Editor's Node Properties section is hidden when no node is selected — user selecting a path but no node sees no node-related controls, no hint that Tab or click would reveal them #273

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opened 2026-10-04 03:40:50 +00:00 by Mark · 1 comment

Mark commented

2026-10-04 03:40:50 +00:00

Owner

Finding

src/components/editor/EditorRightPanel.tsx's Node Properties (Selected Nodes) section is conditional on selectedNodeIds.length > 0. When no node is selected, the section is unmounted.

A user who:

Clicks a path (selects it)
Right panel shows Path Properties
No node info
Doesn't know how to drill into nodes
Tab to cycle nodes (per #194) is the discoverable keyboard shortcut, but no visual hint

The fix is the same as #272 (Path Properties empty state) but for nodes: a "Tab through nodes or click one to edit its properties" hint.

Where

Node Properties: src/components/editor/EditorRightPanel.tsx (per the isNodeMode check)
No empty state: same as #272
Tab cycle: src/components/editor/useKeyboardShortcuts.ts:Tab handler

Suggested fix shape

Replace the conditional with an empty-state block:

{selectedPath && selectedNodeIds.length === 0 ? (
  <div className="text-center py-4 text-[12px]" style={{ color: '#A8A29E' }}>
    <CircleDot size={20} className="mx-auto mb-2" />
    <p>Press Tab to cycle through nodes</p>
    <p className="mt-1 text-[10px]">Or click directly on a node</p>
  </div>
) : null}

The hint is shown when a path is selected but no node is. Once a node is selected, the Node Properties section appears.

Severity

Low. The user can Tab through. New users notice.

Discovered by

Gap analysis (2026-10-02) of editor empty states.

#272 (open) — Path Properties empty state. Same family; this is the node version.
#225 (open) — Editor's "No paths loaded" empty state. Sibling.
The keyboard shortcut hint (per the help page) is text-only; the right panel hint is in-context.

## Finding `src/components/editor/EditorRightPanel.tsx`'s Node Properties (Selected Nodes) section is conditional on `selectedNodeIds.length > 0`. When no node is selected, the section is unmounted. A user who: - Clicks a path (selects it) - Right panel shows Path Properties - No node info - Doesn't know how to drill into nodes - Tab to cycle nodes (per #194) is the discoverable keyboard shortcut, but no visual hint The fix is the same as #272 (Path Properties empty state) but for nodes: a "Tab through nodes or click one to edit its properties" hint. ## Where - Node Properties: `src/components/editor/EditorRightPanel.tsx` (per the `isNodeMode` check) - No empty state: same as #272 - Tab cycle: `src/components/editor/useKeyboardShortcuts.ts:Tab` handler ## Suggested fix shape Replace the conditional with an empty-state block: ```tsx {selectedPath && selectedNodeIds.length === 0 ? ( <div className="text-center py-4 text-[12px]" style={{ color: '#A8A29E' }}> <CircleDot size={20} className="mx-auto mb-2" /> <p>Press Tab to cycle through nodes</p> <p className="mt-1 text-[10px]">Or click directly on a node</p> </div> ) : null} ``` The hint is shown when a path is selected but no node is. Once a node is selected, the Node Properties section appears. ## Severity Low. The user can Tab through. New users notice. ## Discovered by Gap analysis (2026-10-02) of editor empty states. ## Related - #272 (open) — Path Properties empty state. Same family; this is the node version. - #225 (open) — Editor's "No paths loaded" empty state. Sibling. - The keyboard shortcut hint (per the help page) is text-only; the right panel hint is in-context.

Mark added the

feature-request

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2026-10-04 03:40:50 +00:00

Mark referenced this issue

2026-10-04 03:57:02 +00:00

Editor's Path Properties has a 'Total nodes' display but no 'selected node index' / 'node N of M' — user cycling through nodes (Tab) with a 20-node path doesn't know 'I'm at node 5 of 20' #358

Mark referenced this issue from a commit

2026-10-04 13:43:44 +00:00

fix(#273): Selected Nodes empty-state — 'Press Tab to cycle through nodes'

Mark commented

2026-10-04 13:44:17 +00:00

Author

Owner

Shipped fix(#273) at commit 54272ba on main.

The Selected Nodes section in src/components/editor/EditorRightPanel.tsx now renders an empty-state block (CircleDot icon + 'Press Tab to cycle through nodes' headline + 'Or click directly on a node' body) when a path is selected but no node is. Once a node is selected, the rich firstSelectedNode body takes over. The pre-existing 'No nodes selected' muted line is preserved as the no-path fallback so existing UX is intact.

Shape mirrors the path-properties-empty block from #272 so the two empty states in the right panel read as a consistent design language — same icon size (28px, 1.5 stroke), same headline weight, same body copy sizing.

Tests: 4 new tests pin the empty-state behavior (renders hint when path selected but no node; absent when a node is selected; absent when no path is selected either; absent outside node-mode branches). 190 EditorRightPanel tests pass; 1488 project tests pass. Lint clean, build green.

Shipped fix(#273) at commit 54272ba on main. The Selected Nodes section in src/components/editor/EditorRightPanel.tsx now renders an empty-state block (CircleDot icon + 'Press Tab to cycle through nodes' headline + 'Or click directly on a node' body) when a path is selected but no node is. Once a node is selected, the rich firstSelectedNode body takes over. The pre-existing 'No nodes selected' muted line is preserved as the no-path fallback so existing UX is intact. Shape mirrors the path-properties-empty block from #272 so the two empty states in the right panel read as a consistent design language — same icon size (28px, 1.5 stroke), same headline weight, same body copy sizing. Tests: 4 new tests pin the empty-state behavior (renders hint when path selected but no node; absent when a node is selected; absent when no path is selected either; absent outside node-mode branches). 190 EditorRightPanel tests pass; 1488 project tests pass. Lint clean, build green.

Mark closed this issue

2026-10-04 13:44:17 +00:00

Mark referenced this issue from a commit

2026-10-05 13:13:51 +00:00

feat(#358): 'Node N of M' hint under Selected Nodes header

Mark referenced this issue

2026-10-05 13:13:57 +00:00

Editor's Path Properties has a 'Total nodes' display but no 'selected node index' / 'node N of M' — user cycling through nodes (Tab) with a 20-node path doesn't know 'I'm at node 5 of 20' #358