[jdt-ui-dev] Using Tab in Java Editor to navigate

[Andrew B Mccullough <mccull1@xxxxxxxxxx>]

Some colleagues and I were discussing
http://bugs.eclipse.org/bugs/show_bug.cgi?id=25802 over the past couple of
days.

Point 1:  No one types tabs in the middle of a line of code (with the
occasional exception of misguided variable-aligners)
Point 2:  My thought is that with more and more usage of LinkedPositions
users (including me) are getting used to using tab to move to "the next
logical place" in the code.  25802 is a reflection of that.  When I start
to type:

if ( string.equals("") ) {
}

JDT UI completes the closing paren and the closing quote for me, turning
the inside of the quotes into a linked position.  I type my String and hit
<tab> to jump out, but I am left inside the closing paren.  I found myself
hitting tab again to jump to the next logical place (the outside of the
paren where I can continue coding), and obviously that never worked.  Thus
bug 25802.

Anyway, my point is just to ask for input.    I was wondering if anyone
else found themselves wanting or expecting this behavior.  If so, how it
might be best expanded for maximum useability.  If not, why not?

-Andrew

P.S.  If anyone has any good ideas on what Shift-Tab should do in the same
case, let me know.  I am not happy with any solution I tried, but luckily
it doesn't come up much.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------
Andrew B. McCullough
Advisory I/T Specialist
Object Technology Group, IBM Global Services
(704)594-2258 [OTG  Office] [794-2258  TieLine]
(704)957-3794 [Mobile Phone]

mccull1@xxxxxxxxxx