How Many Mouse Clicks?

[Rich_Winsor]

OK, so I’ve been sitting on this question for over two years. Every time

I asked my Magic Eight Ball if I should post it to the forum the reply was

always “My sources say no”. I figured the darn thing was just stuck but

today when I asked the reply was “Yes, definitely”, so here it is.

 

How many mouse clicks would it take to fully explore every option of

every feature in Chief?

 

This is a question that goes right to the heart of every request for

improved features for the software. We all want to perform the various

tasks with the least number of clicks and are always looking for ways to

streamline our workflow to eliminate unnecessary clicks.

 

So in order to see what we are up against I want to know what kind of

a number we are talking about here. Take a minute or two over your

morning cup of Joe to mull it over and come up with a number. In the

meantime I will start counting up the clicks up so we will know who

came up with the best estimate.

 

1-Click on File drop down menu

2-Click on New Plan icon

3-Click on New Layout icon

4-Click on Open Plan icon

5-Click on Open Layout icon

6-Click on Open Recent Files icon

7-Click on Templates icon

8-Click on New Plan From Template submenu icon

9-Click on New Layout From Plan submenu icon

10-Click on Save as Template submenu icon

11-Click on Manage Auto Archives icon

12-Click on Startup Options icon

13-....................................

14-......................

15-........

[DavidJPotter]

Also there are clicks to help eliminate one's own ignorance of how the software works and there are command clicks that are originated with end user certainty. These two click categories are for different purposes. The study ones tend to reduce the overall number over Time. I think a better way to think of the subject of  "Clicks" is explained above and are NOT the same things, their purposes are different.

 

DJP

[dshall]

3 hours ago, DavidJPotter said:

Also there are clicks to help eliminate one's own ignorance of how the software works and there are command clicks that are originated with end user certainty. These two click categories are for different purposes. The study ones tend to reduce the overall number over Time. I think a better way to think of the subject of  "Clicks" is explained above and are NOT the same things, their purposes are different.

 

DJP

 

I think I agree with this.  I do think the number of clicks are directly tied to one's own ignorance and the end user definitely originates the command clicks.  The two click categories are for different purposes but sometimes it takes 3 clicks.  

 

And as DJP states,  with experience the studied ones can definitely learn to reduce the number of clicks for a prescribed task.

 

Thank you DJP.

 

Hey Rich,  did that help?    BTW,  how is heaven on Earth?  Are you guys having good weather?

 

 

[Greg_NY61]

I wouldn't try doing all this clicking, the last thing I need is to advance the time getting Carpal Tunnel Syndrome lol

[lbuttery]

"The answer, my friend, is blowin' in the wind
The answer is blowin' in the wind"

 

Lew

[ShaneK]

This reminds me of the old Tootsie Pop commercial, How many licks does it take to get to the center"?  

[Alaskan_Son]

20 hours ago, Rich_Winsor said:

OK, so I’ve been sitting on this question for over two years. Every time

I asked my Magic Eight Ball if I should post it to the forum the reply was

always “My sources say no”. I figured the darn thing was just stuck but

today when I asked the reply was “Yes, definitely”, so here it is.

 

How many mouse clicks would it take to fully explore every option of

every feature in Chief?

 

This is a question that goes right to the heart of every request for

improved features for the software. We all want to perform the various

tasks with the least number of clicks and are always looking for ways to

streamline our workflow to eliminate unnecessary clicks.

 

So in order to see what we are up against I want to know what kind of

a number we are talking about here. Take a minute or two over your

morning cup of Joe to mull it over and come up with a number. In the

meantime I will start counting up the clicks up so we will know who

came up with the best estimate.

 

1-Click on File drop down menu

2-Click on New Plan icon

3-Click on New Layout icon

4-Click on Open Plan icon

5-Click on Open Layout icon

6-Click on Open Recent Files icon

7-Click on Templates icon

8-Click on New Plan From Template submenu icon

9-Click on New Layout From Plan submenu icon

10-Click on Save as Template submenu icon

11-Click on Manage Auto Archives icon

12-Click on Startup Options icon

13-....................................

14-......................

15-........

