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Table Editing Focus Fix

Status: Resolved
Version: v0.2.5 (deferred widget commits); v0.3.x session integration

Summary

Fixed the cursor focus loss issue when editing table cells in Rendered and Split view modes. Table cells buffer edits and only commit changes to the source when focus leaves the table, preventing the re-parsing loop that caused focus loss.

Session model (v0.3.x): Leaving a table for a non-table block (heading, paragraph, etc.) is handled by RenderedEditSession — commit_session_block for BlockRef::TableCell sets a one-shot signal_table_force_commit, and the table widget flushes on its next frame. Intra-table Tab/Enter navigation still defers commit until focus leaves the grid entirely.

Previous Issue

When editing table cells in Rendered or Split mode:

  1. Cell text changes → output.changed = true immediately
  2. Source markdown was updated on every keystroke
  3. Document was re-parsed on next frame
  4. New AST created new widget IDs
  5. Previous TextEdit widget was gone, focus was lost

This made table editing in WYSIWYG modes frustrating as users had to click back into cells after each keystroke.

Solution Implemented

1. Deferred Change Signaling

Table cells now track modifications separately from change signaling:

pub struct TableEditState {
    pub focused_cell: Option<(usize, usize)>,
    pub pending_focus: Option<(usize, usize)>,
    pub had_focus_last_frame: bool,    // Track focus across frames
    pub content_modified: bool,         // Track if edits were made
}

2. Focus Loss Detection

Changes are only committed when focus leaves the table entirely:

// Detect focus loss: had focus last frame but not this frame
let focus_lost = edit_state.had_focus_last_frame && !any_cell_has_focus;

if focus_lost && edit_state.content_modified {
    changed = true;  // Now signal the change
    edit_state.content_modified = false;
}

3. Improved TextEdit Rendering

Switched from ui.add(TextEdit...) to TextEdit::show(ui) for better cursor state management, matching how other working editable widgets (headings) are implemented.

Current Behavior

  • While editing a cell: Type freely, cursor stays in position, source is NOT updated
  • Click outside the table: Focus leaves, changes are committed to source
  • Tab/Enter navigation: Focus moves to another cell (still in table), changes NOT committed yet
  • Escape: Clears focus, changes are committed
  • Add/Remove row/column buttons: Changes committed immediately (structural actions)

Files Modified

File Changes
src/markdown/widgets.rs Added had_focus_last_frame and content_modified to TableEditState, deferred change detection, switched to TextEdit::show()

Keyboard Navigation

The table supports full keyboard navigation:

Key Action
Tab Move to next cell (right, then wrap to next row)
Shift+Tab Move to previous cell (left, then wrap to previous row)
Enter Move to next row (same column)
Escape Exit table editing (commits changes)

Testing

  1. Open a markdown file with a table in Split or Rendered mode
  2. Click on a table cell
  3. Type text - cursor should stay in position
  4. Tab between cells - focus should move correctly
  5. Click outside the table - changes should appear in raw source
  6. Verify undo/redo works for table edits

Trade-offs

The deferred update approach means:

  • Pro: Smooth editing experience without focus loss
  • Pro: Cursor positioning works correctly on click
  • Con: Preview/raw view doesn't update until you click away from the table

This matches the behavior of other click-to-edit widgets (paragraphs, list items) and provides a consistent editing experience.

Related Documentation