UI density confusing

satc402
edited November 20, 2024
Great that you can change UI density for different devices, but the difference in functionality is confusing.

I was trying to demonstrate Zotero Web Library to some students and could not understand why, when I clicked on the fields with a mouse, it would not allow me to edit the fields. Eventually found out is because it had detected I was using a touch-screen device, even though I was using it with a regular display (at the front of a classroom).

Most web forms are set up that allow you to use touch and mouse to edit fields. Not sure why this is different.
  • tnajdek
    If your device has both touch input and a mouse connected, the web library relies on your browser to report the primary input device, and the appropriate UI is selected based on that.

    Even if the touch UI is rendered, clicking with a mouse should switch to a desktop-optimised version unless your screen is very small or you override this in the settings menu available from the header bar under the cog icon. If above does not apply and this doesn't happen, we’d be interested in knowing what browser, OS, and device you are using.

    While in touch mode, there is an "Edit" button that enables field editing. This behaviour is designed to match the Zotero native app on iOS.
  • satc402
    I'm using a Microsoft Surface device running Windows 11 Enterprise. This behaviour occurred in three different browsers: Chrome, Edge and Firefox. Three separate users running the same devices have also had this issue.

    Clicking 'Edit' with the mouse opened up the record, but clicking any field on that screen with the mouse closed it again. We did not make any changes to the default settings. Only touching the screen on the device in the correct field allowed editing. To use mouse control, we had to go to settings and override the automatic UI settings to allow mouse control.

    I think many users will find this very confusing.
  • tnajdek
    I believe there is a bug in the most recent release, where the UI does not adapt based on what pointing device is used, we will fix that, thank you for reporting the issue!
  • satc402
    Thanks. I'll keep an eye out for the fix.
  • parker.robb.kdhe
    I began experiencing the same problem today. I use the Zotero web library as a Microsoft Edge app on a Windows 11 desktop computer that only has mouse input and no touch input. Starting today, that Edge app instance changed to "Touch" UI Density, and the settings menu does not allow me to change that setting. Interestingly, opening the web library in a normal Edge tab gives me the desktop density and allows me to change the density.

    Windows 11 Enterprise 23H2
    Microsoft Edge for Business 131.0.2903.70
    Mouse input only
  • tnajdek
    Starting today, that Edge app instance changed to "Touch" UI Density, and the settings menu does not allow me to change that setting
    I believe this is due to the dimensions of the window that contains the web library. Try making it slightly wider (i.e., at least 992px) to get the normal UI again.
  • tnajdek
    We've released an update. The web library should now correctly adapt the UI based on the most recently used input type. Laptops with a touchscreen will now start in the mouse-optimised UI. It's still possible to choose a preferred UI from the cog-icon menu in the header.
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