Hello,
does this also happen to you? As in the picture. I am not sure, if this RFE is good for everyone. For me a preference would be very nice:
“Do not change ladder's order of magnitude, once the change of value has started”

To improve the ladder's functionality, it might be nice to have Shift-drag values to be by order smaller, and Ctrl-drag values by order bigger.

How about locking to one order of magnitude while holding a button like Shift. This would also align with Shift usually being the modifier key to move things in only one direction.

Note that currently holding shift lefts you change magnitudes without being over the ladder itself.

That happens to me a lot, so I too would welcome an option to lock the order of magnitude. Together with using Shift as it currently works to switch magnitude, I think it would make a good UX improvement.

Thank you very much for your answers. In Houdini, the Shift and Ctrl are used in different ways:

A) MMB wheel on a numerical parameter:
- Shift scroll: makes the change 10 times smaller (precise)
- Ctrl scroll: makes the change 10 times bigger

B) Dragging the handles in the viewport:
- Shift drag: makes the change 10 times smaller (precise)
- Ctrl drag: constraints the change

C) MMB Ladder:
- Shift drag: unconstraints the multiplier
- Ctrl drag: unused


Personally, I like A and B. My dream would be to have this behaviour, as in the picture
It would make the desired changes fast, and also Shift (for precise) and MMB Ctrl (for 10x) will be consistent with MMB wheel and handles.

Following on from this, is there a way to change the default values of those ladders?

Hello, I attach a part of the Houdini 18 Sneak Peek.

Please, @Ondrej, how is it possible that the magnitude did not change, while cursor accidentally moved over the 1.0 magnitude?

I would love this option too:
“Do not change ladder's order of magnitude, once the change of value has started”

Very curious that it didn't change in the sneak peak! Sadly in 18.0.287 it's still the same but maybe there's hope.

ikoon
while cursor accidentally moved over the 1.0 magnitude

Maybe it appears to do so because of the screen capturing software, but for Houdini the pointer didn't really go outside of the 5 magnitude. You can see how the 5 magnitude is highlighted, at the start, before the pointer reaches it. I have experienced this sort of mismatch with some capturing software, while using UI scaling.

Thank you very much pabcou. I was hoping that I am missing a setting or a key combination. Your explanation fits exactly.