178112 - Add cancel shortcuts to alert boxes

Status: RESOLVED WONTFIX

(Camino Graveyard :: General, defect)

Description

[Michael Ulrich]

There is a basic GUI rule that every dialog needs to have a Cancel button. It
makes the user feel safe by providing him with an exit route that doesn't do
anything. This visual Cancel button is always joined by keyboard shortcuts
(Cmd+. and Escape). The user learns that he can dismiss any dialog by pressing
the cancel shortcuts.

Alert boxes that only communicate a simple fact to the user display an OK button
and eliminate the visual representation of the cancel button to reduce visual
clutter. *The cancel shortcuts stay in place, however*, because the user should
still be able to aply the learned behaviour of the cancel shortcuts.

You can try this out in the finder by renaming an object to the name of an
already existing object in the same folder. You will get an alert box ("name
already used") that you can dismiss with the escape key or Cmd+. *even though
there is no cancel button*.

This principle should be applied to Chimera dialog boxes as well. I can think of
two instances where it should be done:

Javascript
Testcase: http://cs.selu.edu/~jhu/alertConfirmPopups.html
The first box you see on this page is an Alert box. Even though there is only an
OK button, the cancel shortcuts should remain in place (which they currently aren't)

Page not found alerts
Testcase: http://non.existing.host.com
The dialog should be dismissable by pressing a cancel shortcuts, which it
currently isn't.

Reporting on Chimera 0.5, Build 2002.10.20.04. Should I report two bugs for this
is this enough?

Comment 1

[Michael Ulrich]

Btw: "Alert Box" means "a dialog that only consists of a message and an OK
button and nothing else". Sorry if this wasn't clear enough.

Comment 2

[Greg K.]

Chimera seems to offer Esc functionality to mirror command+w where that's
available. Are you saying Esc should also mirror command+.? What about cases
where both are available? Which should take precedence?

Comment 3

[Michael Ulrich]

I'm not sure if I understand you correctly (I don't code). The scope of this bug
is for "Alert boxes", which are dialogs consisting only of
- a message
- an ok button

My point is that such "Alert boxes" currently don't react to Cmd+. and Esc, but
they should.

I didn't knew Esc mirrors Cmd+w in Chimera. And I'm not saying Esc should mirror
Cmd-. generally. Currently, when an Alert box is open, neither Cmd-W nor Cmd-.
nor Esc do anything. I suggest that in the future, Cmd-. and Esc should dismiss
the Alert box.

Comment 4

[Simon Fraser [no longer active]]

I'm not sure this is a good idea; is there precedent in any other apps?

Comment 5

[Brad Kemper]

The original posting gives an example of the Finder. 

Also, "esc" does usually mirror command-period in most modern apps. In Chimera
there are at least 2 places where "esc" can be used to cancel but command-period
cannot ("open" dialog and the location sheet). Which is backwards at best.

Comment 6

[Mike Pinkerton (not reading bugmail)]

cocoa apps don't do this (mail.app is an example). you can only assign one key
to a button at a time. you can't give it both esc and return.

wontfix, though i agree with the sentiment, i've wished for this myself.