Zoom / Unzoom request

[Djobydjoba]

Okay, another request, very sorry for the flooding (and I will calm down very soon!), but there is some little ideas I have that I think can improve the usability in graphs, so if they might be added... I take my chance at least!

When working with graphs, a feature we generally use a lot is zoom / unzoom. Unzoom to see the big picture, zoom for shorter period of time. Currently I use a lot the drop down menu in the toolbar to change the dates range but this is not a quick way to do, and in fact it is not a zoom/unzoom command.

Before the new autoscale options that are coming with FM 2018, I hadn't given a close look to the zoom/unzoom command because the price line in short dates ranges wasn't scaled "correctly" (too crushed). With the new autoscale options, the short dates ranges are now very attractive, so now I'm interesting in the zoom/unzoom command.

So, there are the keyboard shortcuts. Zoom out the X axis 10% (. or >), Zoom in X 10 axis 10% (, or <). With an European/French keyboard (Azerty), the shortcuts aren't very handy to use: unzoom with the "," key and zoom with the shift+";" key (that is, a dot), but it will be OK.

The problem I see is that the zoom/unzoom is done from the center of the current date range. With the current implementation we can unzoom after the last recorded price and see "the future": https://img11.hostingpics.net/pics/4385 ... 1h4601.png. But I would like a zoom/unzoom that works like that:

- unzoom: the end date of the date range is "locked", and we enlarge the date range by adding former months (or years) to the start date of the date range.
- zoom : the end date of the date range is "locked", and we reduce the date range by removing former months (or years) to the start date of the date range.

Perhaps zoom/unzoom is not the correct words for this. But this is what I need the most to enlarge/reduce quickly the date ranges in graphs.

Thanks.

[Mark]

Hi Djobydjoba,

Okay, thanks for the idea/feedback. I understand.

[Mark]

Hi Djobydjoba,

This has been implemented in Fund Manager 2018 Beta 2. See "Graphs / Options / Display... / Zooming or Scrolling X Axis Limited to Data Range". Beta 2 is now available from the Beta page.

[Djobydjoba]

Many thanks Mark, this was the right option to add!

[Djobydjoba]

Hi Mark,

With the new option added in Fund Manager 2018 (Zooming or Scrolling limited to data range), it is now possible to zoom/unzoom as I wished. But more efficiency with the keyboard would be great.

My needs are pretty basic. I want to be able to scroll investments up / down and to change the date range (= zoom / unzoom) very quickly with the keyboard.

What I mean by changing the date range (zooming / unzooming): the same way as the drop down menu, it's changing the date range from the current price / last recorded price.

But the drop down menu doesn't meet my needs anymore:
- not handy to use (with the mouse) because I want speed
- some date ranges not useful for me (I don't use date ranges narrower than 12 months).
- some date ranges I use are not in the menu

Precisely, my need is to change quickly with the keyboard the number of years displayed. So to change quickly the date range for:
- 1Y displayed (= the last 12 months)
- 2Y displayed
- 3Y
- ....
- 9Y
- and more why not

For investing, I think the year is the most appropriate / common time unit when we want to manipulate the X axis. Fast switching between the number of years displayed seems to me as it could be suited for many users of Fund Manager (IMO).

As a side note, the year as a unit of manipulation lacks when scrolling the X axis to the left or right. Ctrl+Shift+right arrow to scroll 1 month to the right, but no shortcut exists to scroll 1 year to the left/right. I guess there is a lack of keyboard shortcuts availability, but IMO the year as a unit of manipulation is more useful than the day or week and should be added.

Currently I do this to zoom / unzoom with the keyboard (with the option "Zooming or Scrolling limited to data range" on):
1) to zoom: press "k" to zoom (1Y displayed)
2) to unzoom: press shift+";" (on french keyboard, it's the period ".") and stay pressed. Release when the unzoom is sufficient.
3) to zoom again from here, press "k" to revert to 1Y displayed, and if necessary unzoom again with shift+";"

At step 3, comma (,) shortcut can't be used to zoom again because it zooms from the center of the date range and so the result is a date range that doesn't end to the current price / last recorded price anymore.

At step 3, "o" or "v" shortcut (scroll X axis to one month or year later) could be used to zoom again, but it becomes too unintuitive for me.

I find that it is not so quick nor convenient nor precise to have to keep pressed a key/shortcut to zoom / unzoom. It would be best if the shortcuts with the desired date ranges could exist, and the date range could be change with just one key press.

So I have a suggestion.

The keypad / numeric keys 0 to 9.
All these good keys that could be used for date range selection...
Key 1 = display 1Y
Key 2 = display 2Y
Key 3 = display 3Y
...
Key 9 = display 9Y

The keypad for changing the date range (the number of years displayed), and page up / page down keys (or arrow keys) just near the keypad to scroll investments, this would be so fast and handy!

