[patch #6206] sort hotkey

me INVALID.NOREPLY at gnu.org
Fri Nov 9 08:52:38 UTC 2007


Follow-up Comment #3, patch #6206 (project mc):

while i introduced the nonstandard way to sort a list with a separate
indicator and a button that toggles the mode, i have to admit that this is not
the most user friendly way.

with experience in Gui tools i sometimes come to the point where my
implementation does not match the wishes of a user and i find that i violated
guidelines for Gui design.

this is the case here too. to proof my feeling i post some url's:

http://developer.gnome.org/projects/gup/hig/2.0/controls-lists.html#controls-lists-sortable

Users often prefer to sort long lists, either alphabetically or numerically,
to make it easier to find items. Allow users to sort long or multi-column
lists by clicking on the column header they want to sort.

http://developer.apple.com/documentation/UserExperience/Conceptual/OSXHIGuidelines/XHIGControls/chapter_18_section_7.html#//apple_ref/doc/uid/TP30000359-TPXREF229

Sort the rows in the table by the selected column heading. You can implement
sorting on secondary attributes behind the scenes, but the user should see
only one column selected at a time. If a user clicks an already selected
column heading, change the direction of the sort.

http://doc.trolltech.com/4.3/model-view-introduction.html#sorting
... you can enable interactive sorting (i.e. allowing the users to sort the
data by clicking the view's headers) ...

---
i know this apply's to Gui applications, but in a very abstract view the mc
panels are simple Gui sortable lists.

therefore i recommend to complicate the functionality:

- make the column headers click able and assign keys 
  ctrl+f3 for name, ctrl+f4 for size etc
  * this might be complicated with some window managers and devices without f
keys (e.g. pda)
- if sorting by column is active put a indicator next to the column label:
  "Name ^" for normal name sorting
  "m time v" for reverse m time sorting etc
  panel frame only contains '$' or 'S' to invoke the sort dialog
  * this will break a scrolling functionality provided by mouse clicks on the
column header
- if sorting by a non-column attribute is active
  display the mode in the panel frame (instead of $/S), clicking will invoke
the sort dialog
- display the sort mode only on the active panel to keep the space 
for the directory on the inactive. (this is only a feeling, because i less
need to know how the inactive panel is sorted than where it currently is)

and a suggestion for a key binding
M+s, M+o, M+x s are taken 
M+x M+o?

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