wxMaskedTextCtrl 0.0.4 (with fries!)

Hi Chris,

First, thanks a LOT for the feedback. The more points of view I get the
better the control will ultimately be.

works great with tabbing into the control, not so hot with the mouse.

The control will move the cursor to the starting entry position if no data
has been entered yet. I'm thinking about having the cursor set to the first
empty position if there -has- been partial entry on clicking on the control
-- perhaps this would improve the user experience?

Date formats that don't accept almost any type of deliminator

Hmmm, the goal I am shooting for is that the user _doesn't have to_ type the
delimiters, only the digits. For the developer, it is helpful to know what
sort of delimiters will be coming back from the control so he doesn't have
to code for every possible configuration. Can you give me more detail on
this point?

I expect people to shut up and listen when I'm talking. It doesn't

happen,...

I feel your pain. :wink:

I prefer display formatting to take place after I've finished telling it
what I'm telling it.

Can you give me more info on this one? Do you mean that you prefer not to
see the mask characters in the control until you tab out of it?

Does the US standard 10-digit zip only use 9 digits?

Haha, yes. It's five-dash-four. The dash apparently counts as a "digit". Go
figure.

In rev 0.0.5 (to be posted soon), I have included autoformat codes that can
automatically format (size,mask,validation regex) the control based on a
single key e.g. "USZIP10". I will need some help defining international
autoformats. Interesting in helping? :slight_smile:

Having said my piece, I love it so far.

Hey, thanks :slight_smile:

Best Regards,

Jeff Childers
jchilders_98@yahoo.com

ps - how're things in Oz?

···

-----Original Message-----
From: Chris Munchenberg [mailto:cjm@ava.com.au]
Sent: Friday, February 14, 2003 8:38 AM
To: wxPython-users@lists.wxwindows.org
Subject: Re: [wxPython-users] wxMaskedTextCtrl 0.0.4 (with fries!)

My 2c on the subject.

Having not given it any thought till it came up on the list, I've been
looking at the systems & programs I use - what I like, what annoys the crap
out of me.

I like to click or tab into an empty control & just type. Apart from the
first couple of time I use something, I have a pretty good idea of what I am
going to put into it. I don't want to worry about cursor positions etc. If I
get it wrong, wait till I've finished then tell me. Trying to put the cursor
in between brackets, or at the left or right end etc is just beyond my
powers of concentration while I'm thinking about the quickest way to get out
of work. Version 0.0.4 works great with tabbing into the control, not so hot
with the mouse.

Date formats that don't accept almost any type of deliminator (eg 01-01-03 =
1/1/3 = 1.1.3 = 01 01 2003 etc) The control should fit my thinking, not the
reverse.

I prefer display formatting to take place after I've finished telling it
what I'm telling it. I expect people to shut up and listen when I'm talking.
It doesn't happen, so could I please get it from my computer?

Having said my piece, I love it so far. One thing I don't understand. In
Australia, we don't have zip codes. Does the US standard 10-digit zip only
use 9 digits?

Chris Munchenberg

----- Original Message -----
From: Jeff Childers
To: 'wxPython-users@lists.wxwindows.org'
Sent: Friday, February 14, 2003 4:58 AM
Subject: RE: [wxPython-users] wxMaskedTextCtrl 0.0.4 (with fries!)

Paul,

Thanks for the feedback. Everything helps.

Re: Overwrite vs. insert
-------------------------
I've thought about this. The way I have created the control, insert behavior
would have to be hand-coded and would have to contemplate handling
situations like a mask of AAA###. What happens when you insert into the
character region? I guess the characters would have to scroll just to where
the ### section starts, with the ###s not scrolled. Is this intuitive?
Anyway, I've put this off for a future version when a brainstorm suggests a
simpler way to handle this. Ideas and/or suggestions welcomed.

Re: StudlyCaps for MethodNames
-------------------------------
So noted!

Again, thanks for the feedback :slight_smile:

Regards,

Jeff Childers
jchilders_98@yahoo.com

-----Original Message-----
From: Moore, Paul [mailto:Paul.Moore@atosorigin.com]
Sent: Thursday, February 13, 2003 11:31 AM
To: wxPython-users@lists.wxwindows.org
Subject: RE: [wxPython-users] wxMaskedTextCtrl 0.0.4 (with fries!)

From: Jeff Childers [mailto:jchilders@smartbusinessware.com]

For review: version 0.0.4 of wxMaskedTextCtrl.

Just had a quick look, out of curiosity more than anything else,
as I have no immediate need for the control.

