Drop stack anybody?

[admin]

Well, in the battlefields of file manager wars there's currently a lot of buzz around the "drop stack". XYplorer (then TrackerV3) had this under the name "bucket" already 2 years ago, and then I dropped it again 1 year ago because it did not work well due to a lacking interaction scheme.

v3.50.0074 - 24.06.04 19:52 added the bucket
v4.00.0004 - 04.04.05 11:14 dropped the bucket

It might be worth rethinking it, though! The concept is extremely simple: it's nothing but a list of items (files, folders) kept separate from the clipboard and potentially -- and this makes it interesting -- hand-collected (e.g. by drag'n'drop) from diverse locations. In a later step you can do something with the items.

To me it looks like a nice addition to the Catalog (well, it more or less is a collection of drop stacks)! Which of course means: we could have an infinite number of independent drop stacks...

Just thinking in public...

[surrender]

Oh yes!! Just yesterday i was about to make this wish and today you said it. To be very frank i dont understand the 'files on clipboard list' because i dont know how to use it i.e how to collect more that one item in this clipboard. Maybe someone can enlighten me.
But anyway, I whole heartedly support the bucket.

[jacky]

hmm.. I actually never really thought of that, but I can already see how sweet it could be!

The way I would see it now would be as a third space under the Catalog, or more as a new tab in the Panel (or, a "special" categoru in the Catalog?). You could drag&drop all items you want from list/tree in there, and of course from there to the tree/list/catalog!!
That could be hell of an "extended clipboard" thing!


On a side note, yes surrender's post made me realize here's another cool clipboard-related feature XY could have: "Append", that would not replace the clipboard's content by the selected files, but add them!!

[admin]

The way I would see it now would be as a third space under the Catalog, or more as a new tab in the Panel (or, a "special" categoru in the Catalog?).

... or a new Special folder in the tree called, well, "Drop Strack"? Or a drop-on-able toolbar button? Many possibilities... I still have to find out what exactly users and (I myself) expect from a drop stack, what they want to do with it. Then the optimal interface will emerge automatically. Meditating, researching...

On a side note, yes surrender's post made me realize here's another cool clipboard-related feature XY could have: "Append", that would not replace the clipboard's content by the selected files, but add them!!

That was built in TrackerV3's bucket. Now, that we have the possibilty of viewing and editing the clipboard, it's a nice and natural addition. 2 things:
- I would add "Append to Clipboard" to the "Paste Special" submenu which then of course needs a new name! Any ideas? E.g. "Edit Special", "Clipboard", "Clipboard Special", "Special"...?
- Shortcut Ctrl+Shift+C, okay?

[jacky]

The way I would see it now would be as a third space under the Catalog, or more as a new tab in the Panel (or, a "special" categoru in the Catalog?).

... or a new Special folder in the tree called, well, "Drop Strack"? Or a drop-on-able toolbar button? Many possibilities... I still have to find out what exactly users and (I myself) expect from a drop stack, what they want to do with it. Then the optimal interface will emerge automatically. Meditating, researching...

hmm well in the way I am seeing it, I wouldn't go for a folder on tree or TB button, simply because I would like to be able to have the list of items in this "bucket" visible at all time... I mean, hidable of course, but visible without having to click a button or something, or move somewhere in the tree... just like with the Catalog for favorites, anytime, they're here!

Plus, as I said I could see myself dropping items on that list, but also selecting some from that list to drag them somewhere else. And again, this well can't really be done from a button, and from the Tree it would mean you cant be where you want in the tree for D&D operations, which wouldn't be good I think.
More I think about it, more I think a new Panel tab would be best suited. But I'll let others brainstorm now

That was built in TrackerV3's bucket. Now, that we have the possibilty of viewing and editing the clipboard, it's a nice and natural addition. 2 things:
- I would add "Append to Clipboard" to the "Paste Special" submenu which then of course needs a new name! Any ideas? E.g. "Edit Special", "Clipboard", "Clipboard Special", "Special"...?
- Shortcut Ctrl+Shift+C, okay?

hmm.. that TrackerV3 you're referring to from time to time seems great, where can I get it?

Seriously though, only thing I can think of for now would be something like "Extended Clipboard" ; or "Clipboard Special" yeah...
(And yes, Ctrl+Shift+C is fine )

[admin]

Let's put the "Extended Clipboard" in the freezer for a while.

