From TaskPaper v2, I’m used to the Delete key deleting tabs (and therefore outdenting a new line until I hit the beginning of the line). In TaskPaper 3, after you Delete to the auto-indentation point, the next Delete kills the rest of the line and takes you back to the prior line.
In TaskPaper 3, I find myself constantly deleting text from the prior line when I think I should be outdenting the new line. I recognize that the new behavior might be desirable for new users, but can it be made optional?
I’m interested to here what others think about this.
I’ve been having the same debate myself. Part of me likes the new behavior better … another part of me sometimes hits the delete key expecting it to adjust the indentation. Anyone got a good argument either way?
I’m also having the same debate, and I think I’ve landed on the old behaviour being my preference. Sometimes I have a task item that turns out to be bigger than I thought, so I want to convert it into a project. In TP2, that’s easy: Command + Shift + Left arrow to select everything left of the task, Command + Right arrow to go to the end of the line, Colon. In TP3, it’s a little more clumsy: Shift + Tab, Delete, Delete, Command + Right arrow, Colon.
That being said, I’m sure I’ll adjust—it’s just old habits. Part of me wonders if the problem is the need to hit delete twice to remove both the space and the dash/checkbox at the start of a task. I definitely prefer the TP2 behaviour where a single delete wipes out both.
I’d prefer to have it un-indent when pressing backspace. This aligns with what I’d expect from an app working with text. This will also translate well for when working in Plaintasks or using another editor to manage my task list (such as Editorial etc.)
FWIW I don’t think there is a “right” answer here – I think it’s about the mental model the user has about TaskPaper: is it a fancy text editor, or is it a word processor / task manager / outlining tool?
I tend to treat TP more like a fancy text editor: I’m aware of the tabs/spaces that TP so elegantly hides from view, but ultimately I assume the plain text is what I’m editing. I’d like TP to play relatively “dumb” when it comes to guessing my intent.
The alternate mode – behaving more like a word processor – could also be useful if done well. See, for example, how Mail or TextEdit handles bulleted lists. If you’re editing a L2 bullet, hitting Enter creates a new L2 bullet. Hitting Enter again without adding text outdents the new line to a L1 bullet, and hitting Enter for a third time drops you out of the list altogether. Once you get used to this, it works well.
It seems TP 3 is between camps right now. One example is the Delete key behavior. Another is that hitting Enter from a note creates a task*. But right now it doesn’t go far enough in the word processor direction to be truly comfortable to me.
*…although I’d prefer if it didn’t do this… use case: I take a lot of loosely structured notes in TP and use tasks sparingly
I’m changing this for the next release. It’s not going to act exactly like a text editor… there are still no tabs in the editor (so you wouldn’t be select them). But when you delete backward at the start of an entry it will shift right (same as Shift-Tab) when possible. Anyway, you can try out in next release.