New vertical floating toolbar

Finally, I have something positive to say about the site! That new vertical floating toolbar is great. Thanks for that!

ebyers wrote: Thu May 26, 2022 9:32 pm Finally, I have something positive to say about the site! That new vertical floating toolbar is great. Thanks for that!

They've occasionally played with this type of interface. I thought this was another temporary test, but it looks like maybe it's sticking around. While I appreciate that it doesn't cover the text, one thing is driving me crazy: they animated the travel of the toolbar. When you highlight some text, the bar slowly slides down the screen to your selection before you can use it. Compared to the old interface that instantly appeared, this is a major productivity killer. I'm still experimenting with things, but it looks like they introduced some other bugs with this update.

mevans wrote: Sat May 28, 2022 8:49 am When you highlight some text, the bar slowly slides down the screen to your selection before you can use it.

Is that how it is supposed to work? When I highlight text intending to copy it, the beginning marker and the ending marker show for a second and then disappear. Nothing else happens and I cannot copy anything.

What am I missing (except for not being able to do anything with the new format)?

lajackson wrote: Sun May 29, 2022 3:06 pm

mevans wrote: Sat May 28, 2022 8:49 am When you highlight some text, the bar slowly slides down the screen to your selection before you can use it.

Is that how it is supposed to work? When I highlight text intending to copy it, the beginning marker and the ending marker show for a second and then disappear. Nothing else happens and I cannot copy anything.

What am I missing (except for not being able to do anything with the new format)?

I also get the behavior you mention above. Which web browser are you using? For me when I use Firefox it's broken like you mention above. When I use Chrome or Opera I get the slow sliding animation effect I mentioned in my post.

I see the floating toolbar but all the buttons are greyed out unless I select some text (probably by design). I don't have any problem selecting conference talk text in Chrome (whether I am signed in with my church account or not). I have not tried it recently with scriptures on the PC. Personally, I find the floating toolbar a bit annoying (like almost all of the changes to the church website over the past couple of years). However, I do like that it stays off to the side of the text instead of popping up over the text I have highlighted so I can more easily ignore it since I usually use the keyboard to copy and paste.

It's a new week and a new course of study. I'm more fully trying to use the revised study tools. Oh what a mess it is. The animated toolbar is a horrible thing. It's like a video game and you're trying to click on user interface elements while they move around on the screen trying to evade your mouse clicks. Sometimes I think that bar is going to stay put and try to click, only to have it decide to move a little bit. And then so many subtle little things are broken that had been working reasonably well for a while. Did anyone actually try using the revised tools for serious study before unleashing the changes upon the general church membership? I often times try to test things a little more before submitting Feedback, but much of my study time today was spent submitting several Feedback issues. I hope they can quickly address problems.

mevans wrote: Sun May 29, 2022 5:25 pm Which web browser are you using?

Sigh. Firefox on Windows 10.

I exited miffed mode long enough to try my usually trusty backup, Microsoft Edge, and things seem to work there, at least for the copying and other things I do at Libraries, mostly Scriptures and Gospel Library. I will use Edge for now.

I realize Chrome is the most used browser by almost any means of measurement. I have my reasons for not wanting to download it onto my laptop. But Firefox is by far my favorite, and I take the position that it is still used enough that it ought to be supported. After all, last I checked, there were things at the Church site that did not work in Chrome and required the use of Firefox.

I would try Safari, but as a Windows user I would not have the benefit of an up-to-date or supported browser. If I used iOS I would use it and probably love it, holding Firefox as my backup.

However, in my addled brain, I believe I would have to give up too much if I were to switch to Chrome. I suppose that is old school thinking now. Even if Edge had not worked, I still would not load Chrome in this instance.

I am not happy that my copying ability for the scriptures does not work with the new toolbar. I use firefox please update your system so I can use my preferred browser! Or give me back the old toolbar.

richardmadsen10 wrote: Mon May 30, 2022 12:15 pm I use firefox please update your system so I can use my preferred browser! Or give me back the old toolbar.

I am guessing you are addressing those who can do something about the issue. Unfortunately, the forum is not an official feedback or communication channel to those who can do something about the issue. We can discuss it here, but that is all.

Use the feedback link found at the bottom of most ChurchofJesusChrist.org web pages in the footer to get your issue to those who can do something. Do not expect a personal response due to the large number of feedback messages that must be processed daily. Rest assured your feedback will be processed and sent to those who make the decisions and reviewed.

lajackson wrote: Mon May 30, 2022 11:11 am I realize Chrome is the most used browser by almost any means of measurement. I have my reasons for not wanting to download it onto my laptop. But Firefox is by far my favorite, and I take the position that it is still used enough that it ought to be supported.

FYI, the Chromium engine underlies many browsers, including Edge, Brave, and of course Chrome. I would expect very similar results with all of them. I think Firefox and Safari are the few holdouts.

I sent feedback about the Firefox inability to copy problem through the app. The GSC responded that they escalated my feedback to be reviewed by the developers.

I have at least received acknowledgement from the Feedback people regarding several issues I submitted. We'll see how quickly they get them fixed.
Unfortunately, they didn't consider the animated toolbar to be a bug. It's just classified as something to consider for a future release. I think it's a huge usability bug, but I'm not the one who gets to classify that.

mevans wrote: Wed Jun 01, 2022 6:54 pm Unfortunately, they didn't consider the animated toolbar to be a bug.

I think it is a bug if it does not work. Usability issues aside, I hope they figure out what to do to make it work in Firefox.

lajackson wrote: Thu Jun 02, 2022 9:36 am

mevans wrote: Wed Jun 01, 2022 6:54 pm Unfortunately, they didn't consider the animated toolbar to be a bug.

I think it is a bug if it does not work. Usability issues aside, I hope they figure out what to do to make it work in Firefox.

In that comment I was referring to the usability issues I have with the animated toolbar in other browsers. I also had submitted a bug about problems with Firefox not working at all. I believe they accepted that one as a bug. I would hope that Firefox being completely broken would get more prompt attention, but I'm not the one setting priorities.

Good News!
I observed in my studies this morning that several things seem to be fixed! Maybe everything I reported has been fixed; I'm not sure yet (except the animated toolbar, which they didn't consider to be a bug). Since I saw fixes, I tried Firefox and it's working for me now, too!

mevans wrote: Sat Jun 04, 2022 8:57 am I tried Firefox and it's working for me now, too!

Thank you for the report. I just tried and it works for me, as well.