How to add more rating / color actions in a menu?

Question

It was just released a new beta version of an Image Manager program on which I work (XnViewMP for conformity) in which (among other things) the program allow the user to rate the images with a classical 5-star/coloring system which is shown in several areas of the program - toolbars, right-click (sub)menus - like this:

However the program provides more functionality through its customizable shortcuts allowing an "... and move to next image" sibling for each action above. For example, as you see above, there exists an 'Excellent rating' action in the menu. However there exists also an 'Rate Excellent and move to next image' in the shortcuts list but nowhere in menus.

How can we put these 12 "... and move to next image" siblings easily available and discoverable for the user's mouse (in the menus etc.) without cluttering too much the user interface?

Answer 1

Do you really need to provide a shortcut for each variant?

I would have that thought that your users mainly fall into two classes, those that want to rate and skip to the next, and those that want to rate only. The third class of those that want to rate and sometimes move to the next seems like a much smaller subset.

So instead why not add a single setting to your application Move to next image after rating and provide them with a way to way to toggle it easily. Maybe you could just add a check box in your menu directly under the ratings so that those who do want to switch can access it simply, and possibly even add a shortcut for that?