[fr] read only

[throwaway242685]

Checklist

• [X] I made sure that there are no existing issues - open or closed - to which I could contribute my information.
• [X] I made sure that there are no existing discussions - open or closed - to which I could contribute my information.
• [X] I have read the FAQs inside the app (Menu -> About -> FAQs) and my problem isn't listed.
• [X] I have taken the time to fill in all the required details. I understand that the bug report will be dismissed otherwise.
• [X] This issue contains only one feature request.
• [X] I have read and understood the contribution guidelines.
• [ ] I optionally donated to support the Fossify mission.

Feature description

hi, it would be great if this app had an option/button to individually set notes as "read-only'.

Why do you want this feature?

I personally save text to use/copy later on these notes, and I don't want to accidentally overwrite the text on these notes when I tap on them.

this would be different than locking the note in the sense that you would still see the text being displayed (with the possibility to select and copy it), but you wouldn't be able to edit it.

Additional information

(Notepad++ also has a "read-only" option, just to name an example)

[vbernier02]

Hello,

I am a third-year computer science student at the University. As part of a course of free software development, i would like to work on this feature for my first contribution.

[throwaway242685]

yeah, sure, go ahead.

I'm sure both Aga-C and naveensingh will be okay with that.

I actually had some ideas for this.

what do you think about implementing a new "lock" button that would put the note to "read-only" and viceversa?

something like this:

[Aga-C]

@throwaway242685 This icon is currently used for locked notes. We can't use this icon in another context because it will be misleading for users.

[throwaway242685]

I meant at the top, as a small icon, next to the others.

any other icon design with the same function should be okay, I guess.

[vbernier02]

Hi, for the feature i'm thinking of keeping the project's approach and adding it to the options menu, similar to the "lock note" feature. I was thinking like, pressing the option will lock the writing on the note and you will have to return to the option to unlock it. I'll keep the idea in mind for an icon.

[naveensingh]

Actually, let's wait a bit until we have a better idea on how to approach this. I do not like the menu button idea.

[throwaway242685]

well, if it eventually comes down to a button:

I was thinking that it should be placed at the top left corner, separated from the rest of the icons.

that way is less prone to misclick, or pick the wrong button.

and, it's more visible :-)

btw... about the icon, is this a more suitable choice?

perhaps the hitbox (the detection area) should be a bit larger, tho... considering its small size.

[naveensingh]

I was thinking that it should be placed at the top left corner, separated from the rest of the icons.

That's not the right place for it and it's reserved for the back button, see https://github.com/FossifyOrg/Notes/issues/27

I do not like the menu button idea.

@vbernier02

I am not happy with it but if you are up for it, let's do it. You can check Material Notes for reference. The final icons depend on the text, here's some examples:

• Enter edit mode
• Enter preview mode
• Enter read-only mode

(I like Enter preview mode because then we won't need another button for https://github.com/FossifyOrg/Notes/issues/22)

The Create a new note action button should probably be moved back into the overflow menu because we are already breaking the rule with 5 existing buttons:

[vbernier02]

I am not happy with it but if you are up for it, let's do it.

Thanks, I'll work on it. I'll try to do it with the icons you suggested for now. If it seems better, we can put the feature in the overflow menu.

[vbernier02]

Hi, I've been working on the feature for a while now but I have a problem that I can't fix for a few weeks. When I edit a note and test my read only implementation, the modification added to the note are not save.

https://github.com/user-attachments/assets/45ed1285-1b7a-49c2-877a-f7fb499394ca

I don't know if it's because I'm touching the TextFragment or something else. If anyone has a clue for my problem, I'll take it. The fork if you want to check : https://github.com/vbernier02/Notes

Thanks

[throwaway242685]

@vbernier02 I wish I could help you, but I'm not a programmer myself :(

hopefully someone else will help you with that.

[naveensingh]

@throwaway242685

• Would you want to be able to select/copy text while in read only mode?
• Should this affect checklists as well or just text notes?

[throwaway242685]

Would you want to be able to select/copy text while in read only mode?

yes, that's actually what I had on mind :) the keyboard should still be visible in read-only mode, but it should be limited only to select/copy text.

all the other keys shouldn't have any effect when you press on them.

Should this affect checklists as well or just text notes?

I personally don't use checklists, but I guess it should be the same.