Re: First UI component needing replacement.

[Christian Rose <menthos menthos com>]

Ken Fox wrote:
> > The same as above, I can type "\?" but will GUI users?
> 
> How many file names have you seen with "?" in the name? Or space
> for that matter?
> 
> Perhaps this is a matter of choice, but I'd prefer to not use
> either of those characters in my file names if they made entering
> file names easier.

I don't know what world you live in, but in worlds with mixed
environments (read Linux _and_ Windows), yes, spaces in file names are
_very_ common.

I'd rather not brake compability with everything else just so that space
can be used as a shortcut key.

Heck, even good ol' bash handles file names with spaces right. Imagine
the headlines if Gnome suddenly doesn't?
No support for file names with spaces is a serious bug and nothing else.


On the other hand, "?" is used as a wildcard key on both Linux and
Windows, and isn't a permitted file name character on either of them
last time I checked. But it should be used for regexps, not for keyboard
shortcuts, when it's a file dialog that will support regexps eventually.


> > >   <tab>        switch focus to the file type field
> >
> > Logical with the rest of widgets. And shift-tab for back.
> 
> Doesn't it bother you that you can't create a file name with
> tabs in it? ;)

Tab isn't a valid filename character. Space is.


> > BTW, file completion should be requested not automatic, there is
> > nothing worse than a computer trying to be stupidly obliging. How to
> > explain it... I prefer a passive machine that a stupid active
> > one.
> 
> IMHO <space> requests file completion -- the computer is not
> doing anything automatic in the text field. Where the computer is
> doing things automatically is in the file list view where switching
> directories automatically updates the display and partially typing
> a file name highlights the files that match. There isn't any
> trouble here because if the computer guesses wrong it hasn't
> wasted me any time.

Space is a valid file name character and the unhindered entering of it
in the filename field should definately be allowed. I don't see why we
would want to break compability and annoy users.


Christian



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Christian Rose
http://www.menthos.com                    	    menthos@menthos.com
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