 

I'm guessing there are literally thousands of possible clicks.  If I had to hazard a guess I would say 3,000.  That doesn't even start to cover all the possible COMBINATIONS of settings either, or radio buttons, or text fields, or trying to actually explore what happens with the various clicks, ticks, checks, and setting combinations.

[CJSpud]

I believe Lew got this one correct!!! 

 

I've been using Chief for 16 years and there's still some clicks (LOTS of them) I haven't used yet.  There's so many I don't even know which ones they are.  Let us know how many hours/days/years you put into this one.

[Rich_Winsor]

The catch 22 here is that to learn almost any of the clickable functions

you need to also click on all the options to see just how they affect the

model. My original premise was to include ALL the clicks required to

open every option.

 

In general terms I'm thinking we are talking 5 figures here, and if anybody

thinks that I am actually going to attempt a count.....don't hold your breath.

 

 

[Chopsaw]

Rich,  Why don't you just figure out how to log the clicks for one job and maybe you could charge by the click or at least you would know why your mouse gets beat up so bad.

[lbuttery]

Why don't you just figure out how to log the clicks for one job

 

if we had a recordable macro feature like VBA does in Microsoft products this could be done

 

if that macro was saved you could then run the macro and recreate that model "exactly"

 

I have been asking for a recordable macro feature for over a decade

given the limited attention being paid to Ruby I doubt if it will happen any time soon

 

Lew

[Chopsaw]

19 minutes ago, lbuttery said:

you could then run the macro and recreate that model "exactly"

 

Lew,  I think the only way that would work is if you built the model correctly while recording.  Maybe a macro could be written that would record everything and the when you were finished it could tell you all of the unnecessary actions that did not contribute to the finished product.  Kinda like an auto tutor.

[lbuttery]

Chopsaw:

 

it would be best to create a series of macros rather than one huge continuous one

 

VBA has an editor and it is possible to remove errant clicks (actions)

or to add additional clicks(actions) if one wants to delve into "programming"

 

with modular macros you can delete that macro and re-do it until you like it

 

if done carefully and properly it would then be possible to create a macro  that ran all the module macros

and voila - a replica of the house

 

this would be handy for sub-divisions or plan sellers

once the replica is created it could then be tweaked to add that sunroom or garage or .....

 

Lew

[lbuttery]

yes, a "save as" can also create a replica of the house

 

I'm just stating the power of recordable macros

 

think smaller about a task that has a number of steps

do it once and record the clicks

 

then in the future when you need to that task again to another house

run the macro - done

 

I think the "power" this would add to Chief would be immense

hence my requests for over a decade - sadly Ruby is lamed and missing this feature

 

Lew

[Rich_Winsor]

On ‎4‎/‎1‎/‎2017 at 5:26 AM, dshall said:

Hey Rich,  did that help?    BTW,  how is heaven on Earth?  Are you guys having good weather?

 

I am truly blessed, my friend, to literally be living in the land of milk and honey.

Milk

Honey - yes all those little brown specks are bees

We had 20" of rain in a six week span and we are experiencing a spring the

likes of which hasn't been seen in this area in decades. Anywhere you point

the camera you can get Chamber of Commerce vistas. 

[Joe_Carrick]

How many brain cells does it take to make a mouse click?

 

I bet it's less than what it takes to use a hotkey

[chief58]

Joe I think you just Challenged Scott on that one 

[Joe_Carrick]

1 hour ago, chief58 said:

Joe I think you just Challenged Scott on that one 

You think he might need to save some of those brain cells?

[dshall]

42 minutes ago, Joe_Carrick said:

You think he might need to save some of those brain cells?

 

I only need the brain cells for another 5 years and then I will retire and take up mindless pastimes like golf,  Grandkids and traveling.  

 

 

[DRAWZILLA]

3 hours ago, dshall said:

 

I only need the brain cells for another 5 years and then I will retire and take up mindless pastimes like golf,  Grandkids and traveling.  

 

 

Tried it, not what it's built up to be. Small Grandkids are great, but they turn into teenagers. If we could only skip that section.

[DMDesigns]

https://youtu.be/AJQ3TM-p2QI

[Electromen]

I've eliminated  the mouse, so none.