Always show a double funnel when filters are applied on both panes, but when the filters are different, show funnels in different colors (red/green for instance). Only when filters are the same left and right show funnel icons in the same color !!
Add Filter buttons to toolbar?
Moderators: fgagnon, nikos, Site Mods
Since were on a winning streak here: why not enhance the funnel icon even more?
Always show a double funnel when filters are applied on both panes, but when the filters are different, show funnels in different colors (red/green for instance). Only when filters are the same left and right show funnel icons in the same color !!
Always show a double funnel when filters are applied on both panes, but when the filters are different, show funnels in different colors (red/green for instance). Only when filters are the same left and right show funnel icons in the same color !!
Dumb questions are the ones that are never asked 
So the options are:
1. No filters (blank)
2. Only one pane filtered (Funnel stack with diff colors)
3. Both panes filtered with dissimilar filters (Funnel stack with diff colors)
4. Both panes filtered with the same filter (Funnel stack with same color)
Adding some more ideas:
1. let the user cycle through these modes, by clicking repeatedly on the button.
2. Let the user select any desired option by r-clicking and selecting the right option.
This should happen with the toolbar button AND the statusbar "button".
1. No filters (blank)
2. Only one pane filtered (Funnel stack with diff colors)
3. Both panes filtered with dissimilar filters (Funnel stack with diff colors)
4. Both panes filtered with the same filter (Funnel stack with same color)
Adding some more ideas:
1. let the user cycle through these modes, by clicking repeatedly on the button.
2. Let the user select any desired option by r-clicking and selecting the right option.
This should happen with the toolbar button AND the statusbar "button".
With respect to colouring:
1. No filters (Funnel stack with grey/grey - mainly to have the button present at all times)
2. Only Active pane filtered (Funnel stack with green/grey - green on top)
3. Only inactive pane filtered (Funnel stack with grey/green - grey on top)
4. Both panes filtered with dissimilar filters (Funnel stack with green/red - green on top)
5. Both panes filtered with the same filter (Funnel stack with green/green - green on top
)
By cycling through the modes, do you mean:
Left click: filter active pane according to last applied filter (just like Ctrl+J)
Alt+left click: filter inactive pane according to last applied filter
Shift+left click: filter both panes according to filter of active pane (or if none applied yet the last one used for this pane)
Alt+Shift+left click: filter both panes according to filter of inactive pane (or if none applied yet the last one used for this pane)
[Edit:add]just thought of this:
they work like toggles too; when filters are active
Left click: will remove filter from active pane
Alt+left click: removes filter from inactive pane
Shift+left click & Alt+Shift+left click: removes filter from both panes if both panes are filtered using the same filter only; otherwise applies filters to both panes as indicated above
The last one seems a bit odd, but there's a purpose: When you have different filters applied to left and right panes, you still want to be able to set both panes to the same filter condition.[/Edit]
Right click: show context menu showing all the above options
[Edit:add2]Just thought of another one: when hovering over the funnel icons a tooltip should show filters for both left and right panes (if applicable and both filters are different). This can be useful since the address bar will only show you what filter is in effect in the active pane[/Edit]
Problem is to find any key combinations to achieve most of these (all is impossible??) using the keyboard??
Any more thoughts on this??
1. No filters (Funnel stack with grey/grey - mainly to have the button present at all times)
2. Only Active pane filtered (Funnel stack with green/grey - green on top)
3. Only inactive pane filtered (Funnel stack with grey/green - grey on top)
4. Both panes filtered with dissimilar filters (Funnel stack with green/red - green on top)
5. Both panes filtered with the same filter (Funnel stack with green/green - green on top
)By cycling through the modes, do you mean:
Left click: filter active pane according to last applied filter (just like Ctrl+J)
Alt+left click: filter inactive pane according to last applied filter
Shift+left click: filter both panes according to filter of active pane (or if none applied yet the last one used for this pane)
Alt+Shift+left click: filter both panes according to filter of inactive pane (or if none applied yet the last one used for this pane)
[Edit:add]just thought of this:
they work like toggles too; when filters are active
Left click: will remove filter from active pane
Alt+left click: removes filter from inactive pane
Shift+left click & Alt+Shift+left click: removes filter from both panes if both panes are filtered using the same filter only; otherwise applies filters to both panes as indicated above
The last one seems a bit odd, but there's a purpose: When you have different filters applied to left and right panes, you still want to be able to set both panes to the same filter condition.[/Edit]
Right click: show context menu showing all the above options
[Edit:add2]Just thought of another one: when hovering over the funnel icons a tooltip should show filters for both left and right panes (if applicable and both filters are different). This can be useful since the address bar will only show you what filter is in effect in the active pane[/Edit]
Problem is to find any key combinations to achieve most of these (all is impossible??) using the keyboard??
