Pen behavior in Windows 10 Fall Creators Update

Anonymous
2018-01-10T12:59:32+00:00

Ever since installing the Fall Creators Update, using a pen on a tablet or laptop screen doesn’t behave as it did before.  Instead of selecting text or files, the pen now scrolls.

Windows for home | Windows 10 | Windows ink and touch

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Anonymous
2018-01-10T13:03:40+00:00

The Fall Creators Update implements a new interaction design to better utilize the features available to most pens in the marketplace. No pen behaviors were removed, but some actions have been reassigned to make pen behave more consistently across Windows. Previously, pen tip performed a wide variety of actions, from selection to drag-n-drop to content manipulation, while barrel button function was underutilized in the system. In the Fall Creators Update, we are making the barrel button more useful by assigning it selection and drag-n-drop functionality, while making the pen tip more useful for content manipulation, like scrolling. While these changes might seem uncomfortable at first, they make pen a more versatile tool that enhances current user experience and will enable future exciting experiences. 

Although pen is most useful for inking, in places where inking does not make sense or is not yet available, pen can now directly manipulate content the way your finger does. This functionality is available to most applications, such as File Explorer, Edge, or Start Menu, where you can now scroll without the help of a scrollbar and manipulate text selection through grippers. This change eliminates the need to hunt-and-peck for UI elements and prevents users from constantly switching between pen and other input modalities.

Barrel button also gained meaning in the Fall Creators update. Now, no matter what you want to select within the system, whether it is text in Edge, ink in OneNote, or files in File Explorer, you can do it by pressing the barrel button and dragging. Drag-n-drop with the pen is just as easy – press the barrel button, grab an object with the pen tip, and drag it to a new location. 

Making behavioral changes is always difficult. To avoid confusion and bad user experience, we worked with software developers, both internal and external, to properly react to the pen changes. While we reached out to most developers that see considerable pen usage in their applications, we did not hear back from all. If your favorite application is behaving incorrectly since the latest update, please report it by emailing WindowsInk@microsoft.com and we will work with the developer to correct any issues.

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  1. Anonymous
    2018-01-31T16:51:59+00:00

    I DO NOT WANT THIS. This is seriously destroying some of the functionality of some of my apps. Please make it so we can edit pen behavior ourselves because this might seem useful to you, but for me it's an absolute nightmare.

    Thanks,

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  2. Anonymous
    2018-01-13T00:22:47+00:00

    As im a tabletpc user, for me pen behavior is broken. I was forced to remove win10 and get back to win8.1 on my Surface pro device.

    "while barrel button function was underutilized in the system" - i was able to map it to right mouse button, and scroll. No idea what are you talking about.

    "In the Fall Creators Update, we are making the barrel button more useful " right now barrel button is broken

    "pen can now directly manipulate content the way your finger does"- why od you think that pen should act as finger? who would need pen anymore if we can use fingers?

    "This functionality is available to most applications, such as File Explorer, Edge" edge is broken, i can not scroll with pen, when selecting anything i need to tap pen twice?? wtf? who invented this?

    "This change eliminates the need to hunt-and-peck for UI elements and prevents users from constantly switching between pen and other input modalities." what? you are now forcing me to switch from pen to mouse, cause i cant for example use ui of chrome, cant resize of windows and any typical stuff that i was able to do in win8.1

    "we worked with software developers," microsoft edge, firefox, chrome, all broken. In Blender i can not draw, sculpt, move windows, resize. All actions have this little lag as i would use my finger. To be workable i need to tap twice with pen.

    Right now, pen behavior is broken. Ive no idea why you did that, and not left option for users to use old behavior. I would like to use win10 but you force us to get older win8.1 or linux?

    Please add back old pen behavior.

    Paweł.

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  3. Anonymous
    2018-01-28T15:28:09+00:00

    This is seriously stupid. Don't tell us how we're confused, you guys broke the pen functionality all over the place and called it the "Creator's Update." It's actually ironic - if I try and use pen input in office programs, it starts drawing all over the damn place, but if I try and draw in WebCanvas inputs (ie, web browsers) it starts scrolling around! Exactly the opposite of what I'm trying to do, it's like magic.

    This update doesn't actually improve usability anywhere that I can see. And I use the damn pen all day.

    Also, "acts like touch input." Good god, did you guys talk to ANYBODY about that? That's just... mindbogglingly bad.

    I'll be clear on my biggest complaint here: I have never, ever wanted the default pen behaviour to be scrolling. Right-click and drag, sure I could see that. Touch input, yeah the metaphor for moving the page works. Default Pen? No. God no. Fire the person who thought that was a good idea. The automatic drawing in office apps is a bad idea, but at least I can see why it might be considered reasonable. (Fix that too though.)

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  4. Anonymous
    2018-01-13T21:09:02+00:00

    Anytime you include a new feature, you should allow the user the option to disable it especially if that feature is not fully developed. All of Windows force updates and changes disrupts the workflow for many people. I never leave any feedback because I can deal with alot of bulll shiit, but this Creators update is just a total shiit storm. 

    I use a Wacom tablet daily for graphic design, and I can see what Windows is trying to improve, but it's just not up to the standards yet. It sucks, just allow the users to disable it along with any other new features added. That would make everyone alot more accepting.

    I use scrollAnywhere on my browser, which is the best addon for using your Wacom tablet to scroll, but I can't use it anymore because of your stupid update to the pen. 

    Issues with the pen:

    • scroll function is not smooth
    • doesn't allow the user the option to select scrolling type for example, the option to have the content scroll down as I click and drag the pen down
    • the stroke to scroll up or down is too long (user should be allowed to adjust)   
    • hitting the bottom or top of the web browser while scrolling cause the whole browser to jump (useless function)
    • sometime windows wont close
    • selecting text sucks ass
    • user should be allowed to select when and where the scroll function comes into play

    Im thinking about moving to Linux, does anyone have experience using a Wacom tablet with Linux? 

    Suck it Windows!

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