I am using the "down" state to shrink the size of an object while it is being dragged. The trouble is that depending on where the user clicks the image, the object is either right under the cursor (where I want it to be) or far away from the cursor which makes dropping it on the right target confusing--do you drop where the cursor is or where the image is? Is there anything to be done about this?
That's a bit tricky because the object is the entire bounding box and not just what's visible.
I think in this scenario, the ideal is to scale it down from center using CTRL+drag to scale. And at least the image is centered and most people will probably click from center.
However, as you note, you can click anywhere that makes up the object and when you switch to down state, you just get a smaller object inside of the bounding box. But the bounding box is still technically the shape regardless of whether or not it's resized in the down state.
To clarify Tom's post just a bit: When he refers to bounding box, that means the area necessary to maintain the Down state, and continue to drag the object. I edited the image, copying the Normal state to the Down state and then sizing the image. When I do that, the bounding area will maintain cursor contact with the image, but only the visible part will register a drop.
The attached sample shows a method of forcing the learner to click on a part of the image that ensures the cursor will be over the shrunken part of the image. It may seem sort of klutzy, but as Tom says, clicking in the area of the shrunken part really is the only way to prevent the separation of the cursor and the image.
On a side note, there is one confusing issue that you can see in the Won't Work slide. If the original click is inside the area of the Down state when it is dropped, it doesn't return to Normal state (sometimes). This whether it is dropped on the target, or drug from the target back to its starting place. However if the original click is outside of the Down state when it is dropped, it returns to Normal state. I can't explain why, except for thinking it is a minor bug.
Thanks for your quick responses, gentlemen! In the meantime I added the instructions to drag the image and not the cursor to the correct garage, but I like your idea of indicating the click spot, Walt. I will see what the customer wants to do. Mostly it is nice to know that I am not going crazy or just missing something really obvious. Ha! :-)
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That's a bit tricky because the object is the entire bounding box and not just what's visible.
I think in this scenario, the ideal is to scale it down from center using CTRL+drag to scale. And at least the image is centered and most people will probably click from center.
However, as you note, you can click anywhere that makes up the object and when you switch to down state, you just get a smaller object inside of the bounding box. But the bounding box is still technically the shape regardless of whether or not it's resized in the down state.
To clarify Tom's post just a bit: When he refers to bounding box, that means the area necessary to maintain the Down state, and continue to drag the object. I edited the image, copying the Normal state to the Down state and then sizing the image. When I do that, the bounding area will maintain cursor contact with the image, but only the visible part will register a drop.
The attached sample shows a method of forcing the learner to click on a part of the image that ensures the cursor will be over the shrunken part of the image. It may seem sort of klutzy, but as Tom says, clicking in the area of the shrunken part really is the only way to prevent the separation of the cursor and the image.
On a side note, there is one confusing issue that you can see in the Won't Work slide. If the original click is inside the area of the Down state when it is dropped, it doesn't return to Normal state (sometimes). This whether it is dropped on the target, or drug from the target back to its starting place. However if the original click is outside of the Down state when it is dropped, it returns to Normal state. I can't explain why, except for thinking it is a minor bug.
Thanks for your quick responses, gentlemen! In the meantime I added the instructions to drag the image and not the cursor to the correct garage, but I like your idea of indicating the click spot, Walt. I will see what the customer wants to do. Mostly it is nice to know that I am not going crazy or just missing something really obvious. Ha! :-)