Sven Neumann wrote:
Hi,
Olivier Ripoll <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> writes:
>> Sure. It would be welcome that the "select file type" and "browse
for other folders" be opened by default. Or that they would remember
they last state or that this option could be selected by the user.
When do you need to use "Select file type"? Perhaps we should just
remove it, but then there are some very rare cases where it is
needed. A solution would be to ask the user for the file-type in case
it cannot be determined automatically. That would effectively move the
file-type selection to an extra dialog that most users would never
see.
Select file type is useful when:
1- when you want to save to a format, and do not know if gimp can
open/save it.
2- you do not remember the extension of the file type. jpeg, tiff, png,
gif and xcf are easy to remember, but what is the extension for exotic
formats ? Actually, even jpeg and tiff are tricky. Is it jpeg or jpg ?
tif or tiff ? In that case, the file type selector is practical.
But I agree you can remove it. But if and only if the "browse" dialogue
is opened. Because this dialogue contains its own drop-down that
duplicates the functionality. However, if the "browse" dialogue is
closed (I am talking about the "save as" window), there is no interface
hint for the user of where/how to filter the file type.
I know it is not the right place for it, but anyway, I will go if
off-list-topic mode to describe what I think could be considered to
improve the file selectors.
The type-ahead could be improved greatly by
- having the "->" key doing the same functionality as the "return" key.
or having it doing file name completion (see next point).
- having a completion of file names to the common part (that is, if I
have "foo1.jpg" and "foobar.jpg", I type "f", then press the completion
key and automatically "foo" is displayed).
- displaying only the files corresponding to the typed string in the
file list. I have 50 files, but as soon as "foo" is typed, only
"foo1.jpg", "foobar.jpg" and "food.png" are shown.
another possible one:
- having the "<-" key going up in one directory in the tree.
And additionally, at least on windows, typing ".." or "..\" does not
allow to go up in the directory tree (by up, I mean towards the root or
C: directory). I cannot check yet on my linux computer at home. So it
probably is a windows-only bug.
So what is probably a gimp-relevant comment is:
Making the open and save dialogue appearance persistent between
sessions. I _always_ want to have the "browse" dialogue opened. I need
it. The state is preserved within one gimp session. Why couldn't it be
preserved as a preferences.
And why are the dialogues for icm/icc profile selection (unstable gimp)
and "folders" in the preferences using a different file selector (no
file type drop-down, different window sizes) ? Sure it could be made
more consistent.
Best regards,
Olivier
PS: And by the way, the article in OSNews would be a perfect place to
explain the interface.
Sven
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