Re: [Usability] RFP: File chooser user interface

[Vidar Braut Haarr <vidar coretrek no>]

on 09.09.2003 17:02 Alan Horkan said the following:
> I prefer to err on the side of caution, removing crosspost to
> gtk-devel-list, I'll repost there if requested.
Sorry about that. Since the first email was crossposted, I made the 
assumption that it was alright with this thread (I know that it should 
not be done generally). I have posted several messages before I recieved 
this, but I will not do it again.

> On Mon, 8 Sep 2003, Vidar Braut Haarr wrote:
> File short for "File type" presumably?
No, that was file name. It is corrected in the latest mockup at 
<http://mabus.corehacker.com/gnome-mockup-ui-2.png>

> I'm not sure about having the location on top (I am sure I don't think it
> is a good idea, but I am trying to be polite).
Point taken. I thought about this myself. What are we trying to do ? 
enter the name of a file -> File textbox on top.

> Culturally we Europeans read from left to right, down the page top to
> bottom.  Well designed user interfaces take this into account and the flow
> of actions leads from left to right, from the top of the page to the
> bottom.
Yes, I know that. That is why I have positioned the filename and 
location textboxes at the top. However, I am starting to question 
whether the Location textbox is needed at all.

> In a file open dialog my belief is that ordinary users are more likely to
> select the file by pointing and clicking on the icons, finding the file is
> the major first part of the task.
Yes, you are correct. My dialog is more focused on Save As, and not 
Open.. Are these two inclusive ? Perhaps it is an idea to provide two 
different dialogs for Open and Save As ? Not very different, though.
Say that for the 'open' dialog, we remove the first section 
('Information') from my mockup, and provide an alternative 'location' 
text-box below the nautilus view ?

> The location bar is more important in saving becuase user have to specify
> a file name, filename completions and suggestion (next in sequence) would
> make this easier.  With good default folders or preset locations such as a
> standard $HOME/Documents/ folder, hopefully user wont need to do much
> searching when saving and the task will largely be just to name, give
> title to the document.
Which is the thought behind my mockup. Although I have no buttons for 
'preset locations'. I thought they could be part of the dropdown for the 
'location' box.

> Determining file type automatically by extension works fairly well for
> saving files (although it should probably default to the application
> native file format if none is provided) but I could not be sure how often
> users really choose the file type.  The blissful ignorance of most users
> to the Microsoft Word Document file type leads me to believe ordinary
> users dont want to know about file types at all.
I agree. The best thing for a user would be if he needn't care about the 
extension or mimetype at all.

You use Abiword. You make lots of documents and send them to your 
coworkers using Evolution. Abiword knows this, and also knows that you 
are on a network with lots of Windows machines. It then automaticaly 
chooses RTF or Windows Word format when you save your files.

> Preset values, excellent but most applications will consider slightly
> different locations to be the most interesting.  I'm not sure if a full
> blown bookmarking/shortcuts widget is needed (a Quick Folders, section in
> the nautilus bookmarks for save locations perhaps)
Which is why the caller-application can suggest locations and filenames 
to be put in the dropdowns.


> the location box could be very poweful and have lots of unobtrusive
> features (all kinds of regular expressions) for the power user.
I would like that ! :)

> I think we can manage to keep this civilised.
I certainly hope so. I was mocking :)

--
Vidar Braut Haarr
CoreTrek A/S

"Programmers don't die,
they just GOSUB without RETURN."