Re: Feature Request

[Christian Schneider <c schneider scram de>]

Patrick Kellaher wrote:

> On Wed, 2004-06-09 at 07:14, Christian Schneider wrote:
>  
>
> > > > > 3) In the Spatial file browser make it easy to change if you want sub
> > > > > directories to open in a new window or the same window.
> > > > >          
> > > > I don�t think you have understood the spatial idea. The thing that makes 
> > > > spatial browsing special
> > > > is that each folder on the disk is associated to a certain window. The 
> > > > window placement and size is stored to make it easier for a human to 
> > > > remember this association. If you open all folders in the same window 
> > > > you don�t do spatial browsing. In this case you better use the browse 
> > > > mode with the tree in the left part of the window.
> > > >        
>
> I didn't know that about the spatial mode... however it is pretty
> annoying having multiple windows open, esp because I use a deep rooted
> directory structure.  I can remember where things are without needing
> the use of window placement.
>  
Spatial mode is not very useful when you have a deep rooted strucutre. A 
normal user should
be able to store his documents in a quite flat hierarchy of about 2 or 3 
levels.

If you do admin stuff you will of course have deep structures. In this 
case you should use the browse mode.
Spatial mode is only suitable for non root users that mainly work with 
their own files and it is very useful for this purpose.

> > > Spatial Coherency is the one unique view per folder.
> > > Spatial Stability is loading/saving properties of that folder.
> > >
> > > If you open folders in the same window you can still get spatial
> > > coherence though some of the properties like window size/position would
> > > not apply of course. I think there should be an option for opening in
> > > same window if the user wishes to sacrifice some of the spatial
> > > properties and thats what I hope to add in a future patch.
> > >
> > >      
>
> You can still have window views (the look of the window), but position
> is out of the question.  Now what would be nice is if a middle click
> could open that directory with the last window placement, so if you
> really wanted to have some directories placed in a certain spot you
> could still do it.
>  
That is exactly what the middle click does with standard settings ;-)

> > If you open the new folder in the same window, what is then left of the 
> > spatial idea?
> > The mind can only remember the folder if the size and position are the 
> > same as before.
> >    
>
> I don't know about you but my mind is a little more advanced than that,
> no offense.  I've lasted for the last 20+ years not needing to remember
> stuff based on window location or size.
>  
We all are accustomed to browsing with a tree like the windows explorer 
does it. But if you try the spatial mode with the 2 or 3 levels of 
directory structure a normal user needs you will learn to love it. The 
question is not how advanced your mind is but how you are used to work 
and what kind of problem you try to solve.

> > So my suggestion would be to have three options for left and middle button:
> >
> > - open in new window
> > - open in new window and close old window
> > - open in browse mode in same window
> >    
>
> I like the option to open the new window and close the old window...
> however this must also work in reverse.  If I want to go back to the
> previous directory with that little drop up menu on the bottom of the
> window then I would want the old window to close again instead of
> remaining open.
>  
As far as I can remember this will be implemented in the next version.

> My opinion is if I have already moved out of one directory I obviously
> don't need to look in there anymore or I wouldn't have open another
> directory so why is the window still open when I am not using it or will
> likely not use it again anytime soon.
>  
It could be usefull if you want to do drag and drop, but this case is 
quite rare and can also be done with cut  and paste.

Christian Schneider