Fetch Softworks

Feature wishlist (2 posts)

• Started 22 years ago by scott
• Latest reply 22 years ago from Jim Matthews

• scott Member

  Hi,

  I have just started using Fetch 4.0.1 (under Mac OS X 10.1) and, although I'm having some trouble getting it to work correctly (documented in a separate message), there's a couple features I'd like to see.

  First, I have a USB mouse that has a scroll wheel, but the scroll wheel doesn't cause file lists to scroll. Many Carbon apps are now doing this, and I'd really love to see that support added.

  Second, I don't think this is a specific problem to Fetch since I've seen it with other programs - but maybe developers can put some pressure on Apple. Has anyone else noticed that the "open" and "save" dialog boxes under OS X are a huge step backwards from OS 9, and buggy?

  For example, if I try to "put" a file in Fetch, it brings up the standard file selection dialog. Under 10.1, this is a NeXT-style list. All of the shortcuts I'm used to (such as hitting command-up arrow to move up a directory) don't work.

  The only keyboard shortcuts I can use seem to be buggy. First, you must hit tab to put focus in the list area. Now, try using the left and right arrows to navigate around the file system.

  If you try to select a file in a list by typing the first few letters of its name, the list area will blank out and you'll see arrows along the very left side of the window, where they obviously don't belong. And, just going right and left in these dialogs changes the context; if you go left-right-left-right, you might not be in the same directory you started from. (Scroll wheels don't work either, although Apple has added support in Finder column views.)

  I find the only way I can reliable use these dialogs to select files is by using the mouse, which takes a huge amount of time compared to using the keyboard under OS 9. It's a real pain. Am I the only one noticing this, or have others found tricks to using the new dialogs efficiently? When I'm using Fetch, I'm very regularly getting and putting files. This was very efficient under OS 9 but when the new dialogs in X, it's like someone has thrown a brick wall in front of my productivity.

  Again, I don't think this is a Fetch problem, but I'm hoping developers give Apple feedback that they need to focus on improving these dialogs in the next release of X.

  (Ok, I'm through ranting for now. :)

  - Scott

  Posted 22 years ago #

• Jim Matthews Administrator

  Thanks for the scroll wheel request; I'll see what I can do.

  I second your complaints about the new file-picking dialogs. I hate that I can't use type-to-select anymore, or widen the columns to read a long file name. Hopefully Apple will address these problems.

  Thanks,

  Jim Matthews
  Fetch Softworks

  Posted 22 years ago #