Currently, the keys 1, 4, and 9 are used for changing the number of displays. But IMO, this is really not necessary, as the number of displays can be changed too with + and - keys. Changing the number of displays is not as a frequent as changing the date range, so the keys could be attributed instead for date range selection.

For more flexibility, perhaps there could be an option to let the user choose the time unit used when a numeric key is pressed (in days, weeks, months or years).
For example, key 5 could display a date range of 5 days, 5 weeks, 5 months or 5 years.

Or, even better, let the user the ability to defined himself the date range he want for each key 0-9
For example, he could choose: key 0 = 1 week, key 1 = 1 month, key 2 = 6 months, key 3 = 1 year, key 4 = 3 years,..., key 8 = 10 years, key 9 = full date history.
That would be great.

Thanks.

[Mark]

Hi Djobydjoba,

Thanks for the help/ideas. I can see this being helpful. I also don't want to change keyboard shortcuts that have been in the program since the beginning (1, 4, and 9). I realize you can use +/- but people may have become used to those, so I'd prefer to look for a solution that doesn't involve changing existing shortcuts. Maybe holding down a Ctrl/Shift/Alt key while pressing a number could be used this way. Or, we could make it a user-adjustable option. Ideally all the keyboard shortcuts could be user-adjustable.

[Djobydjoba]

Hi Mark,

Ideally all the keyboard shortcuts could be user-adjustable.

Oh yes, that would be best, at least for the graphs. The default keyboard shortcuts can't suit the needs for each user, and some are not handy to use, especially with a non-US keyboard! And be able to configure the keyboard shortcuts we want for the date ranges we want would be great. We can be much more efficient with proper keyboard shortcuts.

Holding down a Ctrl/Shift/Alt key while pressing a number could be used this way

My vote for the user-adjustable shortcuts instead. Keyboard shortcuts without modifier, like assigning an action to each "Q" "W" "E" "R" "T "Y" keys, or "1" "2" "3" "4" "5 "6" keys, allows to navigate very quickly with just one hand. Fast as in a video game.

[Djobydjoba]

Hi Mark,

I come back on the subject. In another topic (Feedback on FM 2020 beta), I asked:

Djobydjoba wrote:
set the graph date range to any number of years/month to date (Ctrl/Shift + <number>)

Using Ctrl+number to set date range in year is handy. I will use it a lot. Would be even better if we could enter two figures : 15 years, 20 years.. I often need to look at the big picture.

You replied:

This would be difficult, as keyboard accelerators won't take 2 different keys like that (1 and then 5). It would have to be a more custom solution. In the mean time, you could use the 'x' shortcut which does earliest to date.

Again, be able to select the date range from 1 year to 9 years is a big improvement. Ctrl + 1 to 9 are handy shortcuts with the numeric keypad (and with one hand). But 9 years are too limited for my needs. I would really like to jump to 12 years, 15 years... and up to 20 years, quickly, with these shortcuts.

In 2007 the markets were at the top, and in 2009 at the bottom. It is very useful to see these top and bottom in the graphs (again the big picture), so 9 years is too narrow.

Yes, I can use "x" for the earliest to date (and I use it), but it lacks flexibility, accuracy, and it is not handy (the hand has to move in another area of the keyboard). And I don't want to see 30 years or more of prices, either.

I realize this is quite a personal and specific need... I use FM extensively for graphical analysis. Most users don't need this. So I suggest an advanced "hack" with the current shortcuts:

a step of 1 year between each shortcut is not necessary. It is in fact somewhat too precise. For example, to see 2 or 3 years at a time or, 6 or 7 years, this doesn't change much.

So there could be a multiplier applied to the date range. The multiplier could be 1 (current behavior), 2 or 3. That would be perfect for me with a multiplier of 2 (but 3 could a be great option too):

With a x2 multiplier:
Ctrl+1 -> 2 years displayed
Ctrl+2 -> 4 years displayed
Ctrl+3 -> 6 years displayed
...
Ctrl+9 -> 18 years displayed.

And because it is for advanced needs, the multiplier could be a value in a registry key to change.

Thanks.

[Mark]

Hi Djobydjoba,

Interesting idea, thanks for sharing that. Making it a registry only option is probably appropriate for an option like this. It is also a pretty easy implementation, so we'll see if we can't get it added.

[Djobydjoba]

In fact, instead of a multiplier, preferably the ability to specify, for each Ctrl + <number> shortcut, the number of years we really want... That would be more flexible!

So there could be 9 registry values, "Ctrl-1" to "Ctrl-9", and in each we could set the desired number of years.

(thinking of it, the best setup for me would be: 1-3-5-10-15-20-25-30-40)

That would be great.

[Mark]

Hi Djobydjoba,

Okay, thanks for the idea.

[Djobydjoba]

Thanks a lot for having added the customization of Ctrl+<number> shortcuts. This is a huge boost in my efficiency!!

[Mark]

You're welcome, glad it is helpful.