[QuickAccent] Shift + Space to navigate backwards

[davidegiacometti]

Summary of the Pull Request

Detect shift key to navigate characters backwards with activation key set to space.

PR Checklist

• [x] Closes: #21548
• [ ] Communication: I've discussed this with core contributors already. If work hasn't been agreed, this work might be rejected
• [ ] Tests: Added/updated and all pass
• [ ] Localization: All end user facing strings can be localized
• [ ] Dev docs: Added/updated
• [ ] New binaries: Added on the required places
  • [ ] JSON for signing for new binaries
  • [ ] WXS for installer for new binaries and localization folder
  • [ ] YML for CI pipeline for new test projects
  • [ ] YML for signed pipeline
• [ ] Documentation updated: If checked, please file a pull request on our docs repo and link it here: #xxx

Detailed Description of the Pull Request / Additional comments

Validation Steps Performed

• Set activation key to space (also test with left/right/space)
• Activate quick accent
• Validate that shift + space is navigating characters backwards (left/right shift)

[jaimecbernardo]

Hi @davidegiacometti , Thanks for opening this PR. This change was discussed before here: https://github.com/microsoft/PowerToys/pull/20320#issuecomment-1253708634 Did you take this into account? How's the interaction when trying to do uppercase accented letters?

[davidegiacometti]

@jaimecbernardo I have missed that! I have tested with uppercase (SHIFT) and when the selector appear if you dont release SHIFT it's navigating backwards. A better key could be CTRL (ALT is very inconvenient) or we can decide to close the issue as wont-fix.

The author of the issue got a valid point:

if you mistakenly press space one time too many and just want to back to the previous character instead of going through the whole list.

[damienleroy]

I like this idea! But something disturb me. I stroke shift + E + space to get the uppercase selector. And naturally, I keep shift + E pushed, and repeat space. But it go backwards, it's troubling, so I have to up shift key, before changing character. It's not a big deal, but can be disturbing for some.

So I propose to add an option (activated by default), to deactivate it if some people get too much trouble with this feature.

[damienleroy]

The other solution I see, is to let forward, and activate backward if the shift key, has been up and down again. But may be a bit more complicated to do.

[davidegiacometti]

I have changed the code to detect shift for navigating backwards only if shift if pressed with visible toolbar. If you press SHIFT + A + SPACE is navigating forwards. To navigate backwards you need to release and press SHIFT again.

Let me know what do you think and if this needs to be configurable.

[crutkas]

@jaimecbernardo any reason to not merge?

[jaimecbernardo]

@jaimecbernardo any reason to not merge?

Yes, sorry. Still want a review from someone in the core team. @taras-janea is doing the TLC. Just added him as a reviewer.

[davidegiacometti]

Nice catch @taras-janea I have fixed conflicts with main and the left/right shift behavior.

[taras-janea]

Looks good and works well 👍 @davidegiacometti thank you for your contribution!