Created attachment 181832 [details] Comparison of context menu in table unselected vs selected modes In Base's View->Tables, initially no tables are selected. In that mode, the context menu in the table area looks like on the screenshot's upper part. After you select any table, the context menu looks differently, as shown in the lower part. It indeed looks specific to the selected item (and there is another context menu, shown for multiple selection - but that latter one is out of consideration here). The problem is, that it is impossible to deselect all tables, to get back to the state and menu shown in the upper part, after a table had been selected. This leads to user's confusion, as described in https://ask.libreoffice.org/t/cant-click-outside-deselect-table-in-base/80738. Pasting of a data would bring the dialog, where one can chose how to paste (allowing to not append, but create a new table), but it's not clear without experimenting, and even then, it would require to change the default selection in the dialog manually. It seems to be no reason to not allow deselection of a table after initial selection.
Could confirm the behavior. Irritates new Base user. Tested with LO 7.4.0.2 on OpenSUSE 15.3 64bit rpm Linux.
We could either auto select the first table or show all entries but disabled. The point of Select All is not clear to me. Would expect ctrl/shift+click and/or ctrl+A to do the trick. So rather adding another unnecessary command to the menu we could clean it up.
(In reply to Heiko Tietze from comment #2) > We could either auto select the first table or show all entries but disabled. Does this mean that we can *only* discuss these two options? IMO, the status quo (when the non-selected context menu is small and does not include disabled commands) is just fine, the only problem is to enable getting into "nothing selected" state after selection. > The point of Select All is not clear to me. This is off-topic here ;)
(In reply to Mike Kaganski from comment #3) > > The point of Select All is not clear to me. > > This is off-topic here ;) Well if we remove "Select All" the suggested "Unselect All" makes no sense (and it's a very uncommon interaction anyway). What is the multi-selection good for anyway? Besides being able to delete all tables at once, which is rarely a necessity.
(In reply to Heiko Tietze from comment #4) > Well if we remove "Select All" the suggested "Unselect All" makes no sense ??? No one proposed a new menu entry at all! The idea is to click outside of tables (in an empty space), and have selection cleared. > (and it's a very uncommon interaction anyway). Uh??? When you have an object selected, it is *very* common to select outside to deselect it (without selecting anything else). Think objects in Draw, or files in your favorite graphical file manager (most of them currently, I don't count Midnight Commander-like ones). > What is the multi-selection good for anyway? Besides being able to delete > all tables at once, which is rarely a necessity. This is off-topic here - for the reason outlined above.
(In reply to Mike Kaganski from comment #5) > it is *very* common to select outside to deselect it Sorry, a typo: "to click outside" was meant.
(In reply to Mike Kaganski from comment #5) > Uh??? When you have an object selected, it is *very* common to select > outside to deselect it (without selecting anything else). True for drawing objects but not lists. You don't need to click the word to select an entry. Even MS file explorer keeps the list item active when clicking white space. But the better example of what I mean is the left folders pane.
(In reply to Heiko Tietze from comment #7) > (In reply to Mike Kaganski from comment #5) > > Uh??? When you have an object selected, it is *very* common to select > > outside to deselect it (without selecting anything else). > > True for drawing objects but not lists. You don't need to click the word to > select an entry. Even MS file explorer keeps the list item active when > clicking white space. This is playing words. In Windows Explorer, when you click outside of files, the *selection* is cleared, and the context changes (see the context menus there). They keep the focus frame to hint from where navigation would start if user uses arrow keys, but not to keep user guessing if something is selected or not. > But the better example of what I mean is the left > folders pane. Totally wrong. The left Pane defines location context, and you can't be outside of any location at any time in Explorer's world. And the correct analogy in our case is View->Tables, which defines our location. We can't be outside of any such location, too. But the selected object is what defines on what the user will perform actions. And for any location where there are objects, and you might add more, everything unelected is a common context, familiar to everyone. I am actually puzzled how *that* could be controversial.
No objection to unselect on click at the white space if we keep the multi-selection. Still wonder if that's a requirement. But anyway.
FTR: https://ask.libreoffice.org/t/where-do-settings-for-new-page-styles-come-from/80822 shows how people really expect that the context menu actions really act on the *selection*. So (indeed, unrelated to this specific bug) when Styles context menu gives a "New" that is actually unrelated to the selection, it creates problems to users. I suppose that we either lack this important topic in our HIGs, or ignore it ~everywhere.