Jamm wrote:
>
> I'm trying out the latest version of arachne on a 486 under DOS
> and with no mouse, so I use TAB to step down through the links.
>
> After I've stepped through a heap of links on a page and
> selected one by hitting RETURN, I often want to go later back
> to that page and select the next or a later link. But I find that
> when I go back a page by hitting ctrl-LEFTARROW the screen has
> forgotten the link I'd been at and I have to step down
> through them all over again just to get back to where I was. Is
> there an option to fix this? It is really annoying.
Yes, it is annoying. But the Windows habit of closing DropDown menus after
you have finished with ONE selection is FAR more annoying. (just my comment).
No, there is no option to fix this, but there is a method of use that is
far superior IMO. I don't use the Tab function much. I position the cursor
with the arrow keys. It is much faster and sort of remembers its position.
To use the arrow keys effectively you must do two things:
UNselect smooth scrolling. (No Netscape compatibility mode)
Reduce your keyboard delay and speed up the auto-repeat rate. (Use fastkey)
Also, you can improve the logic and simplicity of the return function by
setting ESC Back in Arachne.cfg. So, in ADDITION TO cntrlLEFTARROW, you can
just hit ESC. Usually, the page and cursor are just where you left it.
This may depend on what you did with the cursor on you detour. <g>
> Also, when I use / to do a search on a page, it finds the
> desired text and highlights it but fails to position the
> cursor at the nearest link. So I still have to step down
> through all the links using TAB. Is there a way to have the
> link selected, not just text highlighted?
Probably sometime. Sounds like a good idea. <G>
> When a new page is displayed, the cursor seems to be sitting
> around the middle of the screen, but is not on any link (or
> maybe it's on the last one, it just doesn't show it). It
> seems to me that a more useful behavior would be to have it
> predictably positioned at the first link on the page, like
> lynx does.
I'm fairly sure you will find (if you DO use tab) that the first Tab takes
you to the first link - I have already commented to the powers that control
things that I think this is pretty useless even if it IS logical. Almost
no one uses the first link. IMO
I have lobbied to get the first TAB operation to position the cursor in the
first text entry area on the page if one exists, and made text active.
My test just now at www.yahoo.com/?u (Yahoo Finance - stock quotes) indicate
it still does not do this.
And worse, if you want to fill in the form and then just GO, the damn cursor
flies back to that stupid first link position ! ARRGGHH!
Logically, filling in the form and hitting ENTER should perform the same
action as tabbing to SUBMIT and hitting enter.
I lobby frequently for simple and user-friendly mouseless operation. Please
join the club. Michael uses a mouse - although he does test the keyboard a
bit, he doesn't use it enough to get annoyed.<G>
- Clarence Verge
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