess to being a bit of a 'lumper', although I do have separate sources for anything I have a certificate for. I only have one resource for each census, for instance, then add the picture of it as citation media as opposed to record source media - it works for me. I do the same for transcript records - I have one generic source each for baptisms, marriages, burials, etc., so it keeps the list down significantly...

...also I start my resources in a standard way...BC- Bloggs, Fred; MC-Bloggs Fred & Parker, Vera, etc., so just typing the first two letters gets me to the list quicker than a filter...