[upstream] BASE: tab order in form initially inactive

I am using Libreoffice 4.2.8.2 in Ubuntu trusty.

This ticket concerns the database application. When designing a form and specifying a tab order (the wizard does this) one still has to first position the cursor in a field to take advantage of tabbing to the next field. Opening a form for data entry and hitting tab does not do anything.

steps to reproduce:

1) open the database https://bugs.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+source/libreoffice/+bug/1478258/+attachment/4434029/+files/LP1478258.odb
2) open the one form in this file
3) hit tab and realize nothing is happening
4) position the cursor in one of the fields
5) input some name
6) hit tab and realize the cursor is now moving to the next field

@Rolf: in your test db, both of your form controls for text data entry are set to zero as the activation value.

However, even if I set the first text field control to 0 and the second text field control to 1, save and re-open in data entry mode, I can confirm that the cursor does not automatically appear in the first field.

Tested on OSX 10.10.4 with LO4432

@Rolf:

Set the first control activation sequence to 1
Set the second control activation sequence to 2
Then activate "Automatic focus in form" (form design toolbar)

Save form, then it works.

Setting back to UNCONFIRMED.

For me this is WFM and I will close it. If the problem is specific to the Ubuntu version of LibreOffice you're using, then only they can fix it.

Try upgrading to a more recent release of LO, LO 4.2.x is already EOL for TDF produced builds, in case it is linked to that particular version distributed by Ubuntu.

I think the box is named "automatic control focus" in my version

Alex, I'd like to revisit this discussion. I'm happy to see this is arguably a config-setting only. Then this is indeed not a bug.

Given that the default for the config option in question results in unintuitive behaviour I would argue that LO can do better. I would say that tab order should work even if "Automatic focus in form" or "automatic control focus" are not set for any of the tab fields. If nothing is specified, enter the field with the lowest activation sequence number, don't sit around twiddling thumbs, so to speak.

I believe this is indeed a bug as most users would assume if they specified a tab sequence it would work without having to mouse and position the cursor first.

The problem as described is not specific to my older LO version. I can successfully reproduce it even in 5.1 daily dev build AND when specifying a tab order of "1,2" instead of "0" for both fields. The problem remains UNLESS you also activate "Automatic Control Focus". This is at least unintuitive or worse.

@Rolf: I suspect that this might be inherited from OOo3, but to be honest I can't remember whether it was already automatic by default or not in those versions.

However, my own personal take on it is that, yes, the UI should really jump to the first control in the form defined by the tab position. As I'm not a developer, I don't know whether this has always been so, or even how much effort it would require to fix (or even if any Base developers see it as worthwhile fixing).

Pending comments from any devs, I'll set this to enhancement.

Sorry for this dumb question but how to set order on a control?
(right click/control doesn't make appear any "tab order")
"Activation Order" just shows the fields and allow to move up or down them.

Julien, you need to ungroup the label and field in the form first (the wizard groups these two). Then choose "Control" from the context menu of the field. On the General tab you will a numerical value for "Tab Order".

Thank you for your feedback, I could reproduce this.