Gradient tool: focus issues - can't increment offset of gradient stop

Reproduced with Inkscape 0.48+devel r12006 on OS X 10.7.4:

Various focus issues with the gradient tool controls bar widgets to edit the offset of a gradient stop:
1) It might be more convenient if the currently selected node always remains selected after modifying the stop value (by entering a new value, or by pressing the arrows of the spin button).
2) If multiple mid-stops are present, the offset value of the first stop cannot be modified numerically (the 'Offset' entry is insensitive). Dragging by mouse works as expected, and also updates the value displayed in the insensitive widget.
3) After pressing <Return> with the focus in the 'Offset' entry box, the current stop is no longer highlighted as 'selected' on-canvas, but is still active for the 'Offset' widget for one more edit. After using <Return> for a second time to update to another value, the current stop is completely deselected and the focus returned to canvas.

@John - maybe you could take a closer look again at this particular feature of the enhanced gradient tool?

> 2) If multiple mid-stops are present, the offset value of the first
> stop cannot be modified numerically

Sorry - this seems to be hard to reproduce (at least right now I fail to figure out which steps resulted in this behavior). Will file a separate report if I succeed in reproducing it again (with detailed steps).

The desired behavior is akin to the way it works with other tools, the on-canvas selection is never lost. In the couple of widgets in other tools I've tried, that seems to be the norm (Selector & Rectangle spinbutton for example). The Opacity (O:) widget in the statusbar also seems to demonstrate the desired behavior.

other issue : you can't set the color of first stop using the gradient bar without extra steps.

select a shape with a gradient.
switch to gradient mode (ctrlF1) => fill and stroke dialog displays list of gradient
say you wan't to edit the first stop but don't want to edit "inline" (because it's at large and you'll need to un/zoom) so you choose to edit it using the gradient ribbon.

to do this you'll need
1) to select the second stop (or anything but the first) => fill and stroke dialog displays "fill" color
2) come back to the first stop and choose your color.

maybe doubleclick the first stop in the dropdown should set the F&S dialog to fill color ?

I think it just needs to be more "smart". It already lists the first stop as if it is selected, so perhaps it needs to temporarily say None to make that first one listed sensitive (I do think it should only have none visible in that scenario though).

Hi, this issue has been reported to Gitlab: https://gitlab.com/inkscape/inbox/-/issues/2092

I can't replicate the second issue mentioned in comment #5 in 0.92.4. Selecting the first stop immediately shows its fill in the Fill and stroke dialog. Please report to Gitlab if you can still replicate this behavior.

Closed by https://gitlab.com/jhofinger