Context menu (right-click) for the composer

UX
1

Hi guys,

I’m not sure how you’re work-flow is with the Discourse composer, but I’ll have to write a lot of more or less complex math, programming and other formatted texts. Sometimes the shortcuts are very helpful, but not as much user-friendly in my POV.

I think our formatting toolbar needs new feature and fresh look; less static, more dynamic and contextual.

How about a contextmenu that brings the main functionalities right to the place, where it’s needed (= finger tips & courser)? Actully, I’m not sure what capabilities we have with mobile browsers, but I would guess, it won’t be a problem to have at least some kind of “pop-up bubble” button with a fixed position or other kind of “magic”.

Let’s imagine the case you’ll …

  • write multiple lanes with text: What’s, what you wanna usually do?
    (My answer: making enumerations and bullet point lists … up to the last empty lane)

  • have selected some words: What’s, what you wanna usually do?
    (Make them bold, italic, link and quote them …)

  • have you’re course between words without selection: What’s, what you wanna usually do?
    (I would guess: put an emoji, a math formula or something special between… )

You’ll see my point. I don’t wanna make the right-click action less capable than the system / browser default. But we need some improvement at this very relevant user interface, so called “context menu”. Are there any APIs or web technologies out there, that addresses this issue / demand? Maybe browser plugin solutions?

Thanks in advance and I’m glad to hear you’re opinion …

Best

2

Typing is faster, and there are already keyboard shortcuts for this stuff.

3

You’re right, there are shortcuts for Discourse but not for the composer formatting options.

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Screen Shot 2019-04-07 at 10.38.37.png774×705 83 KB

4

I wrote this entirely from the keyboard

got to say

it was pretty quick.

  • I didn’t need any menu

  • it’s standard markdown

  • some things you need to consider:

    • ctrl-b is a keyboard shortcut … and works as expected
    • same for ctrl-i

Not so bad?

2 Likes
5

All toobar formatting options have keyboard shortcuts. Mouse over the toolbar items to see the shortcut.

2 Likes
6

Except those ones under the gear sub-menu

7

And you use those functions how often, exactly?

1 Like
8

Indeed.

  • Hide details (for embedding solutions and literature)
  • Blur spoiler (for solutions and anything “secret”)

And even for

  • Uploads (very common use case!!!)
  • Math equations (unfortunately not very well supported as reference by the formatting bar)