Hi Tav,
my opinion is that such a widget is a design error. The only option I'd consider is splitting it into two usable widgets. I think that the two functions into the same space don't coexist well: it's too hard and error prone to use it for numeric input (especially in the blur case) and, as you already noted, difficult to use as a slider in the right side.
To me, the space saving argument is ridiculous: it's not more than the size of a little integer number and it could be reduced even more writing a non editable number in the middle of the bar and a small button with ellipses on the right side to activate edit (not very comfortable but at least you'd know where to click). There are tons of simple solutions to this problem and I can't understand why the probably worst one has to be chosen (ok, please, don't look for a worse one just to show me that I'm wrong... ;) ). If you really want a single widget, you may pack the text field and the progress bar side by side while giving them each separate regions. Is that space of a little integer number so badly needed by the progress bar? Saving space putting controls one over the other doesn't look a wise UI design to me.
All this has already been said, not only by me. That's why I don't think realistic seeing this point of view seriously taken into consideration, as it has not been so far. I just thought to voice it in this thread for completeness.
Luca
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