Re: [Usability] Interacting with open folders

[John Keller <jkeller matchbox fr>]

Maurizio Colucci wrote:
> > The "Edit" menu is for items contained within. The primary menu 
> > ("File" or "CD" or whatnot) is for the container. 
>
>
> Thanks for the explanation. Actually I wasn't aware of this. I was 
> assuming the edit menu acts on the selection, whatever it is, and the 
> file menu is for actions that don't require a selection.

Well, as I wrote, the caveat is that I'm not an expert on GNOME's HIG. 
Seeing as how the official way to edit (application) preferences is to 
place it under the "Edit" menu, I could be way off. I'm hoping not, 
because - aside from the prefs inconsistency - the recommended menu 
structures seem to be coherent.

If I could go so far, I would say that we're both right. Your 
interpretation ("File" for non-selected, "Edit" for selected) is 
compatible with mine ("File" for container). After all, the container - 
the open window - is always selected as long as it has focus. So, "File 
: Properties" with nothing selected should operate on the window.

The trick is (as seen in the prior thread I mentioned earlier), the 
Nautilus maintainers don't like what they perceive as two different 
operations in the same item. And no one liked forcing the user to choose 
the right menu item ("(this) folder properties" and "(selected) file 
properties").

Phew.

> Which would make things easier in our case. :)

True. Cross our fingers that something comes out of this discussion. 
(Not necessarily the method that I support, but I hope so :-) )

- John