[Bug]: Interactive graph UI does not follow standard interaction patterns and is difficult to use

[thanhminhmr]

Apache Hop version?

2.17.0

Java version?

Java 21.0.8 (Eclipse Adoptium)

Operating system

Windows

What happened?

(This bug report is written with the aid of AI writing tools to be more professional and to filter bad words from the original reports from my team.)

The interactive graph element in the Apache Hop GUI behaves in a way that does not follow common UI/UX conventions for interactive graphs. As a result, interacting with the graph is confusing and often feels like fighting the interface rather than using the tool effectively.

The current interaction model appears inconsistent with common interaction patterns used in graph visualization tools and modern UI frameworks.

Observed Behavior

1. Single-click behavior

   • A single click on graph elements immediately opens the Action GUI for that element.

   • This happens even when the user likely intends to:

     • inspect the graph
     • select an element
     • interact with the visualization

2. No right-click context menu

   • Right-clicking on the graph does not bring up a context menu.
   • Context menus are typically the standard way to expose element actions in graphical tools.

3. Unexpected interaction model

   • Basic exploration of the graph becomes difficult because most clicks trigger configuration dialogs.
   • The interface interrupts exploration workflows.

Overall, using the graph currently feels like fighting the GUI rather than using it to accomplish a task.

Expected Behavior

The graph interaction should follow common UI patterns used in interactive visualization tools:

Typical expectations include:

• Left click: Select or highlight a graph element
• Double click: Open configuration or action dialog
• Right click: Show context menu with actions
• Drag: Move or pan the graph (if applicable)

These patterns are consistent with many applications such as:

• IDE graph views
• workflow editors
• diagram tools
• visualization libraries

Following these conventions would make the interface significantly more intuitive.

Impact

The current behavior negatively affects usability because:

• Simple exploration of the graph is interrupted by dialogs
• Users cannot rely on established interaction conventions
• It increases friction during normal workflow navigation

This may particularly impact new users who expect standard graph interaction patterns.

Suggested Improvement

Adopt more conventional interaction patterns, for example:

• Use single-click for selection
• Use double-click to open the Action GUI
• Provide right-click context menus for actions
• Avoid triggering configuration dialogs during exploratory clicks

This would align the interface with common UX expectations for interactive graph tools.

Additional Notes

The issue appears to be related primarily to interaction design rather than functionality, but it significantly affects usability of the graph interface.

Issue Priority

Priority: 2

Issue Component

Component: Hop Gui