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From: rick@uwmacc.UUCP (the absurdist)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.mac
Subject: Re: List manager, etc.
Message-ID: <2043@uwmacc.UUCP>
Date: Mon, 30-Nov-87 13:02:29 EST
Article-I.D.: uwmacc.2043
Posted: Mon Nov 30 13:02:29 1987
Date-Received: Thu, 3-Dec-87 04:55:12 EST
References: <4693@cit-vax.Caltech.Edu>
Reply-To: rick@unix.macc.wisc.edu.UUCP (The Absurdist)
Organization: UW-Madison Academic Computer Center
Lines: 25

In article <4693@cit-vax.Caltech.Edu> sho@tybalt.caltech.edu.UUCP (Sho Kuwamoto) writes:
>I thought perhaps the List Manager would come in handy, but after
>reading it over, I somehow don't think so.  It seems very difficult to
>provide a mechanism to let the user edit the contents of a cell in
>intuitive way. (or at all)

The answer is, don't edit on the cell itself, edit in an edit box.
The two most popular spreadsheets in the world (123 and Excel) are
both implemented in this way, although neither uses the List Manager.
When they double click on a cell, COPY the contents to a textEdit
record displayed above the spreadsheet;  let them edit there, then
either replace the cell with the edited cell or cancel (replacing
the contents of one cell with a new value is quite easy in the List
Manager).  This has the advantage from the "intuitive" standpoint
that it is clear they are working on a copy;  the original is still
there on the list where they can see it, think about it, and compare
it to the new version.

The list manager can do a LOT;  developing a replacement for it would
be a substantial enough investment of time that you'd probably lose
functionality in other branches of your program.

-- 
Rick Keir -- all the oysters have moved away -- UWisc - Madison
"Watch the skies...."