Insert Links Dialog Suggestion

[raydela]

David,

Thanks for the changes to DDE/Insert Links thus far.
However, I found that the Insert Link dialog's "Recently Used Links" list can get kind of "cluttered" fairly quickly when one is developing an Excel spreadsheet to use with DPlot for data analysis.

Suggestions:
1.) Add a "Remove" button to the "Recently Used Links" list, as the "Current Links" list already has.
2.) Allow highlighting multiple entries in either list that can be Removed (or also Updated, in the case of "Current Links"). Also, implement the same Windows "standard" method to do this as is used, for example, in Windows Explorer to select files to be copied or deleted:
a.) Shift key in conjunction with an Up/Down Arrow key to select contiguous entries.
and/or
b.) Ctrl Key in conjuction with moving Mouse Cursor/Left Click to select non-contiguous entries.

Ray D.

[DPlotAdmin]

However, I found that the Insert Link dialog's "Recently Used Links" list can get kind of "cluttered" fairly quickly when one is developing an Excel spreadsheet to use with DPlot for data analysis.

Yes, it certainly can. I like all of your suggestions; look for them in the next version.

[raydela]

Thanks.

Another improvement idea "hit me" while working some more with the Insert Link Dialog:

I just finished a sheet in Excel which I can use as a template for analysis sets of test data. I just copy and paste in another sheet in the same Excel file and enter the data for the new test.

In DDE Insert Link structure (Application | Topic ! Item) the "Topic" portion is the name of a particular Excel worksheet in my case.

Currrently, for me to create DPlot curves for new test data entered to a cut-and-paste Excel Sheet, I have to delete all existing links and re-enter all the previous links (in the correct order to get the same assignment in line styles, etc) with only a change in Topic (Sheet Name) from my previous set of links.

Another example of the disadvantage of the current Insert Link Dialog capabilities: I've had several occasions where all my links were setup only to discover a typo or some other reason to change maybe the 2nd of 5 links.
However, once I delete this 2nd link, all others below it shift up to take on the curve attributes of it predecessor. Inserting the corrected link will place it at the bottom of the list. So, currently, the need to modify ANY link other than the last of the list requires deleting the entire list and starting over.

What I'd like to be able to do is simply edit the existing "Current Links" (which are already in the curve-link order I want) to change the "Topic" portion of each since the Application and Item remains the same.
I was thinking that you could add individual "Application" "Topic", and "Item" fields next to the "Current Links" list, so that when a link in that list is highlighted it shows up in the fields (which are editable)

The difference being is that the individual fields for "Recently used links" is to modify a link BEFORE adding it to a list of links; the newly proposed individual fields for "Current Links" allows modification AFTER links have been added without disturbing link-curve ordering. Then simply press update. (If direct editing of entries in the link list itself is easier, this is fine too.)

Another idea is to allow re-ordering entries in the "Current Links" list by "dragging": In this scenario, all I have to do is delete the bad link #2 of 5, re-add a good version link #2 (now at position #5), and then move it to its proper order in the list (back to being link #2).


In Summary:

===Implementing "Current Link" editing would make duplication of a data analysis setup with new test data MUCH more convenient.===

===Implementing "Current Link" re-ordering would make individual link corrections MUCH more convenient==.

Ray D.

[raydela]

David,

I don't know why I just noticed it now, but I see that linked list information is not stored with the DPlot file. When I re-open a file, my links are gone. When saving a DPlot file, could you retain its existing link list information?

Maybe this creates the need to pop up a reminder dialog at the time such a linked DPlot file is opened of the fact that the data is linked. If so, maybe also place a button on the dialog to "Update the link(s) now", or some such thing. This dialog would give the user the chance to start the data source application with the proper data file loaded if it's not already running.

Ray D.

[DPlotAdmin]

Maybe this creates the need to pop up a reminder dialog at the time such a linked DPlot file is opened of the fact that the data is linked.

That's really the only way to do it. Otherwise... say you open a file that contains previously linked data and edit the data (within DPlot) in some way. And THEN you decide to restore a link. No matter what DPlot does at this point, it would be wrong

I'll try to get something like this in the next release, thanks for another good suggestion.