Shift cycling revamp
What would you like?
Currently, we have shift cycling based on the cursor position as well as selected text. However, there’s no control to the user if he wants to use only one and disable the other.
Why it would help
This would help in many scenarios that are currently failing for different kinds of shift cycling users, users who cycle before the next word, users who cycle after typing or swiping the word etc. There are many open issues on this shift cycling currently.
Discussion
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An additional input on the cursor based cycling. I think we should show the respective cycled word in the suggestion bar rather than directly changing it (SwiftKey) method. This will help reduce a lot of friction. So, the request is essentially to
Need for an extra tap to apply the shifted word in the suggestions bar instead of just editing the word straight up makes the typing feel kinda laggy, imo. Especially if there is a paragraph with many words to be capitalized.
There are too many permutations and combinations without having that confirmation from the user, which is causing huge amount of issues. I understand that’s an extra step, however that will help having a cleaner output for 90% of the users. Right now, it’s causing too much of confusion to most users.
If we decide to continue this approach, we need to address all the combinations that I have pointed out in bug 302, and enable a 3rd switch for the users who wants to cycle the words directly using the shift.
@ilikered both cases ran off the same switch, so there was no way to keep just one. Done for build 459 (and 2.2.1 on the App Store): under Shift changes word case there's a new Shift changes option with Word and selection, Selected text only, or Word before cursor only. With Selected text only, shift right after a word is a plain shift again and never touches the word you just typed or swiped.
Works perfectly. If I have to nitpick, only thing that is slightly bothering me is the setting name "Word before cursor only”. Because when the other setting "Shift before a swipe changes the previous word" is off, the shift cycle actually changes the case for the next word which is technically "after" the cursor. One option I could think of is
Word only
Then the other 2 setting names can be
Word and selected text
Selected text only
So finally they become
Word and selected text
Selected text only
Word only
But really, it is Ok to leave them as they are currently too.
@muleluku @OverClocked Please share your thoughts on this.
Agree with @ilikered. “The word before cursor only” option under “Shift changes” can be renamed to just “Word” to avoid confusion.
I was also thinking if the ”Shift before a swipe changes the previous word” can be renamed to ”Shift before a swipe changes” with two options - “Previous word” and “Next word”, instead of On/Off toggle like now. Wouldn’t this makes more sense. I feel like a lot of people will be lost on the different combinations of this settings and “Shift changes” settings combined with tap typing and swiping.
Agreed. That makes sense to me. It keeps everything in the shift cycling a bit more consistent in terms of settings description. So final list will be as below.
Under Shift changes
Word and selected text
Selected text only
Word only
Under Shift before a swipe changes
Previous word
Next word
@ilikered @OverClocked "Word before cursor only" was wrong when the swipe option sends shift to the next word, and the on/off switch didn't say what off does. Renamed for build 460 (and 2.2.1 on the App Store): Shift changes is now Word and selected text, Selected text only or Word only, and Shift before a swipe changes is a choice between Previous word and Next word. Your current settings stay as they are.
Looks good. Based on all these changes, we need to adjust the tag line and description for the main switch "Shift changes word case”
Currently it describes only the previous behavior we had. Attached image.
@ilikered the description under Shift changes word case was still from before Shift changes existed, so it only talked about the word after the cursor. Fixed for build 461 (and 2.2.1 on the App Store): it now says shift cycles the case of a word or selected text, and the ⓘ explains both and points to Shift changes.