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irritating screen jumps in Mathematica 8.0.4
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Dushan Mitrovich
Mar 3, 2012, 6:58:56 AM3/3/12
to
Using Mathematica 8.0.4 under Mac OS X.6.8 I finally got irritated
enough by a certain behavior to ask here if there's any way to stop it.
A lot of the typical notebook I work on involves word processing, with
only occasional Input/Output cells as needed. So most of the equations
are in separate lines and contained in math boxes (enclosed by Ctrl-(
and Ctrl-) ).
If I edit something in one of those boxes, then hit either Up-arrow or
Down-arrow to get out of it and go to the previous or next line, the
cursor jumps to the front or back of the box and all the screen contents
jump _down_. So going into and out of a math box by repeating either
arrow key combination {Left, Down} or {Right, Up} will cause the screen
contents to keep jumping down until the box is at the bottom of the
screen. At that point the Left or Right arrow key causes the screen
contents to jump up so the box is inside the window, then the Down or Up
keys jumps it back to where it was.
The jumps (of the screen contents, not of the cursor) almost guarantee
that I'll momentarily lose my place and have to re-find it. This is the
irritant, and I see no reason why it should exist. The cursor jumping
into and out of the box would be no problem, as it wouldn't destroy
one's focus.
Have others run into this, and if so is there a way to prevent it?
- Dushan
enough by a certain behavior to ask here if there's any way to stop it.
A lot of the typical notebook I work on involves word processing, with
only occasional Input/Output cells as needed. So most of the equations
are in separate lines and contained in math boxes (enclosed by Ctrl-(
and Ctrl-) ).
If I edit something in one of those boxes, then hit either Up-arrow or
Down-arrow to get out of it and go to the previous or next line, the
cursor jumps to the front or back of the box and all the screen contents
jump _down_. So going into and out of a math box by repeating either
arrow key combination {Left, Down} or {Right, Up} will cause the screen
contents to keep jumping down until the box is at the bottom of the
screen. At that point the Left or Right arrow key causes the screen
contents to jump up so the box is inside the window, then the Down or Up
keys jumps it back to where it was.
The jumps (of the screen contents, not of the cursor) almost guarantee
that I'll momentarily lose my place and have to re-find it. This is the
irritant, and I see no reason why it should exist. The cursor jumping
into and out of the box would be no problem, as it wouldn't destroy
one's focus.
Have others run into this, and if so is there a way to prevent it?
- Dushan
JUN
Mar 4, 2012, 4:36:40 AM3/4/12
to
I don't know how to fix this for equations in text cells, but at least the jumps don't occur if you put equations in DisplayFormula or DisplayFormulaNumbered cells (this can be chosen from the Format > Style menu), instead of text cells. I would try to do that as much as possible, but of course sometimes you need inline maths as well, and in that case the only way to avoid screen jumps is to emulate the math style by hand, e.g. by choosing italic font for variables without putting them in a Ctrl-( inset. This of course can't always be done.
Jens
Joseph Gwinn
Mar 4, 2012, 4:35:08 AM3/4/12
to
In article <jit120$e7p$1...@smc.vnet.net>,
All the time, and not just in boxed cells. Jumps often happen in the
gap when I look from screen to keyboard to type something in, causing a
mistake. Undo often saves the day, but Undo is only one deep, so it's
easily evaded. I have lost lots of text this way. Many of the jumps
seem to be due to a slight twitch of the hand while looking away after
positioning the cursor.
The basic problem is that the UI is too twitchy. I don't have a
solution, but wish I did.
Joe Gwinn
gap when I look from screen to keyboard to type something in, causing a
mistake. Undo often saves the day, but Undo is only one deep, so it's
easily evaded. I have lost lots of text this way. Many of the jumps
seem to be due to a slight twitch of the hand while looking away after
positioning the cursor.
The basic problem is that the UI is too twitchy. I don't have a
solution, but wish I did.
Joe Gwinn
JUN
Mar 6, 2012, 5:58:49 AM3/6/12
to
After you have inserted your first displayed formula, you can get back to the same style directly by pressing command-0. This brings up the style menu with the last setting selected. Then you simply press return to get a new cell with that style, press Shift-Command-t to enter TraditionalForm. Now you're ready to start entering the formula not perfect, but at least some shortcuts do exist.
Jens
Dushan Mitrovich
Mar 7, 2012, 5:38:11 AM3/7/12
to
- Dushan
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