While editing an element, create a sibling element or a child element

There is one feature that I would find very useful in checkvist. Often while editing an element I would like to convert everything to the right of the cursor position into either a child element or a sibling element.

ithoughtsX, a great mind mapping tool solves this in a masterful way. By pressing tab while editing an element, whatever is to the right of the cursor becomes a child element.

By pressing command + enter, it becomes a sibling element.

It would be really useful for me, and I suppose for many others, to add this behavior to checkvist

Yes, I want that, too: splitting + joining. I never suggested it because doing it by hand is not so much effort, but built-in operations would be convenient and save a few keystrokes.

Could we use the existing feature of “\n” (new line) separator for sibling and “\n + space” for child to achieve this?

This already works in checkvist mobile and a “hack” exists for doing it in desktop is to write the content above and then select all (Ctrl-A) + Cut (Ctrl-X) + Paste (Ctrl.-V) and then it offers you the dialog if you would like to create separate list items, to which you say Yes.

Hi folks,

Thanks for the request and for describing the workarounds.

We’re considering to use Alt+Enter keyboard shortcut to allow splitting the edited item and create a sibling node at the place of cursor. After that, a simple Tab will convert the new sibling in to a child sub-node.

Right now “Tab” already indents the item being added, and command+enter works as a submit of editing. So they probably cannot be used here.

Thoughts?

+1 for this! I often find myself in this situation as well.

1 Like

That would work for me.

1 Like

Given the current keyboard shortcuts, this would be a good choice. Tab seems quick and natural – just not sure about situations where the split item already has subtasks.

1 Like

If the split item has many subtasks, it is not very convenient (as now, if you start adding a sibling to an item with many subtasks and then presses Tab).

I think that when splitting an item, we’ll collapse its children to avoid jumping a couple of screens below.

Not sure how to handle Tab the best way. Maybe it should become the first child, not the last one (as it works now).

Hi @maxkir - is it possible to consider having this markdown enabled in the desktop view of checkvist?
In most of my use-cases, it is already known to me at data-entry time, the structure with respect to siblings or subtasks that I would have.
This works quite well while doing data entry in mobile where \n\n is sibling separator and \n\n + Space is a subtask separator.

1 Like

Hi @saurabhg9 ,

It is possible, but probably should be an option. May I ask you to make a request for that in UserVoice?
Currently, you can use im import to add items in this manner.

As for Alt+Enter, I’ll add it to my quick-fix list and let’s see when I’ll find time for that, hopefully soon :slight_smile:

Thanks everyone for the feedback!

1 Like

Great, im works perfect to achieve this during data-entry time. I almost forgot about it.

Hi folks,

Please try how Alt+Enter works on beta. We’re concerned a bit that this same shortcut adds an item above in the selection mode, and while editing the behaviour is not related, maybe it would cause a confusion. Still, don’t have a better shortcut idea yet.

Thanks!

What do you think about Ctrl+Enter? AFAIK it’s not used.

Thanks for the suggestion. Unfortunately, Ctrl+Enter is already used, when this option is enabled:

In fact, Ctrl+Enter can always be used to finish editing, regardless the state of this option.

Best,

Hello folks,

So far, we haven’t figured out a better shortcut, so the split is currently implemented as Alt+Enter in the edit mode, and probably it will stay this way. Please check how it works on https://beta.checkvist.com, hope this is what you’re asking about.

Best,

It works well for me. Thanks for the update. Really appreciate it.

1 Like