Back to Drop Stack (aka Drop Spot): I'm continuously meditating about it. State of meditation: there will be a new catalog category type called, well, "Drop Stack" whose contained items naturally will be the contents of the stack. Clicking the category will list the contents in the list view (also featuring a path column like in search results) and make them available for all Info Panel functions and all kinds of file operations -- this is already f-a-n-t-a-s-t-i-c (also known as "virtual folder" ).
You can have an unlimited number of drop stacks, rename them, color them etc. (all Catalog functionality), including they are remembered between sessions.

[ugus]

Hi guys,

Donalds idea looks very good (it was something like this... I was thinking of
but this sounds even better!

I realize that it will take some time to
implement it but when released it will be a real hitmaker...

...and timesaver

/Ulrik

[jacky]

Let's put the "Extended Clipboard" in the freezer for a while.

Clicking the category will list the contents in the list view (also featuring a path column like in search results) and make them available for all Info Panel functions and all kinds of file operations -- this is already f-a-n-t-a-s-t-i-c (also known as "virtual folder" ).

This sounds fantastic for sure!! But would it imply some kind of sync between that list content and the Catalog "special" category, as in if from the list we move/rename/delete items they're "refreshed" on the Catalog?

The only "downside" of this, to me, is that if thoose drop stack items behave, on Catalog, just as any other Catalog items, you can't easilly add one on the stack, then go somewhere else, and copy/move it here.. or do you plan to allow thoose items to support D&D (as in, being dragged FROM the Catalog onto Tree/List/Tabs) ?? That'd sound like the ultimate tool!

[admin]

Clicking the category will list the contents in the list view (also featuring a path column like in search results) and make them available for all Info Panel functions and all kinds of file operations -- this is already f-a-n-t-a-s-t-i-c (also known as "virtual folder" ).

This sounds fantastic for sure!! But would it imply some kind of sync between that list content and the Catalog "special" category, as in if from the list we move/rename/delete items they're "refreshed" on the Catalog?

Indeed, I've been thinking about that too. Currently I think the most natural sync would be:
delete item -> remove it from the stack
move item -> remove it from the stack, too
rename item -> rename it in the stack (the data, not the display name -- but you would not use a display name (when you rename a catalog item) in a drop stack anyway i think)

Another question is how to name the location. It shall also work in tabs and the address bar, so I need a naming convention for my drop stacks. Currently I think "Catalog:[MyStackCategoryName]" would work...

Yet another question is whether the list should get an independent look for the "virtual mode" (just like find mode is independent from browse mode) with regard to colors, column widths and order, sort order etc. ...

The only "downside" of this, to me, is that if thoose drop stack items behave, on Catalog, just as any other Catalog items, you can't easilly add one on the stack, then go somewhere else, and copy/move it here.. or do you plan to allow thoose items to support D&D (as in, being dragged FROM the Catalog onto Tree/List/Tabs) ?? That'd sound like the ultimate tool!

Of course it will be the ultimate tool!

[jacky]

Indeed, I've been thinking about that too. Currently I think the most natural sync would be:
delete item -> remove it from the stack
move item -> remove it from the stack, too
rename item -> rename it in the stack (the data, not the display name -- but you would not use a display name (when you rename a catalog item) in a drop stack anyway i think)

Sounds all good to me. And yes, display name within Catalog should basically not be allowed here, as they would confuse more than anything else I think....

Another question is how to name the location. It shall also work in tabs and the address bar, so I need a naming convention for my drop stacks. Currently I think "Catalog:[MyStackCategoryName]" would work...

hmm... in tabs I would have suggested to simply use the Drop Stack/Category name, with the Catalog icon (just like Finding tabs have their "location", and the icon). Besides since it would be an independant List Mode (see below ), one can set it to a background color of his choice that would mean "Drop Stack" (just like we can do for Finding tabs)
Only thing left then is the Go to/Address bar... but if you wanna make it available from there, why not simply found a new prefix; like ? means search (eg #my drop stack or @another drop)

Yet another question is whether the list should get an independent look for the "virtual mode" (just like find mode is independent from browse mode) with regard to colors, column widths and order, sort order etc. ...

I would say yes witout hesitation, if only because there's no Path column on Browse, so it would have to use the Find mode, but there're not really search results.. I think a new List Mode would be best.

BTW whether you go for "Virtual Mode", "Drop Stack" or w/e the same name should be used everwhere (Catalog, List Mode, etc) I'm sure you know that but I said it anyway