[Usability] List View Column Header Sorting

[Thorsten Wilms <t_w_ freenet de>]

Hi!

The 'Three dialog problems' thread also reminded me of the list view 
column header sorting direction issue. What does a downward facing 
arrow mean ... ?

A while ago I made a mockup and filed a bug. Should have presented 
it here in the first place, I guess.

From
http://bugzilla.gnome.org/show_bug.cgi?id=331551

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Mockup:
http://bugzilla.gnome.org/attachment.cgi?id=59579&action=view

For Name and Type the mockup shows 2 alternatives for indicating if sorting
starts from A on top or bottom. The bars used for Size and Date could also be
used, where A would be small value. A nicer icon, but more interpretation work
for the user.

I changed the dividers for resizing from sunken to raised, because drag-handles
are usualy and should be raised. Guess that's a theming thing, though.

The sorting icons are in front of the labels, to get the divider, icon, label
combo for each column closer together, a visual unit.

Additionaly I would like to propose enabling sorting on multiple levels.
Example: Sort for Type first, sort inside each block of the same Type according
to Size. I came to the conclusion the only solution to visualize that without
needing much more space is the left to right sequence.
Clicking in the label region of a column should make the column the first on
the left. The mockup shows the mouse cursor indicating that action to happen on
click.

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Related:
http://bugzilla.gnome.org/show_bug.cgi?id=112060
http://bugzilla.gnome.org/show_bug.cgi?id=337700
http://bugzilla.gnome.org/show_bug.cgi?id=262111



-- 
Thorsten Wilms

Thorwil's Creature Illustrations:
http://www.printfection.com/thorwil