Name: krT82822 Date: 01/30/2000


orig synopsis: "Kestrel RC1: JTree node selection/scrolling behaviour changed (still not right)"

java version "1.3.0rc1"
Java(TM) 2 Runtime Environment, Standard Edition (build 1.3.0rc1-T)
Java HotSpot(TM) Client VM (build 1.3.0rc1-S, mixed mode)


Among the bugs that are labelled "fixed" for the Kestrel RC1 release
is no.4270654. In that bug report, a developer pointed out that when
using the keyboard to select a node in a JTree (contained in a
JScrollPane), the horizontal position of the view should not "snap"
back to 0 if it had a different value.

However, while the fix for 1.3.0 eliminated this issue by setting
the horizontal position to the bounds of the node, it didn't fix
the actual problem, which is: Navigating through a tree (using
cursor up/down) should NOT modify the _horizontal_ position of the
scroll pane view.

Why? Because it's irritating when the user only expects a vertical
movement but is also confronted with a horizontal one. Secondly,
because setting the (left edge of the) view position to the bounds
of the node hides the tree structure (& angled lines) of all of
the node's parent nodes, thus making it hard to keep track of
where you currently are in the tree. I guess there can be different
opinions about what the "right" behaviour is but the probably
most widely used tree widget implementation (Microsoft's, see
Windows Explorer) does NOT change the horizontal position.

This has been submitted as an "early access" bug because
in the most common case (the user navigates through the
tree while the horizontal view position is at 0) there
was no horizontal scrolling in 1.2.2, but there is in 1.3.0.
In my opinion, this is a regression. Please consider reopening
bug no.4270654 or filing a new one.

For an example program, see bug no.4270654.
(Review ID: 100535)
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