But a couple of points:

1. I notice that overwrite mode is the default - is it possible
   to switch to insert mode?
2. The method names - get_plainValue, for example - have a rather
   strange use of case and underlines. I'd rather see it match the
   wxPython standard, which is StudlyCaps, so we'd have
   GetPlainValue...

But overall, it's very nice. Feel free to ignore the above comments,
as I say I probably won't need the control any time in the forseeable
future...

Paul.

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Just jumping in, re:

Date formats that don't accept almost any type of deliminator

Hmmm, the goal I am shooting for is that the user _doesn't have to_ type the

delimiters, >only the digits. For the developer, it is helpful to know what sort
of delimiters will be >coming back from the control so he doesn't have to code
for every possible configuration. >Can you give me more detail on this point?

I like to type "02/02/1993" as "2/2/93" (I type the "/" chars, but not the
leading zeros or the Century digits). MS Access/VB/VBA masking lets me do this.
I don't know how to solve the problem where the assigned (displayed) delimiter
is "/" and the user wants to enter "." or "-". Access/VB/VBA doesn't bother
trying, and I'm not sure I would either. In this context you can consider the
displayed delimiter character as a useful user prompt. An additional note: The
way the mask allows a two-digit year is by distinguishing between "required" and
"optional" characters. Here's the mask I use for the date field I just
described:
"09/09/0099;0;_".

In case you're not familiar with this specific idiom, ";" delimits the mask
expression itself. The first chunk sets out required integers (0) and optional
ones (9). The second chunk tells the application to store only the user-entered
portion of the control contents, and the final chunk determines what (if any)
character will be displayed to guide the user to enter optional or required
characters. The masked field, on get focus but prior to the user entering any
characters, looks like:
"__/__/____".

I hope this helps a bit. I'm delighted you're doing this work, and I'm looking
forward to using the end-product!

John Hopkins

I still don't get why their only 9 digits in the 'Zip Code - 10 digit' :wink:

Moving the cursor as you describe is probably a good idea. I'm very positive
about going to the starting entry position if it is empty. The other option
is to highlight any entered data when the user clicks into the control. They
can then choose a position in the control, or overtype the whole lot. Hmm,
starting to get too many options.

My biggest whinge is that there is no consistency between the 4 main data
entry programs I use, and in some cases, between different screens in these
programs.

I think if you choose a simple & straightforward option, people will be fine
using it. It won't please everyone, but what I can see is already beyond
most standards.

I must ask - how old are you. I'm over 30, and resent the implication that
ages over 30 shouldn't be allowed. :frowning:

Looking at autoformat codes that could be relevant to me:

phone numbers - we use a 2 + 8 (+ ext rarely) eg (08) 8373 3836
date is usually represented as day/month/year
don't have social security number or similar
credit cards are the same 16 digits, except diners or amex, which I think
are 14 (1234 123456 1234 for diners, amex ?)
people in Australia usually live to an average age of somewhere in their
70s, so ages over 30 would be useful. However, I am a veterinarian, and most
dogs and cats don't live that long. Hmmm...
We use post codes for our mail - 4 digits eg 5041
States are either 2 or 3 letters

Just expanding on my first comment in the last email. I referred to clicking
or tabbing into an empty control and having it formatted afterwards. The
situation that prompted this is using programs to enter dates or money
values.

Good: Allows me to enter a whole string, regardless of where you click etc
if the field is empty, then validates & formats if after I try to leave (but
I really like the current version where is shows when it is acceptable or
not)

Bad: I have to negotiate through $ signs, / marks, . points etc, kind of
like driving through an obstacle course.

I do like my dates with / separators if numbers (ie 12/3/03 or 12 March
2003), and money with $ signs - but I don't want to type them, or move
around them. Put them in when I finished.

(and yes, personally I don't understand any development beyond ncurses, and
Australia does use cents).

Chris.

···

----- Original Message -----
From: Jeff Childers
To: 'wxPython-users@lists.wxwindows.org'
Sent: Saturday, February 15, 2003 1:21 AM
Subject: RE: [wxPython-users] wxMaskedTextCtrl 0.0.4 (with fries!)

Hi Chris,

First, thanks a LOT for the feedback. The more points of view I get the
better the control will ultimately be.

works great with tabbing into the control, not so hot with the mouse.

The control will move the cursor to the starting entry position if no data
has been entered yet. I'm thinking about having the cursor set to the first
empty position if there -has- been partial entry on clicking on the control
-- perhaps this would improve the user experience?

