PDF XChange Forum

Hi,

There's a major issue when using stylus.

PDF X-Change Editor 10.3.0 build 386

Steps to reproduce :
1. Click Home > Edit text
2. Click any text object with a stylus

Expected behaviour : It should only enter the editable input mode
Current behaviour : the text object block moves a bit


You may have to try selecting different text objects and use your non-dominant hand to well notice the issue.

For your reference, there is no such issue when reproducing above steps with a finger (Allow Draw with a Finger Touch must be enabled in Preferences > Commenting)

Device
Windows 11 23H2 22631.3447
Huawei Matebook E 2022
M-Pencil 2nd gen

Thanks for investigating,

Hello, Loki@99

Thank you for the report, I have reproduced this. It seems that, despite the improvements in this area for other uses of styluses, the Edit text tool did not receive the same "grace area/time" for selection of these items, and even a one pixel "drag" is applied immediately. I have just asked the Dev team if we can apply the same small grace area from the initial selection location, as we do with a number of other content types when touch actions are performed. Hopefully we can see this improvement in an upcoming release.

Kind regards,

Hi,

I would like to mention that that issue is related to objects types and not only text only (Post title edited))

This is a GIF
Thanks for considering this a priority,

Hello, Loki@99

Thank you for the clarification, the dev team was looking into the selection system as a whole, so we should see all of these fixed in one swoop!

Kind regards,

Hello Loki@99 and Daniel,

As Loki@99 explains, if you select a text object with the stylus from the beginning, it is natural that the position will move as shown in the video below. I understand that this is done to reflect the need to move the object just a little bit.

• Animation1.gif

The issue that Loki@99 pointed out should not happen if you start selecting with the stylus from a location other than where the text object exists first.

• Animation2.gif

PC pointing devices can be divided into two types: those that transmit both coordinate position and click changes at the same time, such as a mouse, stylus, or finger touch, and those that can transmit only one of the two, such as a trackball or trackpoint. If you are not satisfied with the operation of the former device, you can either change your operation method or use the latter device.

As reported recently in this topic, many of the comment tools have been modified, probably because of the users' desire not to change the operation method, even though they are operating with the former device. I am afraid that if the text object is changed in the same way, the usability will be degraded.

Of course, it would be better if you could implement this in a way that satisfies all wishes. However, I personally feel that the implementations made for some of the commenting tools in build 383 through build 384 leave a great deal of room for improvement.

Best regards,
rakunavi

Hello, rakunavi

Thank you for the input, Such decisions are the purview of the Dev team, but I do not think it fair to tell a longtime stylus user that they need to use another input method simply because of a selection issue. There are a few ways we can improve this, and the dev team are considering them. Just off the top of my head, we could:

• Make it so you need to select an object first, before moving is allowed with stylus input.
• Make it so there is a time based delay you need to "hold" and object before it moves (likely around 0.05s, just long enough that a "tap" will not register, but anything else will)
• Make it so a distance based move needs to be performed (likely a few pixels at most, though calculating the optimal distance gets interesting for higher dpi screens)

I am sure the Dev team has a few more alternatives in mind, or possibly some combination of the above, which they are considering that could help here.

You are correct that the changes to how comments are handled has been altered in a few ways, and yes, there is room for improvement. We are working on it, but nothing can happen overnight, and with our very small dev team, iterating on such improvements takes time.

Kind regards,

Hello Daniel, thank you for your reply.

As you probably know, Acrobat and Drawboard PDF behave differently when operated with a stylus or touch than when operated with a mouse or other device. The prevention feature of unintended reactions (I don't know what to call it) only works with stylus and touch operations. Below is a video showing how the rectangular comments are moved up, down, left, and right by the trackpoint and stylus in each application.

• Animation1.gif

OneNote works with the above prevention feature regardless of the input device, but you can move it even a small distance if you wait just a moment and then move the pen tip. There is no need to move it a bit larger and then move it back to near the original position, as is the case with the PDF-XChange Editor from build 384 onward.

• Animation2.gif

I understand that some kind of prevention feature is needed to improve usability, mainly with stylus and touch. However, I just wanted you to understand that the uniform changes made after build 384, without considering the differences in input devices, have had a serious impact on usability. I hope that someday there will be better improvements in this area.

Thank you for taking the time to read this message.

Best regards,
rakunavi

Hi,

While this issue has been resolved in the with the EditorTestOSK2 test build shared by Vasyl, it's still reproducible with annotations content using the Select Comments Tool

Following actions performed with stylus

Pencil Tool Annotation
Comments Pop-Up Notes
Sticky Notes
Thanks for investigating,

Hello, Loki@99

Thanks for the feedback, it is still a work in progress, especially while you are on a midpoint test build, but I have mentioned this to the Team.

Kind regards,