Try to drag any feature by its drag handle

Oct 13, 2025 by wbrum.org 96 views

Problem Description

When attempting to reorder features in the Feature Backlog table using drag and drop, the dragged item appears at a significant offset from the cursor position. Instead of moving smoothly with the cursor, the dragged row element renders far below the mouse position at an angle, making it difficult to accurately position items. This issue can be frustrating for users who rely on the drag and drop functionality to prioritize features in their backlog.

Steps to Reproduce

To reproduce this issue, follow these steps:

Navigate to any workspace's Feature Backlog view: Open the Feature Backlog view in any workspace to access the table-based layout.
Switch to the "All" tab to enable drag and drop functionality: Click on the "All" tab to enable the drag and drop functionality for feature prioritization.
Try to drag any feature by its drag handle: Click and hold on the drag handle of any feature to initiate the drag operation.
Notice how the dragged item appears far below the cursor instead of following it naturally: Observe how the dragged item appears at a significant offset from the cursor position, making it difficult to accurately position items.

Proposed Solution

To resolve this issue, we propose replacing the table-based structure with a div-based layout that better supports drag and drop operations. This can be achieved by:

Moving from HTML table elements to flex-based layout with similar appearance: Replace the table elements with a flex-based layout that maintains the same appearance and functionality.
Using the native react-beautiful-dnd library directly instead of the EUI wrapper: Utilize the react-beautiful-dnd library directly to take advantage of its native drag and drop functionality.
Removing transform restrictions and allowing the drag library to control positioning: Remove any transform restrictions and allow the drag library to control the positioning of the dragged item.
Improving styling for dragged elements to provide better visual feedback during drag operations: Enhance the styling of the dragged elements to provide better visual feedback during drag operations.

Benefits of the Proposed Solution

The proposed solution offers several benefits, including:

Improved drag and drop functionality: The new layout will provide a smoother and more accurate drag and drop experience for users.
Enhanced user experience: The improved styling and layout will enhance the overall user experience, making it easier for users to prioritize features in their backlog.
Better support for drag and drop operations: The native react-beautiful-dnd library will provide better support for drag and drop operations, reducing the likelihood of issues like the one described.

Related Components

The following components are related to the drag and drop functionality for feature prioritization:

FeatureBacklogView.tsx: This component is responsible for rendering the Feature Backlog view, including the table-based layout and drag and drop functionality.
Drag and drop functionality for feature prioritization: This functionality is implemented using the react-beautiful-dnd library and is responsible for enabling users to reorder features in the backlog.

Conclusion

The drag and drop positioning issue in the Feature Backlog view is a significant problem that can make it difficult for users to accurately position items. By replacing the table-based structure with a div-based layout and utilizing the native react-beautiful-dnd library, we can resolve this issue and provide a smoother and more accurate drag and drop experience for users. The proposed solution offers several benefits, including improved drag and drop functionality, enhanced user experience, and better support for drag and drop operations.

Future Work

To further improve the drag and drop functionality, we can consider the following:

Implementing additional styling and visual feedback: Enhance the styling and visual feedback for dragged elements to provide better feedback during drag operations.
Adding support for multiple drag and drop operations: Allow users to perform multiple drag and drop operations simultaneously, making it easier to prioritize features in the backlog.
Improving performance and scalability: Optimize the drag and drop functionality to improve performance and scalability, ensuring that it works smoothly even with large datasets.

Q: What is the drag and drop positioning issue in the Feature Backlog view?

A: The drag and drop positioning issue in the Feature Backlog view is a problem where the dragged item appears at a significant offset from the cursor position, making it difficult to accurately position items.

Q: Why is this issue occurring?

A: This issue is occurring due to the table-based structure of the Feature Backlog view, which is not well-suited for drag and drop operations. The native react-beautiful-dnd library is not being utilized effectively, leading to the offset positioning of the dragged item.

Q: How can I reproduce this issue?

A: To reproduce this issue, follow these steps:

Navigate to any workspace's Feature Backlog view.
Switch to the "All" tab to enable drag and drop functionality.
Try to drag any feature by its drag handle.
Notice how the dragged item appears far below the cursor instead of following it naturally.

Q: What is the proposed solution to this issue?

A: The proposed solution is to replace the table-based structure with a div-based layout that better supports drag and drop operations. This can be achieved by:

Moving from HTML table elements to flex-based layout with similar appearance.
Using the native react-beautiful-dnd library directly instead of the EUI wrapper.
Removing transform restrictions and allowing the drag library to control positioning.
Improving styling for dragged elements to provide better visual feedback during drag operations.

Q: What are the benefits of the proposed solution?

A: The proposed solution offers several benefits, including:

Improved drag and drop functionality.
Enhanced user experience.
Better support for drag and drop operations.

Q: What are the related components to this issue?

A: The following components are related to the drag and drop functionality for feature prioritization:

FeatureBacklogView.tsx: This component is responsible for rendering the Feature Backlog view, including the table-based layout and drag and drop functionality.
Drag and drop functionality for feature prioritization: This functionality is implemented using the react-beautiful-dnd library and is responsible for enabling users to reorder features in the backlog.

Q: What is the future work for this issue?

A: To further improve the drag and drop functionality, we can consider the following:

Implementing additional styling and visual feedback.
Adding support for multiple drag and drop operations.
Improving performance and scalability.

Q: How can I get started with implementing the proposed solution?

A: To get started with implementing the proposed solution, follow these steps:

Replace the table-based structure with a div-based layout.
Utilize the native react-beautiful-dnd library directly.
Remove transform restrictions and allow the drag library to control positioning.
Improve styling for dragged elements to provide better visual feedback during drag operations.

Q: What are the potential roadblocks for implementing the proposed solution?

A: Some potential roadblocks for implementing the proposed solution include:

Difficulty in replacing the table-based structure with a div-based layout.
Challenges in utilizing the native react-beautiful-dnd library directly.
Issues with removing transform restrictions and allowing the drag library to control positioning.
Difficulty in improving styling for dragged elements to provide better visual feedback during drag operations.

Q: How can I troubleshoot issues with the proposed solution?

A: To troubleshoot issues with the proposed solution, follow these steps:

Review the code for any errors or inconsistencies.
Check the console for any error messages.
Test the drag and drop functionality to ensure it is working as expected.
Consult the react-beautiful-dnd library documentation for any guidance on troubleshooting issues.