Any more thoughts on this??
Dumb questions are the ones that are never asked
Just tried to extrapolate on the current usage of the Alt modifier to take effect on the inactive pane in stead of the active pane. So in the end you would need only to remember Alt modifies the behaviour to act on the inactive pane. Seemed plausible at the time I wrote it... come to think of it, it still does
I think the following holds for any functionality you use a lot in X²: if you use it heavily, you'll remember the shortcuts and appreciate (very much) the consistent way it act on active/inactive panes using many shortcuts. I know I do! But of course, a beginning user will do it through clicking on icons to be guided to get the job at hand done.
But let's not get carried away. What do you think of the symbolic (and functional) meaning of the colouring of the stacked funnel icon. Gives instant overview what is filtered and if so, if both panes are filtered using the same criteria. Don't you agree?
I think the following holds for any functionality you use a lot in X²: if you use it heavily, you'll remember the shortcuts and appreciate (very much) the consistent way it act on active/inactive panes using many shortcuts. I know I do! But of course, a beginning user will do it through clicking on icons to be guided to get the job at hand done.
But let's not get carried away. What do you think of the symbolic (and functional) meaning of the colouring of the stacked funnel icon. Gives instant overview what is filtered and if so, if both panes are filtered using the same criteria. Don't you agree?
Dumb questions are the ones that are never asked
Another idea: if a pane is filtered, give its pane header a different shade.
No extra space required! In fact, you can remove the filter indicator from the status bar and use that space for some other purpose
(e.g. Indicate free space for both panes. Follow the "use [] for inactive pane figure" convention)
This way, the x2 display will not look garish, and yet users will get a better indication (a "heads-up" display) whenever the filters are ON.
** Let the user select his own shade.
No extra space required! In fact, you can remove the filter indicator from the status bar and use that space for some other purpose
(e.g. Indicate free space for both panes. Follow the "use [] for inactive pane figure" convention)
This way, the x2 display will not look garish, and yet users will get a better indication (a "heads-up" display) whenever the filters are ON.
** Let the user select his own shade.
Well, just the one stacked funnel icon, because there will be only two panes visible at any given time. The icon should reflect the status of both panes in view at this moment.nikos wrote:so next christmas when we're going to have tabs for each pane, how many funnels are we going to need/use?
this system will only be viable if the filter is shown on the pane's titlebar, but that will steal space from the title. Perhaps the forthcoming tab row will accommodate it
But I like narayans idea of shading too (even better, because it gives more visual input than a little icon in the corner (see also background colouring on filter)
Dumb questions are the ones that are never asked
Talking about filter ideas... Though I didn't care about buttons, but
sure I had asked for:
- advanced filtering (just like "mark rule" or literally Alt+G with Ctr+Alt+J)
- saving filters feature, with list and a hotkey assignment (just like bookmarks / user commands are now presented)
Press a hotkey combination and you browse though "1day fresh" files" or quickly checks only for .txt or .zip :)
Hopefuly now they've got a rise in Nikos' ToDo list ;)
sure I had asked for:
- advanced filtering (just like "mark rule" or literally Alt+G with Ctr+Alt+J)
- saving filters feature, with list and a hotkey assignment (just like bookmarks / user commands are now presented)
Press a hotkey combination and you browse though "1day fresh" files" or quickly checks only for .txt or .zip :)
Hopefuly now they've got a rise in Nikos' ToDo list ;)
Add Filter buttons to toolbar?
Having a customizable toolbar of filters would be great. As for the icons, how about using the file types list? Many of my searches are *.xls, *.doc, *.pdf, etc. so icons for these are already defined.
Or maybe a dynamic toolbar that upon entering a directory finds all file types & displays the icons in the toolbar.
I envision the toolbar buttons working as radio buttons (click on, click off, click another clears any current).
Great program BTW!
Or maybe a dynamic toolbar that upon entering a directory finds all file types & displays the icons in the toolbar.
I envision the toolbar buttons working as radio buttons (click on, click off, click another clears any current).
Great program BTW!