Date formats that don't accept almost any type of deliminator

Hmmm, the goal I am shooting for is that the user _doesn't have to_ type the
delimiters, only the digits. For the developer, it is helpful to know what
sort of delimiters will be coming back from the control so he doesn't have
to code for every possible configuration. Can you give me more detail on
this point?

I expect people to shut up and listen when I'm talking. It doesn't

happen,...

I feel your pain. :wink:

I prefer display formatting to take place after I've finished telling it
what I'm telling it.

Can you give me more info on this one? Do you mean that you prefer not to
see the mask characters in the control until you tab out of it?

Does the US standard 10-digit zip only use 9 digits?

Haha, yes. It's five-dash-four. The dash apparently counts as a "digit". Go
figure.

In rev 0.0.5 (to be posted soon), I have included autoformat codes that can
automatically format (size,mask,validation regex) the control based on a
single key e.g. "USZIP10". I will need some help defining international
autoformats. Interesting in helping? :slight_smile:

Having said my piece, I love it so far.

Hey, thanks :slight_smile:

Best Regards,

Jeff Childers
jchilders_98@yahoo.com

ps - how're things in Oz?

-----Original Message-----
From: Chris Munchenberg [mailto:cjm@ava.com.au]
Sent: Friday, February 14, 2003 8:38 AM
To: wxPython-users@lists.wxwindows.org
Subject: Re: [wxPython-users] wxMaskedTextCtrl 0.0.4 (with fries!)

My 2c on the subject.

Having not given it any thought till it came up on the list, I've been
looking at the systems & programs I use - what I like, what annoys the crap
out of me.

I like to click or tab into an empty control & just type. Apart from the
first couple of time I use something, I have a pretty good idea of what I am
going to put into it. I don't want to worry about cursor positions etc. If I
get it wrong, wait till I've finished then tell me. Trying to put the cursor
in between brackets, or at the left or right end etc is just beyond my
powers of concentration while I'm thinking about the quickest way to get out
of work. Version 0.0.4 works great with tabbing into the control, not so hot
with the mouse.

Date formats that don't accept almost any type of deliminator (eg 01-01-03 =
1/1/3 = 1.1.3 = 01 01 2003 etc) The control should fit my thinking, not the
reverse.

I prefer display formatting to take place after I've finished telling it
what I'm telling it. I expect people to shut up and listen when I'm talking.
It doesn't happen, so could I please get it from my computer?

Having said my piece, I love it so far. One thing I don't understand. In
Australia, we don't have zip codes. Does the US standard 10-digit zip only
use 9 digits?

Chris Munchenberg

----- Original Message -----
From: Jeff Childers
To: 'wxPython-users@lists.wxwindows.org'
Sent: Friday, February 14, 2003 4:58 AM
Subject: RE: [wxPython-users] wxMaskedTextCtrl 0.0.4 (with fries!)

Paul,

Thanks for the feedback. Everything helps.

Re: Overwrite vs. insert
-------------------------
I've thought about this. The way I have created the control, insert behavior
would have to be hand-coded and would have to contemplate handling
situations like a mask of AAA###. What happens when you insert into the
character region? I guess the characters would have to scroll just to where
the ### section starts, with the ###s not scrolled. Is this intuitive?
Anyway, I've put this off for a future version when a brainstorm suggests a
simpler way to handle this. Ideas and/or suggestions welcomed.

Re: StudlyCaps for MethodNames
-------------------------------
So noted!

Again, thanks for the feedback :slight_smile:

Regards,

Jeff Childers
jchilders_98@yahoo.com

-----Original Message-----
From: Moore, Paul [mailto:Paul.Moore@atosorigin.com]
Sent: Thursday, February 13, 2003 11:31 AM
To: wxPython-users@lists.wxwindows.org
Subject: RE: [wxPython-users] wxMaskedTextCtrl 0.0.4 (with fries!)

From: Jeff Childers [mailto:jchilders@smartbusinessware.com]

For review: version 0.0.4 of wxMaskedTextCtrl.

Just had a quick look, out of curiosity more than anything else,
as I have no immediate need for the control.

But a couple of points:

1. I notice that overwrite mode is the default - is it possible
   to switch to insert mode?
2. The method names - get_plainValue, for example - have a rather
   strange use of case and underlines. I'd rather see it match the
   wxPython standard, which is StudlyCaps, so we'd have
   GetPlainValue...

But overall, it's very nice. Feel free to ignore the above comments,
as I say I probably won't need the control any time in the forseeable
future...

Paul.

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