Re: First UI component needing replacement.

[colin z robertson <c z robertson ndirect co uk>]

On Wed, Aug 16, 2000 at 12:16:11AM +1000, thristian@atdot.org wrote:
> Yes, but from the user's POV, how do you know if a given dialog
> supports multiple-opens? If you make a multi-open dialog look slightly
> different from a single-open dialog (say, with the addition of a lable
> reading "Ctrl-click to select multiple files") then the functionality
> becomes obvious, even in brand-new applications the user has never
> seen before.
> 
> I know the GIMP can have more than one open file, but I have no idea
> if the Open dialog will let me choose many files. I know XMMS will,
> because it adds a bunch of buttons for Just That Purpose.

The way I tell when I'm using Windows is I click on one file then
ctrl-click on the next. If the first gets unselected I know it's
single. It's never bothered me. I wouldn't complain at a "Ctrl-click
to select multiple files" notice, but I'm not sure how necessary it
is. It's the sort of thing you only need to learn once, then the
notice just becomes clutter. But it's a long time since I was a gui
newbie...

As for the xmms buttons, I don't think they're necessary. But if you
can come up with a proposal for a dialog that needs them then I'll
have a look.


> I would suggest that each folder should have a widget for
> expansion/contraction. On MacOS & Mozilla, this is the little triangle
> thing. On Windows, this is the little box containing a "+" or "-" (the
> Mac way is better - incidentally: it's easier to tell a "v" from a ">"
> than it is to tell a "[+]" from a "[-]" at high resolution..).

I was thinking of the open and closed folder icons that Windows uses,
but whatever... You're right about the plus and minus icons.


> Single-clicking on the widget should toggle expansion, single-clicking
> on a directory icon/name should select. Double-clicking on a directory
> icon/name should toggle expansion.

Yep. That sounds good.


> If I take your meaning correctly, in a single-selection context,
> multi-select actions work like a single-select action on the target
> file? I like that.

That's right. I think that's fairly standard. I can see one problem
with it: If there is no other indicator that the dialog is in single
select mode and a user tries to do a ctrl select on a file while the
previously selected file is scrolled out of view then the only
indication that the first has been unselected will be that the text
field only contains one file name. This might not be enough and the
user might think that two files have been selected. Personally, I
don't think this is a terrible problem...

colin

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