In VE, new stuff always gets selected after you insert it – images, references, templates, comments, …. Do you think that design decision should be reversed, or do you think that there is something special about references that deserves different treatment?

I wouldn't want to make a blanket statement, and I can recall situations where the fact that an object remains selected was useful -- going straight back into a cite to fix an error I just realized I made, for example. For some things, such as links, I think it's definitely better to deselect -- it's absolutely normal for a user to want to continue typing. For templates, I can see an argument for keeping the selection. Citations seem to me more like links than templates in this way.

I think the design question is: what would a user who is expert in VE want the system to do to maximize productivity? I think the answer is going to be to leave it unselected more often than not.

One other thought: just as there's a "Save" and also a "Save and new" pair of buttons in some interfaces, there might be a "Save and add another citation" button on the interface, or something along those lines. But perhaps that's a separate enhancement suggestion.

(In reply to Mike Christie from comment #2)

I wouldn't want to make a blanket statement, and I can recall situations
where the fact that an object remains selected was useful -- going straight
back into a cite to fix an error I just realized I made, for example. For
some things, such as links, I think it's definitely better to deselect --
it's absolutely normal for a user to want to continue typing. For
templates, I can see an argument for keeping the selection. Citations seem
to me more like links than templates in this way.

I think the design question is: what would a user who is expert in VE want
the system to do to maximize productivity? I think the answer is going to
be to leave it unselected more often than not.

That's a reasonable way of looking at it; I think I agree. There are some possible issues with block images (where, especially if you have a long infobox on a short screen, the content may have been inserted off-screen), but maybe we should optimise for the most common case? Will ask others on the team to weigh in, but broadly this seems sensible. Thanks!

One other thought: just as there's a "Save" and also a "Save and new" pair
of buttons in some interfaces, there might be a "Save and add another
citation" button on the interface, or something along those lines. But
perhaps that's a separate enhancement suggestion.

(Yes, this should be a new bug, but…)

Hmm. I think that "Save and also add a new one" is really rare for inserting content, and really confusing. Wouldn't it be better to have easily-rememberable keyboard shortcuts instead?

On reflection I agree; "Save and add another" isn't a common case. I'll see if I run into situations where that would be a useful option and will post an enhancement request if I do.

(In reply to Mike Christie from comment #4)

On reflection I agree; "Save and add another" isn't a common case. I'll see
if I run into situations where that would be a useful option and will post
an enhancement request if I do.

Thanks! :-)

Do you think that design decision should be reversed

Yes. Unless I'm likely to need that thing to be selected when I'm done (e.g., if I'm likely to create a link *and* italicize it – which isn't a likley case), then I want it to be de-selected by default.