Re: Keyboard Nav in Sys6.0.1

[David A Lyons <dlyons@apple.com>]

In article <250mi4$2n8@news.ysu.edu> Eric S. Ford, ag471@yfn.ysu.edu
writes:
> Okay, how is keyboard navigation supposed to work in Sys 6.0.1?  I just
> installed the operating system and tried that feature out only to meet
with
> inconsistent results.  Specifically, I have several programs on the
desktop
> which start with a given letter.  Usually, if I have no program icon
hilited
> typing that letter selects one of those files.  It selects one on the
middle
> of the desk rather than in the top row.  If I type the same letter
again a
> different icon is hilited.  Now it gets funky.  If I type the same
letter
> again (with still more icons which start with that letter) the
selection 
> does not change.  Sometimes it will change after three or four attempts
but
> it only goes back to the first icon selected.  Once it goes back to
that 
> first icon it refuses to move no matter how many times I type  the
letter.
> Am I expecting too much or is keyboard nav an overblown feature?

It's working correctly.  Two items should clear everything up:

(1) The letter-based navigation always works alphabetically, no matter how
    the icons are arranged.

(2) If you type a letter within 2/3 of a second after the previous letter,
    it counts as the same "word."  So if you type "d" three times with no
    more than 2/3 of a second between the pairs of keypresses, your
    selection will jump from "dad" to "dog" on the second keypress ("dd"
    comes after "dad" but before "dog").

Dave Lyons, dlyons@apple.com
Mr Tangent

My opinions are my own, not Apple's.