I often have trouble because I need to work with items, such as colored background bars, icons, etc. behind transparent text frames. I don't know how common this is. I can sometimes select an object entirely behind one of the text frames, sometimes not. I can sometimes select objects where all but a thin sliver is behind one or another of two text frames, sometimes not. One solution would be an extra selection tool. Another solution would be an easier way to move the text frame, work on the object, and then replace the text frame. As it is it can be hard to restore the right alignment after moving the text frame. An adjustment to the snap-to-grid functions might help.
Hi MarjaE, Thanks for reporting this. You know that the Navigator has a section for objects and images? And usually, when one is selected, (ctrl+)TAB moves to the other.
Thanks, but no I don't. What is the Navigator? The Draw Guide refers to it, but never explains what it is or what it does. Command+Tab would require some awkward twisting, given my hand injuries. But that's another issue.
Okay, I found it under View, but I don't think it will help. I have 176 groups on each page, averaging about 10 objects in each group. Navigator froze LireOffice and ate all my cpu cycles when I tried to use it, and would be hard to use if it didn't crash.
You can set Draw so, that you click through the transparent area of a text box. A click in the free area will hit the object behind the text box and a click on the text will hit the text box. That is the option "Select Text Area Only" from the toolbar "Options" or the option "Only text area selected" from Tools > Options > Draw > General. If you have selected the text box and you want an object behind the text box, simple Alt-Click the object and it is selected and you can work on it. That works with other objects too. First select the front object, then Alt-click to get the back object. If you have a lot of objects, you should consider to use layers to separate them, for a garden plan for example a layer for the patches and garden paths, another layer for the plants, and a third layer for labels. To get easier access, you can lock a layer; in that mode no objects from that layer can be selected. That reduces the amount of click-able objects.
Layers would help, except that I'm dealing with objects in front of or behind one another within the same group, therefore within the same layer. Is there a one-handed mousable alternative for the alt-click?
(In reply to MarjaE from comment #5) > Layers would help, except that I'm dealing with objects in front of or > behind one another within the same group, therefore within the same layer. The members of a group need not be on the same layer. > > Is there a one-handed mousable alternative for the alt-click? You can use the "on-screen keyboard". It has a sticky modifier keys.
When you click to select on a spot where e.g. three objects overlap, the 1st click will select the topmost one. Holding the ALT key will allow you to select the next one with the next click, and so on. Holding Shift+ALT will go in the other direction. HTH!
Thanks, but I have coordination problems, so two-handed solutions are hard for me, and other users may have injuries, etc. so a one-handed solution may be necessary for them.
(In reply to Armin Le Grand from comment #7) > When you click to select on a spot where e.g. three objects overlap, the 1st > click will select the topmost one. Holding the ALT key will allow you to > select the next one with the next click, and so on. Holding Shift+ALT will > go in the other direction. HTH! Great to know - thanks! (if the objects are in the same order, Tab (Shft_Tab) will help Marja too, I hope.
Migrating Whiteboard tags to Keywords: (a11y -> accessibility)
(In reply to Cor Nouws from comment #9) > (In reply to Armin Le Grand from comment #7) > > When you click to select on a spot where e.g. three objects overlap, the 1st > > click will select the topmost one. Holding the ALT key will allow you to > > select the next one with the next click, and so on. Holding Shift+ALT will > > go in the other direction. HTH! > > Great to know - thanks! > (if the objects are in the same order, Tab (Shft_Tab) will help Marja too, I > hope. Tab just makes things go haywire. The whole window flashes and moves from one part of the image to another. First click selects topmost object. Second click selects topmost object again.
Regina gave advices how to deal with transparent text boxes. However, the accessibility of object selection has room for improvements. Alt+clicking through the stack works but not for handicapped people and not when you accidently double click. We need an alternative interaction, at best using the navigator. I renamed the ticket accordingly.
Removing UX; the envisioned a11y solution is to improve the Navigator (bug 90244).