channel list in the main window lacks in keyboard navigation support

[pvagner]

Now after UI rewrite in one of the post 1.0 releases (I think 1.2) there is a problem switching channels using the keyboard only.
When you look on the channel list vidget, the individual channels are implemented as a radio buttons and their respective epg events are simple buttons.
while the buttons (epg events) react fine to the keypresses when they are in focus the radio buttons (channel names) fire a select even when pressing the space bar to select the focused radio button but the channel switch does only happen on the left mouse click. Also I've seen in the changelog channel list items react to the right click also. If there is a popup menu attached to the individual radio buttons it should be possible to inwoke that menu by pressing applications key to be consistant with all native GTK vidgets and become more accessible.
The idea is we can perfectly navigate the channel list using the keyboard but we are unable to switch channels. The only way to change channels via keyboard is to use numbers which is good but a little bit inconvenient when browsing the channel list.
To explain it better when me-tv starts no interactive control is in focus. When pressing tab key toolbar buttons such as toggle recording and full screen gain the focus. After more tab key presses the channel list controls gain the system focus. While one of the radio buttons (channel names) have focus it is possible to use up and down arrow keys to change the focus. Then it is possible to press the space bar to change the radio button selection to the radio button (channel name) which is currently in focus. But the whole problem is that when changing the selection this way no channel switch takes place. When clicking the channel name using the mouse the selection is also changed and the channel switch takes place. What is important for me as a keyboard only user is the ability to make the channel switch also happen when pressing the spacebar while the individual radio buttons are in focus.

[Michael Lamothe (lamothe-deactivatedaccount-deactivatedaccount)]

I see the issue, using the space bar on a channel button does not work. This is a tricky one because although changing the connected signal (currently button_press) will allow you to select a channel by activating the button, the EPG isn't really designed to be navigated via key presses. I agree, that this would be nice and, if I could do it easily then I would but the EPG gets updated periodically which will make you lose your currently selected widget in the EPG. I can't see how you have had a smooth experience even with previous versions.

If you can see a simple way out of this then let me know.

[pvagner (peter-v)]

Hello,
Yes this is correct when EPG updates the focus goes to nowhere and you have to start focusing from the begining. Anyway I have 15 or so channels displayed at a time and I am still able to choose my channel eventhough I may sometimes get interupted by EPG update. This may be a bit difficult but here goes my speculation anyway. You are updating the EPG vidget eventhough nothing changes in the EPG listings for the currently visible channels and / or time period. Would it be possible not to update the vidget when the update brings new entries from outside this specification?

I have discovered some more issues related to this:
When changing radio button selection using keyboard the vidget does not seem to always scroll visually so e.g. focus is on the channel number 13 which does not fit on the screen but the scrollbar is still at the top. This means I am even unable to do the mouse click without looking at the screen or moving the scrollbar thus I am unable to switch to those channels at all.
There is that nice possibility to use numbers for changing channels but on my system it only seems to work for single digit numbers. so this way I am only able to switch to channels one through nine. Can you at least confirm this?

I've used various DVB applications for windows in the past but access to the EPG is excelent in me-tv and is also very accessible. All the other DVB apps are frequently using OSD for displaying EPG. This is unique and I like it very much and it's why fixing tthis or at least tweaking it somehow may help me greatly.

One more thing. in older versions we used to have ctrl+up arrow and ctrl+down arrow for switching to prev / next channel. Is it remapped to some other keys or is it gone forever?

[Michael Lamothe (lamothe-deactivatedaccount-deactivatedaccount)]

I did not implement the channel numbering thing, I don't use it. If it's broken then I should remove the feature completely. The Ctrl-Up/Down buttons are no longer available because it was too for me hard to implement. "forever", I can't answer that, it would depend if someone implements it again in the future.

[pvagner (peter-v)]

Okay but please if you are unable to tweak the channel list keyboard navigation issue according to my wishes then please don't remove that numbering feature. At least I can partially switch channels now.
If you'll remove it then I won't be able to switch channels at all.

[pvagner (peter-v)]

Sorry for the confusion.
I've retested the channel switching by numbers and it definatelly works correctly here.

[Mantas Kriaučiūnas (mantas)]

There is a blueprint about adding possibility to switch to Next/Previous channel using PageUp/PageDown keys in keyboard or mouse scroll wheel, see
https://launchpad.net/me-tv/+spec/switch-channels-with-mouse-wheel

[pvagner (peter-v)]

I don't seem to be able to comment on the linked blue print so here goes my question.
I know I can manage global gnome keyboard shortcuts but I've no idea what can I bind the shortcut to.
Is there a command-line parameter for previous and next channel or can it be triggered in some different way?

[Michael Lamothe (lamothe-deactivatedaccount-deactivatedaccount)]

I'll look into changing the type of signal that the channel radio buttons use. I think that's the only thing that's a bug here.

[Michael Lamothe (lamothe-deactivatedaccount-deactivatedaccount)]

I'm now connecting to signal_toggled() for the channel buttons which gets fired when the button is toggled.

[pvagner (peter-v)]

Thank you verry much. It's working like I've imagined it.
This is not critical but please It appears you haven't yet considered that part where I was tallking about accessing channel right click menu. I am afraid this needs custom implementation because radio buttons don't usually have a context menu attached.

Anyway now my daily usage is perfect this was the most critical issue I've found out.

Greetings

[Michael Lamothe (lamothe-deactivatedaccount-deactivatedaccount)]

There is no right click menu, right clicking simply starts recording on the channel. You can simply press 'r', but unlike right-click, you will need to be tuned to the channel that you want to record.

Are you a vision impaired user?

[pvagner (peter-v)]

Yep I'm blind. You may wonder why the hell do I care about tv viewing app then but I can and sometimes really watch tv. other my family members watch tv even more frequently. Since I seem to be most technically inclined around here it's natural I need to be able to use things we all want to use.

Thanks for the great support and sorry for that thing with right click menu. I'm fine with the toolbar button and r shortcut key to start and stop recording.