should not need to keep mouse/button press in hole

[robpike]

This is a cool hack but it doesn't feel right because it's too hard to use. As #4 says, the finger stop is essential.

It would also help if the dialing weren't so fussy about keeping the "finger" on the hole, since the physical device feels so different. Instead, all that should be necessary is a button press on the right number, and then rotation with no need to stay on the hole as it turns. Obviously in real life the finger must stay in the hole, but on the screen there is no way to do that, and forcing the user to do it makes it too hard to use. Once the number is known by the press, just let the user rotate the mouse around the center, without worrying about radius, and then lock up the rotation once that number hits the stop. If you do that, the feeling will be as close as it can be.

[fmnxl]

could use the angle from the centre of the dial to move the numbers.

[robpike]

Yes, exactly.

[jkoberg]

Just came here to say this.

On a real rotary dial, your finger is constrained to the hole you stick it into. No effort is required to stay "on track". The finger stop also constrains you from going too far - you just put your finger in the hole and yank it around "roughly clockwise" until you hit the stop.

Both of these important ergonomic constraints should be present in this implementation.

I should be able to target a number, click and hold, swoop out a big "C" shape without concern for the borders of the widget, and let go when I "know" I have gone "sufficiently far" - as indicated by the dial not moving anymore.

Also, it would be good to get increment events one per dial hole as it comes back around, like a real pulse system - rather than a final number event.