Accidentally opening file already opened

[kevs]

Lost a lot of work because of this today.

I sometimes accidentally click on a file that is already open.

Excel (word too) says, do you want to revert to open document, you will lost
all your work. ... So I click ok, not bothering to read last words about
losing work.

Why DON'T these programs just say "Your document is already open" and just
leave it at that???

Kevs


OS 10.4.11
Office 2004

 

[Tobias Weber]

I sometimes accidentally click on a file that is already open.

Excel (word too) says, do you want to revert to open document, you will lost
all your work. ... So I click ok, not bothering to read last words about
losing work.

Happened to me as well. Three things wrong with that dialog:
The destructive option is the default triggered, when pressing enter.
Yes/No buttons instead of meaningful Revert/Cancel.
Its very existence. All other software just brings the window to the
front if a file is already open.

 

[JE McGimpsey]

I sometimes accidentally click on a file that is already open.

Excel (word too) says, do you want to revert to open document, you will lost
all your work. ... So I click ok, not bothering to read last words about
losing work.

Why DON'T these programs just say "Your document is already open" and just
leave it at that???

It's a 50-50 design decision.

I suspect that if it *did* work the way you propose, you or someone else
would eventually post about the stupidity of that process.

Let's say it worked that way, and you *did* want to start over from the
saved version (revert). You'd have to click OK to dismiss the "Your
document is already open" notice, then close the file. THAT would bring
up a dialog asking if you want to save - giving you the opportunity to
"click ok, not bothering to read". You'd then be able to open the file,
only to find that the changes you wanted to discard are now saved in the
file.

Saving frequently, and backing up your files is the best way to avoid
losing data.

XL was trying to help you - nothing can really save you from failure to
read the warnings...

 

[JE McGimpsey]

Three things wrong with that dialog:
The destructive option is the default triggered, when pressing enter.

Agreed - the default should be No.

Yes/No buttons instead of meaningful Revert/Cancel.

Since the question is "Do you want to reopen <filename>", Yes/No is
appropriate. Revert isn't used anywhere in the dialog, so would cause
more confusion, I suspect.

Its very existence. All other software just brings the window to the
front if a file is already open.

IIRC, XL and Word have been doing this since 1984/85, so I suspect that
consistency with previous versions was given the nod over conforming to
other norms. I'd have chosen differently, but it's not a no-brainer...

 

[Tobias Weber]

Since the question is "Do you want to reopen <filename>", Yes/No is
appropriate. Revert isn't used anywhere in the dialog, so would cause

Who on earth reads those questions? Nobody should have to! It's a good
thing the Mac favors Save/Don't save over Yes/No.

IIRC, XL and Word have been doing this since 1984/85, so I suspect that
consistency with previous versions was given the nod over conforming to

Looking backwards is vastly overrated.

other norms. I'd have chosen differently, but it's not a no-brainer...

How is that (or any UI issue) a no-brainer?

 

[Tobias Weber]

It's a 50-50 design decision.

I suspect that if it *did* work the way you propose, you or someone else
would eventually post about the stupidity of that process.

Let's say it worked that way, and you *did* want to start over from the
saved version (revert). You'd have to click OK to dismiss the "Your

I'm pretty sure you'd decide to start over while viewing the document,
so you'd select File/Revert rather than switching to the finder,
locating the file, opening it, and answering a dialog.

Oh, wait, Excel doesn't have File/Revert. (Why not?)

So just close the file, don't save changes, and reopen it from the
history in the file menu.

I really can't think of any case where abandoning the current behaviour
wouldn't improve usability/save time. (after the one time people used to
the old behaviour (I can't imagine those make up even close to 50%) will
fail and learn)

Saving frequently, and backing up your files is the best way to avoid
losing data.

True, but developers relying on that are on a good way to alienate
customers.

XL was trying to help you - nothing can really save you from failure to
read the warnings...

Wrong, making warnings unnecessary can. Would you argue for a simple
warning not to operate a chainsaw single-handedly in favor of adding a
dead-man switch to the second handle?

 

[JE McGimpsey]

XL was trying to help you - nothing can really save you from failure to
read the warnings...

Wrong, making warnings unnecessary can.[/QUOTE]

Unless you can describe how to *do* that with XL2004, I'll stand by what
I posted.

I wasn't talking about theory. Nor what might be good design to suggest
that MacBU consider for XL2012...

 

[kevs]

Wrong, making warnings unnecessary can.

Unless you can describe how to *do* that with XL2004, I'll stand by what
I posted.

I wasn't talking about theory. Nor what might be good design to suggest
that MacBU consider for XL2012...[/QUOTE]
Thanks Guys.
I'm much more in Tobias' camp here, although JE, as usual, provides good
historical info and context.

Even though this was a free intern doing the work, it's just infuriating to
see him do two tedious hours of work, finish the project, and poof, it's all
gone because of this excruciating lame dialogue box.

He wasn't saving at all. Had I been doing the work this would not have
happened, as I save every five minutes.

I was the one who accidentally clicked on the open file in finder.

I've done this many times, I still don't understand the dialogue box.

If I want to abandon what I'm doing. I close the file, I don't save, then I
reopen the file.

Are there people who actually leave the open file up, and then click on the
file in finder to restart from afresh? I cant fathom that.

I think if your file is open , and you then open the file from finder --
nothing should happen, it's a sign, the file is already open, at best a
dialogue that says, "your file is already open" AND THAT'S ALL!

A lousy written dialogue that has an option to discard the possibly UNSAVED
file is the worst design flaw I have ever see in any major software.

The intern is reschedule to come back and redo the whole thing this Friday.

Kevs




OS 10.4.11
Office 2004