Suggestion formatting 'confirm-file-replace-dialog'

Jake · Post by **Jake** » 2004 Nov 24, 19:30

First of all, thank you for a really great product.
I use it every day, all day and I'm really pleased
about it.

I have a tiny, little suggestion, though

The Robust transfer 'confirm-file-replace'-dialog currently looks like this :

Code: Select all

Would you like to replace the existing file

  size 1.733 Attributes ---A---
  modified 20041129

with this one

  size 1.875 Attributes ---A---
  modified 20041130

Every time it pops up, I find myself 'staring' at this dialog
while my eyes are 'searching' for the essential details.

(In other words, it can't be read quick and easy).

I think it would be easier to read if it would
look a bit like this :

Code: Select all

Would you like to replace the existing file with this one :

size  : 1.733    /  1.875 
attr  : -A-      /  -A-
modif : 20041129 /  20041130

Then one can compare the essential details at a glance.

Regards,
Jake.

Post by **nikos** » 2004 Nov 24, 19:36

the confirmation dialog is based on the standard windows dialog
i think it causes you a problem due to its novelty (shock value)
the good thing about it is that it clearly states which file replaces what, whereas your suggestion, although cleaner, isn't clear on which file is going to get whacked!

narayan · Post by **narayan** » 2004 Nov 25, 05:03

I love that suggestion!

Nikos, just add two missing things and you have a complete solution:

1. File name+extension
2. The icon of the associated program (for instant recognition of the file's type)

Even I have had the same experience.

Jake · Post by **Jake** » 2004 Nov 25, 08:21

nikos wrote:the good thing about it is that it clearly states which file replaces what, whereas your suggestion, although cleaner, isn't clear on which file is going to get whacked!

Sorry Nikos, I don't see your point. If you think it is in my example not clear what is gonna be replaced by what, then you could just do it a bit more specific, like this :

Code: Select all

       existing:       replace with :
size  :  1.733      /    1.875
attr  :  -A-        /    -A-
modif :  20041129   /    20041130

Post by **nikos** » 2004 Nov 25, 10:13

that's a better suggestion

i'll consider it for the next upgrade, although it will be a pain to aligh text with all these translations...

but as i said i believe that once you get used to it, it won't be hard to tell things apart

narayan, i don't get your "filename+extension" remark. That's shown in the dialog directly. You can check the progress dialog if you want the full paths

narayan · Post by **narayan** » 2004 Nov 25, 12:35

A tabular comparison is always quicker to read.

I added the filename+extn (and also the icon) because Jake's simulated pictures of 'confirm-file-replace'-dialogs did not show them.

I know they would be shown in the main robust transfer dialog, which is paused at the moment for the user-response to the confirm? question, but if all details are shown in one place (in the 'confirm-file-replace' dialog), it is easier to decide.

Ignore this if that is exactly what you have planned in the new dialog.

Jake · Post by **Jake** » 2004 Nov 25, 13:17

nikos wrote:that's a better suggestion
i'll consider it for the next upgrade

Ok, thanks !

fgagnon · Post by **fgagnon** » 2004 Nov 25, 16:15

For years, I've been annoyed at the conventional dialog too;
so I welcomed nikos' re-arrangement as an improvement;
but I like your suggestion even better, Jake. :)

... & while we are on this topic, let me further suggest a minor tweak to transpose the table and a significant user-helpful augmentation to the intro-dialog as follows:

Code: Select all

['An older file'/'A newer file'/'A file of same date & time,'] named:
Example_name_of_a_file_which_can_be_quite_a_bit_longer_than_expected_if_auto_generated_by_the_first_line_content.doc 
already exists in this folder: [full_path_to_folder\foldername] 

                     Modified on       /    Size    / Attrib. 
existing file :   2004-11-29 12:52 am  /  17.42 kB  / ---A-- 
replace with? :   2004-11-29 11:17 am  /  19.62 kB  / ---A--

This flags the file immediately as older/newer/or same-date; (something that is not easy to recognize correctly with the common cock-a-mamie AM/PM format),
and also provides the folder path explicitly (which might otherwise be a mystery when a wholesale copy/transfer is being performed with a large directory structure).

Post by **nikos** » 2004 Nov 25, 16:50

the path is never a mystery, it just involves a bit extra detective work!
just refer to the progress dialog: where it stopped is where you get the confirmation

fgagnon · Post by **fgagnon** » 2004 Nov 25, 17:04

Granted (I had overlooked that) -- yet, a bit of redundancy goes a long way towards reducing errors and frustrations.

narayan · Post by **narayan** » 2004 Nov 26, 05:12

Perfect! You don't have to look at multiple boxes that way!