Apache OpenOffice (AOO) Bugzilla – Issue 48865
Refresh timer for formulas "AutoUpdate Display" is WAY too slow
Last modified: 2013-02-07 22:41:17 UTC
When you modify a formula code, the AutoUpdateDisplay triggers with a delay of TWO (2) seconds after the last keystroke. This is WAY TOO MUCH time to wait for, to see if you typed the correct code. This significantly reduces my productivity. At the time of 100 mhz computers I could understand if there was such a delay before triggering the redraw, but nowday's multi-GHZ CPUs are really capable of redrawing the formula at each keystroke. Would you please trigger the autoupdate immediately at every keystroke? Thank you, Altsound
AFAIK the delay is intended and was designed to give the user a small gap when typing errors in the command window and having some time to correct it before the display updates with error signs. But us this still needed in the age of GHz CPUs? BTW this is of course NOT a Prio 1 issue.
*** Issue 48859 has been marked as a duplicate of this issue. ***
Just disabling the delay is not that a good idea since it is considered to be a feature that prevents the user from seeing annoyingly garbled display. The delay might readily be decreased to about 1 second though. So maybe we should add a new option called "Immediate update".
tl, I don't agree. Firstly, the formula is not much garbled: OOo is good at interpreting what can be interpreted from an incomplete formula, and there would just be a few question marks in places where... there *should* be question marks because there is stuff to be completed. Secondly, the user knows, when typing, that the formula is not complete so s/he would go straight until s/he is at a good point. At that point, waiting to see the result is very annoying and lowers productivity IMHO. However, a customizable timer (user enters zero or more milliseconds) could accomodate both your tastes and mine, and would still be not difficult to create.
There is no 'going straight' when you tying and there is no delay! The parser will interrupt when it receives the event that a key was pressed or the text of the formula has changed. In the worst it might happen after each single key you press. Thus I guess even for a quick keyboard hacker a delay of 1/10 of a second would be a reasonable choice. Also not every user is fluently using a keyboard, for example childs are using this as well in the (if i remember correctly) "StarOffice for Kids" version of the program or in school.
BTW: If you are a quick hacker you may just disable the automatic update with "View/AutoUpdate Display" and press "View/Update" or "F9" if you have finished typing the formula. That way it's just another kexstroke to have the formula updated.