Re: Copy and paste idea

[Alex Larsson <alexl redhat com>]

On Wed, 29 May 2002, Andrew Jackson wrote:

> Hi.  I have an idea.
> 
> I think "copy and paste" is an acceptable way of moving files around. The only problem I have is that I sometimes forget which files I have selected (or accidentally selected perhaps) and then I move the wrong files, etc and have to undo somehow!! 
> 
> My proposed solution is more of a "pick up, put down" metaphor. (it applied more to moving than to copying). When you "pick up" a file, an small icon which resembles the file being moved appears next to the mouse pointer. This makes the user feel that their file is "attached" to the pointer and goes with them until they are ready to put it down. when you want to "put down" the file, the icon disappears and the copy/move operation happens.
> 
> if you pick up another file before putting the first one down, a second icon appears next to the first one. This sort of works like a stack - you push files onto the stack and you pop them somewhere else. When you put down files, it performs the operation on the last one picked up.
> 
> I like the idea of a stack because I can select a bunch of different files at once and then drop them in different places because I know which file comes next.
> 
> If anyone has played (the excellent) dungeon keeper series of games, you will recognize this from there!
> 
> Obviously this idea needs to be expanded and might turn out to be totally useless - just an idea :-)  Comments?

Sounds a lot like the "shelf" idea. You have a sidebar area where you can 
drag files, and then you go to the destination and drag them out there.
 
-- 
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
 Alexander Larsson                                            Red Hat, Inc 
                   alexl redhat com    alla lysator liu se 
He's a jaded guitar-strumming paramedic with a secret. She's a manipulative 
gypsy mercenary from a family of eight older brothers. They fight crime!