x2 - path information above column names?

Brig · Post by **Brig** » 2003 Aug 04, 16:28

Nikos says keep the ideas coming . . . well, here's one: the ability to toggle between the standard column headings (Name, Size, Modified, etc.) and a continuous bar that gives the full path.

Most people don't need the standard headings anyway--we already know that this column has the filenames, this one has the sizes, and so on. And this info is duplicated if you have two panes.

Of course, I have no idea if such a thing is possible--I'm not a programmer. It's just an idea--a way of adding useful, readily available info without taking up space and detracting from the clean interface.

Morning Star · Post by **Morning Star** » 2003 Aug 05, 00:43

That's a good idea. So long as it was easy to toggle so the user could switch back quickly to the normal column headers to sort by size or whatever, it gets my vote... Presuming it is possible, of course

Perhaps an easy way to toggle would be to have a toggle-selector under "Select Columns..." on the right-click menu for the column headers?

Post by **nikos** » 2003 Aug 05, 07:38

that could somehow work but only for detailed view mode

all weekend i was trying to figure out how to add a title bar with minimum fuss but it looks like $*%£ happened again with windows controls. Still trying...

mimeryme · Post by **mimeryme** » 2003 Aug 12, 08:37

nikos, thanks for putting in the option to have path bars on top of each column. I've missed them so (my cursor wandered around clumsily to reach that parent button).

As far as keeping x2 minimalistic, I like the fact that you've rid of many buttons already. Still, w/ my super duper mouse (w/ back and forward buttons), the only button I ocassionaly use is the one bookmark button. Everything else is covered by a keyboard shortcut (and of course, the path information bar).

I would hide the Toolbar, but that would mean losing the ultra useful "address bar." Would it at all be possible to implement an option so that it may be placed to the right of the Menu bar sans buttons?

Post by **nikos** » 2003 Aug 12, 09:19

non
perhaps in the far future when toolbars will be treated, we could have those fancy commandbars so that menus & other toolbars can mingle

MKairys · Post by **MKairys** » 2003 Aug 12, 11:54

After complaining that X2 had no pane titlebars I got used to it, and now I find I prefer the "minimialist" look (YTMS - you told me so!)

So: what about all that unused space in the main window title bar. Would you consisder putting the full paths there, as opposed to the "abbreviated" paths there now?

Forgive me if this idea has already been considered and discarded...

Post by **nikos** » 2003 Aug 12, 12:48

but now you can have individual pane titlebars with full path
see the latest readme.txt

otherwise the recommended way to read the full path of the active pane is the addressbar -- that's how i do it anyway

MKairys · Post by **MKairys** » 2003 Aug 12, 12:53

nikos wrote:but now you can have individual pane titlebars with full path

Yes, but now I don't want that any more

nikos wrote:otherwise the recommended way to read the full path of the active pane is the addressbar -- that's how i do it anyway

What I'm wondering is if I could have the full path of both panes in the main window titlebar, where now I have abbreviated paths for both panes.

narayan · Post by **narayan** » 2003 Aug 12, 13:17

I don't think that would be good.

Up ahead: a docking facility where x2 and scrap pane share a screen (both windows are not "maximized"). If the user has reduced x2's window size for any othjer reason, it would be difficult to read the full paths; especially with long names in the path.

Some paths are upto 8 levels deep (or even more). What then?

I for one am very comfortable with this new "XXX @ top level/..." style.

In fact, if x2 can sense the window size, and can expand the addresses in this very style (e.g. add the lower level folder names gradually, as the space permits), nothing like it!

mimeryme · Post by **mimeryme** » 2003 Aug 12, 21:59

nikos, I've noticed that x2's path information bars lack 2x's counterpart's drop target function where I can drop items to copy/move files from one pane to another.

That is a very useful feature of the path info bar. Would you consider adding that to x2's?

Post by **nikos** » 2003 Aug 13, 07:21

why not just move a few pixels lower and drop in the real thing instead?

mimeryme · Post by **mimeryme** » 2003 Aug 14, 00:11

Well, it's not a problem when I'm viewing directories w/ few files, but otherwise, I would usually have to drop the files in an area occupied by files that will not react to files being dropped on top of it.

My default view is detailed w/ full select and currently I'm using the F5/F6 keys to do the task after selecting files w/ the mouse.

Actually, my missing 2x's path info bar in x2 had a lot to do with this feature on top of the path information itself.

narayan · Post by **narayan** » 2003 Aug 14, 05:10

Some workarounds:

1a. Dectivate the "full row selection" mode
OR
1b. Create a "blank column" in each folder pane by shifting the borders of the other existing columns. This "column" would serve as your drop area.)

2. Use F5/F6 instead of drag-n-drop (I am assuming your transfers are between the two folder panes of a single x2 instance). That will prevent some items (example: zip) from "catching" the files.

Post by **nikos** » 2003 Aug 14, 06:11

i suppose this is a valid point for dropping on the titlebar
it is not trivial to program in x2 but i'll look into it
in the meantime as narayan suggested you can leave a little blank space past the last column for drops. I cant test that right now since I've been infected by this f@^&^n blaster worm and my drag-drop is disabled!

zabkat support forum

x2 - path information above column names?

Use main titlebar for paths?