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[SUGGESTION] tooltips in the IDE should have a better place


Joined: 22 Dec 2005
Posts: 6
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Hi,

I came over a nasty little thing: the tooltip showing the parameters of a function (and other things) shows up *above* the line you are currently typing. It should be *below* this line, like in the Visual Studio IDE.

Reason:
assume you are typing this:

Code:

    $this->addProperty("bla",1,6,3,3,5);
    $this->addProperty("blub",1,7,3,3,2);
    $this->addProperty(#


# is the cursor position, the tooltip covers the 2 lines above. But it would be very convenient, if I could see the previous lines to keep the information of already written code.

these 2 pictures should demonstrate it:

now:

better:


What do you think?

best
husker
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Re: [SUGGESTION] tooltips in the IDE should have a better pl


Joined: 03 Apr 2004
Posts: 78
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Husker wrote:
Hi,

I came over a nasty little thing: the tooltip showing the parameters of a function (and other things) shows up *above* the line you are currently typing. It should be *below* this line, like in the Visual Studio IDE.

Reason:
assume you are typing this:

Code:

    $this->addProperty("bla",1,6,3,3,5);
    $this->addProperty("blub",1,7,3,3,2);
    $this->addProperty(#


# is the cursor position, the tooltip covers the 2 lines above. But it would be very convenient, if I could see the previous lines to keep the information of already written code.

these 2 pictures should demonstrate it:

now:

better:


What do you think?

best
husker


Good illustration, and looking at it I too have run into situations like that where I needed it shown elsewhere. Perhaps a configurable option for X,Y distance from caret or some presets, like Above or Below and Left and Right would help?

I haven't found a work around yet either.
View user's profileFind all posts by Rick ChristySend private messageYahoo Messenger


Joined: 22 Dec 2005
Posts: 6
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I think it would be okay if it is just below. It never was disturbing in Visual Studio :-)
I am glad I am not the only one seeing this.

best
Husker
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Joined: 23 Mar 2005
Posts: 21
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I find it disturbing too sometimes, but there's a reason: The tooltip is above because you can also get the code completion below. This way thet don't overlap.

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- François PLANQUE
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Joined: 22 Dec 2005
Posts: 6
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That is indeed a good point. Visual Studio (sorry that I come up with this again, it is my main development environment) makes it like this:

if no parameter tooltip is present, the code completition appears below the current line.
if the parameter tooltip is present, the code completition appears above the current line.

The reason seems simple: First you want to see, what are the parameter types exactly and what did I already wrote in earlier lines. As soon I activate code completition I am just looking for a certain variable (which type i have in mind then, the tooltip is also still present).

I could imagine a even better logic:
Code:

if (next line is empty or consists of white spaces only)
{
       Show parameter hint tooltip below the line.
       on code completition {
            Show Code completition above the line.
       }
}
else
{
       Show parameter hint tooltip above the line.
       on code completition {
            Show Code completition below the line.
       }
}


Usually there are empty lines between logical blocks in your code. If you initialize a list you have an empty line before your first initialization. So you can append (else-fork) the list or you can precede the list (if-fork). This would be a very subtle way of user assistance, just the way that it tries to keep "out of the way" of things the user want to see.

Your thoughts?
Husker

p.s.: some companies would see such thing as a valuable patent, i don't... *sic*
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Site Admin

Joined: 13 Jul 2003
Posts: 8334
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hmm, I tried my best and was unable to get VS6 showing tooltips above the line. Looks like it's always showing them below, even if list of the arguments is spreaded among multiple lines and some of the arguments are overlapped while the two lines above are empty. I noticed that when I move cursor down to the next arg, tooltip moves down too so current line is never overlapped with it.
View user's profileFind all posts by dmitriSend private messageVisit poster's website


Joined: 22 Dec 2005
Posts: 6
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I forgot to mention I am using VS.NET 2003 (not migrated to 2005 yet).

Husker
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[SUGGESTION] tooltips in the IDE should have a better place
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