What is the use-case for the Strongs menu option in the '...' menu?

[agrogers]

I am not clear why I would ever use the 'Strongs' menu option in the '...' menu. I understand that the Strongs menu option changes the workspace setting. But i can't say I have ever used it for that. So I am wondering how people use that option.

The problem i have with it is:

1. I have a bible window open showing normal text.
2. I click the '...' menu
3. I change the Strongs to 'Text + Links'
4. The Bible window changes to show text and links.
5. I then use the button (in red) to change it back to plain text. Now the setting is a window based setting - not in sync with the workspace.
6. Now i use the '...' button just as I did in step 3 to show the links again. Of course the setting changes but the bible text does not - because it is out of sync. Now it doesn't matter how I change that setting, it never changes the bible text (unless i resync it)

The problem for me is that i would always (and righty?) use the Strongs button in the action bar. So my bible windows are never usually in sync with the Workspace. So what is the point of having the Strongs workspace setting so easily accessed?

Am I missing something?

[tuomas2]

The reason is that 3dot menu shows couple of most recently used options automatically (global recent list).

[agrogers]

OK, thanks for the clarification Tuomas. That us helpful. But it was to the side of my question.

My question was 'When would I ever want/need to use that particular Strong's setting?' Or perhaps, 'How/when do you use it?'

[tuomas2]

The workspace option gives default and window option is more specific.

I agree in this one per-workspace option is less often used. It is there mainly because all "text option" settings are coded in a same "text option framework".

Perhaps the question is, should toolbar button change workspace setting instead of window setting?

If you have multiple windows, you can adjust all them at once by changing workspace setting, provided they don't have specific overriding per-window setting set.

[agrogers]

Thanks for clarifying Tuomas. The reason I am making noise on this is because AB has so many features that we really should be careful not to make it any more complicated than it needs to be. Menu options that work one way and then another way and then not at all are sure to confuse people - even me sometimes!

So I see multiple hurdles:

1. The '...' menu is directly above the top most window button. Both buttons are in the same place, they take you to similar menus - but they apply to different things...
2. But they don't always apply to different things. Sometimes they seem to do the same thing. Other times they don't.
3. I don't feel the confusion this approach causes is justified because the workspace options (which we are making so easy to access) are so rarely used (for most users?) .
4. And when a user does get into the options lists, the only thing that is different between the Workspace options list and Window options list is the text in the title after the '-' which for me is mostly cut off. (See A below)

So we have two options lists that look almost identical and which are accessed from nearly the same place but which sometimes change the visible windows and sometimes do not.

I have a little experience here. I made a reasonably complex winforms app with great functionality - but I remember watching my users get lost trying to navigate it. They were paying me to use it so it was in my best interest to try and make it easier. But I feel a little bad pushing this on you because no one is paying you :) And especially bad if changes I recommend for others actually makes it worse for you! Anyhow...

In my opinion, the best way to address this is by:

1. Deliberately moving all Workspace settings away, far away, from the windows themselves. I feel the only way to access workspace settings should be from the Workspaces list.
2. Moving as many of the Window settings into the window space as possible. (see B below). I know you felt that could be overwhelming to the user. But I think one large list/grid right next to the thing it is affecting is a good approach.
3. Making it very, very clear which are workspace settings and and which are not.
4. And finally, hiding or simplifying the 'setting sync' functionality or making it more easily understood.

Sorry to give you so much reading 🍡

A.

B. I know we cant do this but it conveys the principle i am trying to apply.