For the new "Page count in range" field in Writer it is required to have a page break with style change and page number reset in order for it to work. This is not obvious for the user. We need to improve the user experience here. I suggest the following improvements when a user tries to insert that field: Case #1: Only one page style exists in the document -> Display message box to explain that a page break with page number reset must be added in order for this field to work. Don't insert it. Dialog: "This field only works if there is a page break with a change of page style in the document. In addition, the page number must be reset in the page break." [OK] Case #2: _One_ Page break with page style change exists, but no page number reset was done -> Ask to add page number reset to existing page break. Only insert field when user agrees to add the page number reset. Dialog: "This field requires a page number reset on the page break. Do you want to reset the page number to 1 on the existing page break with the page style “$PageStyle”?" [Cancel] [OK] Case #3: _Multiple_ page breaks with page style changes exist, but no page number reset was done. -> Ask to add page number reset to the nearest page break (search backwards first, then forward). Only insert field when user agrees to add the page number reset. Dialog: "This field requires a page number reset on the page break. Do you want to reset the page number to 1 on the nearest page break with the page style “$PageStyle”?" [Cancel] [OK] Case #4: At least one page break with a page number reset exists in the document -> Just insert the field
Dialogs interrupt the workflow and should be used only in critical situations. I think a tooltip (and more details in the help) is sufficient but could also imagine a static text. Btw, the tooltip is just an extended tip and not visible without activating the option.
Created attachment 200510 [details] Screenshot This is the new option.
(In reply to Heiko Tietze from comment #1) > Dialogs interrupt the workflow and should be used only in critical > situations. I think a tooltip (and more details in the help) is sufficient > but could also imagine a static text. Yep. That would be enough for Case #4 where the user knows what he's doing and has done all steps before inserting the page count in range field. No dialog will be displayed in this case. Only for the critical situations where users are trying to insert this field without taking the necessary steps, as described above, a dialog will be shown to assist them.
(In reply to Samuel Mehrbrodt (allotropia) from comment #0) > For the new "Page count in range" field in Writer it is required to have a > page break with style change and page number reset in order for it to work. > This is not correct. There is no such requirement. Without a page number reset the new field counts just the same as the normal page count field.
We discussed this topic in the design meeting. The proposed confirmation/warning dialog makes only sense in scenarios where data integrity is threatened or privacy/security issues may happen. Otherwise it is not recommendable to interrupt the workflow. Nevertheless we should show additional information when the UI or the workflow is not clear to the user. An example for such static text is the password dialog ("Only Basic Latin characters...", warning-yellow when matching the condition). But in this case we may solve the potential confusion by just disabling the controls. At least case #1 is obviously not suited for the chapter-wise numbering. We also recommend to turn the extended tooltip into an ordinary tip. Last but not least the help could be more informative and explain for example what this feature is meant for.