INTERACT FORUM

More => Old Versions => Media Center 11 (Development Ended) => Topic started by: Ingo on June 20, 2003, 02:18:34 am

Title: location based browsing
Post by: Ingo on June 20, 2003, 02:18:34 am
Matt,

harddisc location based schemes have a huge lot improved since I last tried (~.201)
but they are still near to unusable.... can we pleeeeeaaaase have our old tree based database browsing back?

(just to make clear: I _love_ the pane based browsing... for artits/album like stuff, but I just can't see how to use it in things like location based stuf)

my suggestions:
- implement both and make it a users choice; radio buttons in edit media view:
o use pane based browsing
o use tree based browsing

- again implement both and have them active at the same time. walking down the tree would remove panes (starting from the left of course....)
this would allow people to use
-- panes, just as they do now, by keeping the tree closed
-- the tree, just as the used to. dragging the horizontal slider on the right side would leave them to the 'old' interface.

I'd be quite happy with both of them.... ;D

Ingo
Title: Re: location based browsing
Post by: dragyn on June 20, 2003, 02:27:54 am
I would much rather see 'location' being a tree IN the pane. And would rather see folder icons for all directories (like it was) but a different icon for the expandable directories.

This would solve my problems with the 'new' design. Oh and the font size too needs changing. I can't really see the listings on a 6.4" screen. I'm sticking to 196 until that change is made.
Title: Re: location based browsing
Post by: Matt on June 20, 2003, 06:40:25 am
Everyone at JRiver uses Total Commander instead of Explorer.  It doesn't use trees, but instead the same system in MC now.

So, maybe we're biased.  What was better about the tree?
Title: Re: location based browsing
Post by: Ingo on June 20, 2003, 06:48:25 am
just a short answer, I'm about to leave for my train...

- you can see where you are
- you can drop things somewhere else
- it looks and feels like explorer (which I'm using)

Ingo
Title: Re: location based browsing
Post by: Matt on June 20, 2003, 07:36:04 am
Quote
you can see where you are


We'll make the header display the path.

Quote
you can drop things somewhere else


Some sort of "freeze files" command would do the trick I think.

Quote
it looks and feels like explorer (which I'm using)


True.  If "My Computer" could show only imported files (so it'd be faster), would that work?

Thanks Ingo.

(p.s. I'm not saying a tree wouldn't be a better solution -- just brainstorming before we jump)
Title: Re: location based browsing
Post by: NoCodeUK on June 20, 2003, 07:38:20 am
I think this is the kind of situation where a tree would be suitable as the information is static and not going to change.

Just my 2c

Adam
Title: Re: location based browsing
Post by: V-Man on June 20, 2003, 07:44:43 am
Seems like a good opportunity for me to reaffirm my preference for the tree view.

At it's simplest, what I don't like about the panes is that clicking on any item in a pane causes an enormous amount of information all over the screen to change. Even though I'm a software professional, I find this very disorienting.

With the tree, you know that you click a tree node, and the list will change. Click a +/- icon, and only the tree will expand, the list won't change. Click on a list item, and nothing will change (well, forgetting about the properties window).

The tree system is predictable, and I like predictable. The panes are more deterministic than predictable - you can work out what will happen, but it takes experience and a bit of thought.

I can see the flexibility gains that panes give you can be a big bonus at times, and I respect what you're doing, but I think the change is far too overpowering and would urge you to consider returning to the tree paradigm and re-addressing the benefits that panes give you in some other way. Please remember that many more people use Explorer than Total Commander!
Title: Re: location based browsing
Post by: nila on June 20, 2003, 09:12:44 am
For location I'd DEFINITELY rather the tree :)
it's easier to jump around the tree as you can have this for instance:


series
- friends
. - 1
. - 2
. - 3
- simpsons
- alias
- angel
- buffy
films
video's


and just jump straight to 'video's' even when ur in the '3' sub directory without having to come up again first.


Once you re-arrange your view schemes (the old ones aren't that great with the new method) the new method can work very fast and is good for other things.
Title: Re: location based browsing
Post by: NoCodeUK on June 20, 2003, 09:16:38 am
Just to confirm I ONLY think the tree is better for location definitely not for everything else!!!  The Panes rule!  If a tree could be contained within a pane for the peeps who wanna search by location...

Adam
Title: Re: location based browsing
Post by: 221bBS on June 20, 2003, 12:08:23 pm
Quote
my suggestions:
- implement both and make it a users choice; radio buttons in edit media view:
o use pane based browsing
o use tree based browsing


I love this idea...there are times when using a tree view would be more productive for me. ;D
Title: Re: location based browsing
Post by: xen-uno on June 20, 2003, 12:48:57 pm
I fail to see why trees and panes cannot co-exist in peaceful harmony. Can't they just get along?

10-27
Title: Re: location based browsing
Post by: nila on June 20, 2003, 02:48:00 pm
If possible I would LOVE this - to have them both co-exist.

For location a tree is soooo much better :)

for the others - if you change ur view scheme, the panes can be very good.

Thats the reason I never used Wincommander etc. I MUCH prefer explorer's tree view to their view method. Tried them for a while and loved some of their built in features but just couldn't handle their way of browsing - much prefered explorer's even if it wasn't anywhere near as powerful.
Title: Re: location based browsing
Post by: nila on June 20, 2003, 02:49:52 pm
Oh,
and talking of co-existing - off the topic
View Scheme GROUPS - these were soooo nice. Why remove a feature that would bug NO ONE and could be useful to some. It was great when they were added so why remove them.


Even if you dont personally use these, if you can see why they might be useful to some of us then PLEASE SAY. The more shouts the more likely we will be to get back these great features.
Title: Re: location based browsing
Post by: sdgrizdan on June 23, 2003, 07:47:43 am
Quote
If "My Computer" could show only imported files (so it'd be faster), would that work?


:( dont do that; 'my computer' is where i browse non-imported files right after downloading to preview before importing. Limiting 'my computer' files will take away from what 'my computer' is all about: a way to browse ure computer and all the files on it.
Title: Re: location based browsing
Post by: Ingo on June 30, 2003, 12:58:35 am
I just have to bump that to say

Thanks Matt (and the rest of the gang)

this is great again.

Ingo