[Thunar-dev] Some ideas to improve usability

[Benedikt Meurer]

Mikko Linnalo wrote:
>>>- Option in right click menu or in file menu to add a folder to side
>>>pane (as a shortcut). I know drag'n'drop to side menu works but it isn't
>>>that obvious to "normal" user without reading the manual. This would
>>>increase Thunars out-of-box readiness and overall usability
>>
>>Dunno if this is really necessary. Where would you add it exactly? To
>>the folder context menu?
> 
> Under the File menu, theres already some items in there that are active
> only when a folder is highlighted. This "Add to shortcuts" could be
> after "Open" and "Open in new window" items. Another solution could be
> to add it to right click menu, but that could make the menu look a bit
> bloated IMHO.

Ok, I'll see to it. It'd be a good idea to file a bugreport to remind me
of this.

>>>- "Remember selection" option as check box in Open with -dialog. I know
>>>that default application can be selected from file properties dialog,
>>>but being able to do so from Open with -dialog also would improve the
>>>usability greatly (IMHO)
>>
>>The check box isn't necessary, since Thunar will automatically remember
>>your choice.
> 
> It doesn't remember that with 0.2.0 alpha (atleast for me), looks like
> I have to change to SVN version anyway...

It should, else its a bug. Do you have desktop-file-utils installed BTW?

>>>- Single click support, lots of people have been used to using this.
>>>This requires most effort from me to get used to after so many years of
>>>single clicking
>>
>>This was discussed earlier. I'm personally not a big fan of single
>>click, esp. since it is totally inconsistent with other applications
>>that use GtkTreeView. Besides that it requires aweful hacks. You can
>>file a feature request for this, but it won't be on high priority.
> 
> I'll file a feature request then. Most people I know use single click
> (both Windows and Linux users), my guess would be that single click
> divides users of any OS into 2 about same sized groups (+-10% maybe).
> 
> I'd also like point out an inconsistency inside Xfce if Thunar only
> uses double click, atleast Xfce settings manager is "kind of" using
> single click 

The xfce-mcs-manager is very different from the file view in Thunar. It
uses a table of buttons, that are fixed. Both from the look&feel and the
actual implementation, the xfce-mcs-manager dialog is pretty similar to
the emblem chooser (in the file properties dialog) in Thunar, which is
single click.

> and also Rox file manager which large part of Xfce users
> are using (or were using before Thunar was usable enough).
> 
> I'm not saying that single click should be on by default, but an option
> atleast. I'll end now before this looks like I'm debating this to the
> bitter end :)

File a feature request, and we'll see if it can be done w/o too ugly hacks.

> Regards,
> Mikko Linnalo

Benedikt